Hello! My fiance and I are spending three nights in Tuscany. Any agriturismos and subsequent activities to suggest? We're not interested in going to Florence this time. Thanks!

ttt

Look at www.slowtrav.com

Check out this site:
www.greve-in-chianti.com for lots of listings/activities in the Chianti area.

I stayed a few years ago at an agriturismo called Podere Torre, which can be accessed through the above site. Look for agriturismi and/or B&Bs. Wonderful place!

Annabelle- Thank you. the place seems great. Can you tell me a bit more about the grounds? Also, how far from town? We will probably rent a car from Florence. Thank you!

You are going to find it hard to get a place that will reserve for only 3 nights. We contacted several places and most wanted a 7 night Sat-Sat stay. Some do less but it was always arrival or departure on Sat...

We stayed at Casa Nova La Ripintura for 4 nights this month, a place just on the edge of Greve that was decent, clean, rustic, with a huge kitchen and fireplace plus it was very close to town and an easy walk. The owners were nice and the price was good.

Contact the places you like be email with your dates and they will respond in a few days usually..

We stayed at La Crociona just outside Montalcino. Barbara and her family (mom Fiorella) were outstanding hosts. Very nice, very convenient, had a pool, good restaurant on premises but not affliated. They have a website and you can email them directly for availability and pricing.

Hi Jagers -

Take a look at www.tuscany.net. We've booked places through this website and never had a problem. You can also do a search and then contact the agriturismo directly. We've stayed at agriturismos for less than one week on more than one occasion. Those with self-catering apartments typically require a one week stay but some offer B&B lodging on a nightly basis.

You just need to spend some time figuring out which area of Tuscany you'd like to base yourself in and then look for a property. We've stayed in both Chianti and Southern Tuscany around Montelpulciano. Both are wonderful but the topography is very different with Chianti being more hilly and wooded (meaning slower driving along winding roads) and the Val d'Orcia is more open with hill towns dotting the countryside.

As for activities, we spend our days driving through the countryside visiting the towns and wineries. Tuscany for DH and I usually means long lunches and more of a relaxing itinerary.

Enjoy - the food and wine of Tuscany are divine!

Obviously it is preferred to rent a car if you want to "tour" the hilltowns of Tuscany...any suggestions of a good place to stay if you're not renting a car? We're thinking somewhere like...Siena, San Gimignano, any other suggestions? We're on to Rome from there if that makes a difference.

With a car you can stay at this excellent agriturismo:

Orviento area
Locanda Rosati 120 Euros night, plus an excellent dinner around a family table. They also had a pool. We had a fun time here in a seperate bungalow adjacent to the farmhouse.

The Locanda Rosati lies in the hills barely nine km from the Orvieto A1 toll highway exit on the road that leads from Orvieto to Bolsena, a 15 minute drive. On S71 about 6 km from Orvieto. A bit difficult to find. S71 will be winding, and there is a trattoria (Trattoria Mora??) 300-400 yards before Locanda Rosati, sign on the right, and your need to make a very sharp right turn into the driveway, you probably will have to make the turn, then back up and turn more to get into the drive.

Dinner here at 30 Euros each includes wine.
Tele: +39 (0763) 217314
e-mail [email protected] www.locandarosati.orvieto.tr.it/.
Locanda Rosati
Loc.Buonviaggio,22
05018 Orvieto (TR) Italia

thank you all!

Hi jagers929

One reason I mentioned Podere Torre is I believe that she (Cecilia, the owner) will rent for less than a week -- I stayed there for 3 nights and some friends-of-friends just reserved a few nights for this fall.

It is located about 10-15 minutes (I think -- I was there in 2003) from the town of Greve up a winding road through vineyards. It took us about one hour to get to Florence by car. (And another hour to find parking in Florence, but that is another story).

The location of the agriturismo is on a hillside overlooking wooded hills and Chianti vineyards. There were roses, other lovely flowers, herbs, vegetables, cherry trees, a couple of friendly dogs...it is very comfortable, somewhat rustic, very relaxing. The rooms (just two or three) are in old farm buildings - tiled floors, country-antiques, nice beds with pretty bed linens, good bathrooms w/ thick towels.

We had breakfast outside under a little portico on a rustic wooden table. One cool rainy day Cecilia served it inside her lovely adjoining house.

Greve had nice restaurants and wine bars, good shops, and high prices. Our favorite nearby restaurant turned out to be just down the road from the agriturismo in the teeny village (if you could even call it that) of Montefioralle. The restaurant's name was La Castellana.

Booked, booked, booked! Any other agriturismos?