Bravo/brava (as the gender may be), great report, delivered in a fabulous and tolerant spirit. Much to enjoy, much to learn from. I'm glad you stuck with it despite the naysayers who wanted to tell you what they like is what you should like. Vive la différence, yes?
Many thanks!

hi suddenly,

great report of a great trip.

real "food for thought"!

i have bookmarked every one of your recommended hotels and restaurants for future reference. if only we could find the time to visit them.

regards, ann

What a great report, so informative and off the beaten track. I have been to some of the places you visited in Octobers and had warm days and not too many fellow tourists. In some small towns we seemed to be the only outsiders. Maybe make your next trip in October. Thanks for sharing your wonderful restaurants and lodgings.

We've visited Tuscany (mainly Val d'Orcia) in late March/early April, late June, all of Sept, & most of October. Our trips have usually been multiple weeks in lenght.


Our favorite time is late March/early April when the hills are covered with (what looks like) a green velvet blanket, and there are not many tourists around. Lots of hiking trails in the Val d'Orcia.

Stu Dudley

Thanks for the rest of your report. I went to Ostia Antica last February, on a warm and sunny day, and there were very few people there, so I know what you mean. Sounds as though the town is not a bad place to stay!

Suddenlytuscany, loved your pizzaz braving the elements to explore Tuscany off season. Thanks for a great report.

May I suggest a very interesting book about the Val d'Orcia?

Iris Origo : marchesa of Val d'Orcia / by Caroline Moorehead

This is a biography of a fascinating ex-pat and her Italian nobleman husband who settled in southern Tuscany in the 1920s, founded an estate (now an agriturismo, La Foce), and survived the horrors of WW II. The book presents in in depth portrait of the joys and sorrows of living in that beautiful part of the world.

On that last note, I would recommend "War in the Val d'Orcia" by Iris Origo.

I will add my bravas to this report. Good for you that you were able to wing it and veer off the well-trodden path. I loved the attention to food!

I spent a few days in Montepulciano one recent January and, provided one is well-wrapped against the cold, would much prefer traveling again during the winter than fording the streams of tourists in the more gentle months.

I was taken aback by Rodrigo de Vivar--I wonder what connection he had to this area or if I am confusing El Cid with another of that name?

As for The Monumento restaurant, since it thrilled both Fellini and our SuddenlyTuscany, it now has a place on my list..this might be a good place for a last meal before a flight from the airport..

Mille grazie!!!!!!!! Where are you off to next?

ekscrunchy,

The connection to El Cid is that the current proprietor teaches world literature to Roman high school students, and finds the legend deeply inspiring!

http://www.rodrigodevivar.com/in/el-cid.html

The apartment we stayed in at the hotel was named, we were told, after a well-known Roman screenwriter who lived there at one time, while the apartment below us was named after Marc Chagall, and I forgot to ask why.

I think Ostia Antica has great possibilities for people coming in or out of Rome. It took us 15 minutes by car to get to Fiumicino. A taxi is probably 30 euros. There is a public bus, but I'd probably give that a miss. For connecting with Rome, there is a commuter train stop probably 200 meters from the hotel door, and another 50 to Ristorante Monumento that is a is a direct connection to the heart of the Testaccio area of Rome.

I meant to thank for that link to carabaccia. I found Boccon di Vino's online

http://www.castellobanfi.com/features/firstc.php

I also came across an interesting article published in the New York Times just today by Marcella Hazan, the cookbook author, that sums up what we were looking for when it came to Tuscan food during this trip, and why we stayed at Da Toto in Lucignano:

"When my family and I ate out in the Italy of my youth and early decades of my marriage, we would look for any plain trattoria where we could find the kind of cooking that was closest to what my mother and father were putting on the table at home. The person making the meal may have been the owner or his wife or his mother, or someone working in total anonymity. He or she was never referred to as the chef, but as il cuoco or la cuoca, the cook.

"This was the old world of Mediterranean family cooking, a world where satisfying flavors had been arrived at over time and by consensus. That world hasn’t disappeared, but it has receded, making room for a parallel world, one where food is often entertainment, spectacle, news, fashion, science, a world in which surprise — whether it’s on the plate or beyond it — is vital. This is the world of chefs."

We know where to go to find chefs where we live. In Tuscany, we wanted someone to cook for us! And they did, very well, very simply and very deliciously at Da Toto.

We weren't too ideological about it. In Tarquinia, we ate the food of chefs. Risotto is not typical of the local cuisine. But we're glad we got a real taste of Tuscany, night after night.










Where are we going next? If it's all up to me, I'm eager to poke around Friuli-Venezia Giulia. But I have to admit after eating in Ristorante Monumento, I still want to see Rimini, Fellini's home, and it would be fun to string together a tour of some Adriatic beach towns people tend to pooh-pooh at. I suspect I'd find them fun, and we could probably find some wonderful art around there too. I'd be interested in seeing Faenza and the Forli region.

Thanks to everybody for the tips on when to go to val d'Orcia when it's less than freezing but still not overwhelmed with visitors.

And thanks for the book recommendations. As I mentioned, I really regretted that the museum in Buonconvento that chronicles the lives of peasants, farmers and sharecroppers in that part of Tuscany was not open on the day we visited. We looked through the windows and saw a very handsome display of artifacts and multimedia exhibits, and I would think anybody interested in the history of the area would enjoy both the town and the museum.

Susan P,

Staying in Ostia Antica (which is actually the town, while Ostia Scavi is the ruins) was quite enjoyable in winter, and the rooms were warm and there was a lovely fireplace at Ristorante Monumento.

That said,. I also imagine that leaving Rome on a very hot summer day for the ruins of Ostia would be a very pleasant excursion. The ruins are surrounded by huge umbrella pines, and lots of picnic areas. The thing to do would be to put together a picnic from Volpetti's in Testaccio, get a train to Ostia Antica, have lunch under the pines, walk it off visiting the excavations, go for a swim in Ostia Lido, and have a huge fish dinner by the sea before heading back to Rome, and enjoying a nightcap by a fountain.

Hmmm ! Sorry about the Avis office being so far. Did I not mention the other 2 vendors being much closer?

Bob,

I rented the car online through AutoEurope, and if one can choose the vendor using their website, I'm unaware of how to do it.

It wasn't a disaster for us, because we were spending the night in Chiusi centro and would have needed to take a taxi back to the station to pick up the car next morning anyway, even it was Hertz or Europcar.

I posted my experience because it is so often recommended to people coming from Rome to tour Tuscany that they not rent their car in Rome, but instead pick one up in Chiusi after getting off the train, and just pack in their luggage and go. For those people, they need to make sure they are renting from Hertz or Europcar. (Likewise if they are dropping a car off in Chiusi and proceeding directly to Rome.)

That description of a daytrip from Rome to Ostia Antica sounds perfect! I didn't eat in the town, but Ristorante Monumento sounds great. As you say, the grounds are beautiful. I love the umbrella pines.

Always call them when you are ready to book.

Great trip report -

Is the restaurant in Lucignano (Da Toto) open for lunch, or only for dinner and to guests staying there?

I've rented over 30 cars through AutoEurope over the last 25 years, and I never book onlne, I call them. They offer many discounts - you just have to ask. There is a 5 to 8% AAA discount. Also, there is usually some dialog about "where" in the city you want to pick up the car - differen locatiions for different agencies. Even if you book online (like you did), the on line system will display the different offices with addresses where you can pick up the car. There have been many posts here about locations in Chiusi. However, unless you are aware of this, you might not ask when you call or even analyze locations when you book on-line.

You seem to be interested in history. I strongly suggest that you purchase the book latedaytraveller suggested - except the one I read by the author was "War in the Val d'Orcia". It's an autobiography of everyday life in this region - and how "life" was impaced by the war. You won't be able to put it down. She is a gifted writer. We were in the Val d'Orcia on her 100th birthday, and there was a big celebration at La Foce - her home in the Val d'Orcia. If I were a teacher, I would make it required reading for my students. The book may even entice you to return to the Val d'Orcia and explore it more thoroughly. If you do, follow the following itinerary - it's from my longer italy Itinerary that I've sent to hundreds of people on this forum.

Tuscany – Val d’Orcia
My wife & I first visited the Val d’Orcia (around Pienza) in the late ‘80s when we were doing the typical “once over lightly” tour of Italy. On an old map I used at the time, I had scribbled the comment “pretty” on the road running between San Quirico d’Orcia and Montepulciano. We passed though this area again on several subsequent visits – usually staying 1 or 2 days each time. In September ’94, we stayed 4 days at the 5-room Hotel La Saracina near Pienza, and explored the area a little more (using up a lot of film) and then moved on to the Chianti area for 3 days, San Gimignano for 2, Lucca for 2, etc. In September ’96 we met 3 other couples (old college friends celebrating our 25th anniversaries together) for a 4 day stay in La Saracina. One of the couples liked the area so much that they booked a 3 week stay at La Saracina the next year, and then bought a 2nd home in the town of San Quirico the year after that (after exploring Chianti & Umbria to make sure they were buying in the area they liked the most). In ’99 when we retired early so we could travel more, we stayed in their apartment for 3 weeks - taking day trips to other areas in Tuscany & Umbria, exploring the Val d’Orcia, and enjoying Italian village life in San Quirico. That same year we had spent a considerable amount of time in Provence (7 weeks), and when we arrived in the Val d’Orcia, we both commented that this area was the prettiest countryside we had seen anywhere in Europe. I have various books & posters showing the Val d’Orcia in early spring when everything is green. It looks quite different in these spring pictures than it does in September when we had always been there. In March of ‘04 when the airfares were low and our friends were living in their apartment in San Quirico for 5 months, we visited the Val d’Orcia again. We thought that in September the countryside looked remarkable with the fields freshly plowed, exposing the soil with colors ranging from dark rust to light tan, with the cypress trees dancing up hills or running along the crest of a ridge, farmhouses tucked here & there, medieval villages everywhere, castles, vineyards, olive groves, and virtually no ugly commerce to spoil the scene (like elsewhere in Tuscany). Well, March is even prettier. The winter wheat that is planted almost everywhere is bright green and when it catches the late day sun, it is really spectacular with all the rolling hills, cypresses, farmhouses, etc. Since our 3 week stay in ’99, we have visited Vermont during leaf season, Provence several more times (including poppy, lavender & sunflower seasons), the Dordogne, Alsace, Pays Basque, Scotland, Bavaria, the Cotswolds, and many places in between – but we both feel that the Val d’Orcia is the prettiest open countryside we have seen anywhere. When we were there in March, we took several day trips to other sections of Tuscany, and when we returned “home” we always commented “why do we travel anywhere else in Italy – there’s nothing prettier than where we are staying”. So, for the remainder of our 2 week trip (and another week subsequent trip), we didn’t travel anywhere else – we spent all our time finding more nooks & crannies in the Val d’Orcia.

The following is a 1 day driving itinerary through this area, with stops at various villages and sites. If you have more time to spend in this vicinity, by all means drive down some of the dirt roads and even take some walks.

The best times of day to see this area are in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky. When the shadows are long, the cypress trees & umbrella pines look more pronounced as they “dance up the hill” (my wife’s term). The farmhouses sprinkled throughout the landscape take on a special look in the early morning and at sunset. Budget at least two rolls of film for this area. The Val d’Orcia can get some morning fog. If so, spend the morning in a village & start your drive when the fog lifts.

In my opinion, the countryside is the “star” in this part of Tuscany. You “must see” Pienza and there are other interesting villages too, but don’t shortchange the drive through the countryside. If you are behind schedule, skip some villages – not the countryside. You might think that this itinerary seems out of order in places & I’m often taking you down roads that you have already driven. Sometimes, I’m considering the position of the sun when you drive on a road, and other times I’m just trying to extend the time to enjoy the countryside.

You will need the Touring Club Italiano map of Tuscany to follow this route. Also, obtain the Michelin Green Guide to Tuscany. If anyone wants to take walks in this area, get the Carta Turistica e Stradale – Val di Chiana, Val d’Orcia map. They have it at the bookstore in Pienza.

If you are doing this tour as a day trip from Siena, leave Siena going south on the N2 (marked SS2 also). It’s actually a pretty drive. Just past the second turnoff to Montalcino and past the bridge, look for a beautiful grove of cypress trees to your right. At San Quirico, take the N146 east to Montepulciano. This is an easy drive. If you leave Siena by 7:00 you should get to Montepulcano by 8:30 or earlier.

Do not visit Montepulciano at this time, unless it is foggy in which case you should wait until the fog lifts before proceeding on this drive. Take the N146 west to Pienza. The sun will be at your back. When you pass the large domed church of San Biagio (on your right/north) just after leaving Montepulciano, look back towards Montepulciano & you will be rewarded with a spectacular site – the Church of San Biagio in the foreground with Montepulciano cascading down the hillside behind it. This is one of the most photographed sites in Tuscany. Before I retired, I had a giant poster of this view in my office – reminding me why I wanted to retire & spend more time traveling. Don’t take a picture just yet – you will be back over this route later in the day and the sun will be in a better position to shine on the church and the perched village behind it.

Continue on the N146 to Pienza. This road has some wonderful scenery. You should get to Pienza by 9:00.

As you approach the “old” part of Pienza and the N146 turns right towards San Quirico, make a sharp left turn and you will find some parking spaces. If these parking spots are filled, continue down this road & look for the blue parking (P) to your left. During tourist season, you have to pay to park in this lot. You can also park south of Pienza below the village, but you will have a slight climb uphill to the center of town.

Explore Pienza by entering through the Porta al Murello, at the west end of Pienza. Just as you enter Pienza, there is a nice pottery/gift shop on your left (in the large square) which has had a significant impact on my wallet. Most stores open at 9:30 & close for a 1 ˝ to 3 hr lunch at 1:00 (typical in Italy). You can obtain a self guided 1 hour audio tour of the town (in English) by renting a head set from the tourist office (closed at lunch time, but open on Sunday). If you want to have a picnic lunch at Sant’ Antimo abbey, pick up some lunch provisions while in Pienza. There is a pizza shop just outside of the Porta al Murello (next to the book store/news stand) where you can pick up a slice of pizza. There is a walking path next to the town walls on the south side of Pienza – don’t miss this. It’s a great place to just sit in the sun & admire the views. Plan on spending 1 ˝ hrs in Pienza if you take the audio tour or you’re a big shopper, 1 hr if not. It’s one of the few villages in Tuscany that has most of it’s stores open on Sunday, & Monday mornings.

Leave Pienza on the N146 toward San Quirico. This is another stretch of road with fantastic views – perhaps our favorite. Just 2K from San Quirico, there is a splendid view to the south of a very small church and another building with cypress trees & umbrella pines surrounding these buildings. This site is on the crest of a hill. If you have been in Tuscany for any length of time, you will have seen this view on many postcards & calendars. You will pass this church again later in this drive when the late afternoon sun makes this scene perfect for picture taking. As you approach San Quirico, drive into the parking lot behind the Taverna del Barbarossa restaurant (which is associated with the Casanova hotel). The parking lot is at the south end of the complex. Park the car, get out & you will see another of the most photographed sites in Tuscany. In fact, the very first picture that appears in my ’95 Michelin Green Guide to Tuscany, is a photograph of this scene – a farmhouse sitting on top of a hill, surrounded by cypress trees. A “coffee table” book I have has photographs of this site at different times of the year – it’s quite remarkable. This site is even on the cover of that book. I also have a poster (yes, it was hanging in my office too).

You should get to San Quirico by 11:00 if you stopped for some picture taking along the way. Don’t visit San Quirico now – do so later in the itinerary if you have time (it’s worth a visit).

Follow the signs at San Quirico and get on the N2 toward Siena (north). Just after you leave San Quirico on the N2, you will be on a bridge. If you look back, there is a nice view of the village of San Quirico from the bridge. Unfortunately, I have never been brave enough to get out of the car & take a picture from this bridge. Further along the N2 there is a pretty grove of cypress trees on your left (west). This grove can be seen better traveling south, however. On your right, you will see several cypress trees and umbrella pines dotting the ridge of a hill. You might recognize this site from postcards & calendars you have seen. Turn off the N2 & go to Montalcino.




As you approach Montalcino, you will get some good views of this perched village. The road will turn a few times & will take you to the south entrance of town, which will be marked with a large “Montalcino” painted on a white background on the stone wall of town, and a “centro” sign will be pointing into town . Do not enter through this entrance - instead turn a very sharp left when you see this town sign and follow the road uphill. Very shortly you will see a round-about. Exit to the right off the round-about to find a place to park. There is a rather large car parking lot near the old fortress (Rocca). Note – When you arrive into Montalcino and encounter the round-about, note the sign to Sant’ Antimo Abbey (marked “S. Antimo”), where you will go next on this itinerary (it’s marked on the round-about). The road to this abbey is a very sharp left (almost a full circle around the round-about).

Visit Montalcino. You should get there by 11:00. Many shops will close by 1:00. You can visit the fortress, but I found it only OK. Budget about 1 hour or less in Montalcino. It has some nice outdoor lunch spots if you want a sit down lunch (I’m pushing the picnic at Sant’ Antimo).

Follow the signs (and your map) to Sant’ Antimo Abbey. The Abbey is quite lovely, but what I like best about it, is the setting – we’ve used up a lot of film there. It’s located in a valley surrounded by hills, cypress trees dancing up these hills, and a lawn around of the Abbey (where you can picnic). It’s also a good place for a little snooze in the sun. There are Gregorian chants inside the church at various times of the day (posted on the entrance to the church – one chant is at 12:45). See http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/sant_antimo.htm for a full chant schedule and a description of Sant Antimo.

Continue on your drive through the countryside. You should leave Sant’ Antimo about 1:30. Take the road south-east of the abbey, toward Monte Amiata on your Touring Club map. Pass through Monte Amiata, and at Ost. Ansidonia, turn left (north-east) to Castiglione d’ Orcia. This is pretty countryside. Pass through Castiglion & get on the N2 & head north toward San Quirico. You should get to San Quirico about 2:00 or so.

Continue past San Quirico toward Siena. You will have another chance to see the cypress grove to your left, and the cypresses & umbrella pines running along the ridge to your right. Get off the N2 at Torrenieri. There is a road that runs from Torrenieri to San Quirico, just east of the N2. Find it on the Touring Club map. You want to head south on this road from Torrenieri to the “phantom” village of Bellaria on the map (there really isn’t any village there). When driving through Torrenieri just after leaving the N2, you need to turn right at the first stop sign (in front of a small church) and you will immediately cross a railroad track. As you approach Bellari, look to your right and you will see more umbrella pines & cypress trees dotting the top of a ridge. These are the same trees you saw from the N2 on your drive to Montalcino and to Torrenieri. When you get to Bellaria, turn left (east) to Cosona (it’s marked at the turn). You will be on a dirt road. It is one of our favorite drives in this area. Continue & go slowly on this dirt road. Lots of pretty sites here. This dirt road will kind of dead-end onto another road (see it on your map). Turn right toward Pienza and continue on toward Pienza. When you get to the N146, turn west (right) toward San Quirico. You should get here around 3:00.

About half way to San Quirico, there is a dirt road that heads south of N146 – find it on the map (it’s the only one on the map between Pienza & San Quirico). There is a sign for this road on the N146 and the turn is marked by a direction sign to the “Agriturismo il Rigo”, and before a “watch for deer” sign. Turn south on this road. We have often driven down this road, parked the car, & started on a hike from here. Continue on this road until it connects with the N2.




Continue south on the N2, and after about 2K, head east on the paved road (marked yellow on the touring club map) toward Chianciano & Pienza (well marked). This road passes through another “phantom” town called Spedaletto – find it on the map to make sure you turned at the right place off the N2. This road goes trough the heart of the Val d’Orcia and is quite picturesque. Continue on this road toward Chianciano Terme. You will have a nice view of Pienza perched on top of a ridge, off in the distance to the left (north). There is an “interchange” on this road – pay attention & keep heading to Chianciano Terme. Just before La Foce, you will see a lovely double set of cypress trees to the north, dancing (again) up the hill (another much photographed site). Continue on this road, and shortly you will see a parking lot opposite the Restaurant Oasi la Foce. Pull into this lot & you will get another view of this double set of cypress trees. Continue toward Chianciano, and about 1/2K after the parking lot, take the first left (north) on a dirt road toward Montepulciano (well marked). This will be a dirt road and will pass around a lovely castle. When the dirt road becomes a paved road, turn left towards Monticchiello (well marked). As you approach Monticciello, this road becomes particularly scenic.

Monticchiello is a very cute village – it’s where my father-in-law says he wants to live. Park the car in the lot outside this village near the refreshment stand (do you need any) & wander around. It’s a 30 min wander. There is a nice restaurant in town called La Porta.

Look at Monticchiello on the Touring Club map. You will see lots of roads radiating from this small village like spokes on a bicycle wheel. All these roads have fantastic views of the countryside – in my opinion, they offer the prettiest drives in the Val d’Orcia. If you have time to spare, by all means drive down all these roads. We’ve done this quite often at various times of the day when the sun casts different shadow patterns on the rolling hills and from the cypress trees. My favorite drive is the one branching out at 8:00 from Monticchiello. It connects to the road heading directly north to Pienza. Turn right towards Pienza on this road & you will get a fantastic view of Pienza. Just a little south of Pienza, there is a dirt road that heads south-west. Take this road and it will connect with the N2/Chianciano road running east/west. From here you can retrace the drive east towards La Foce where you will head to Montepulciano (by-passing the turn to Monticchiello). When this road hits the N146, turn left to Montepulciano.

If you don’t have extra time available for this side trip, after visiting Monticchiello head back down hill from the parking lot. Immediately after leaving the lot, go straight at the fork (just after the first house on the right) instead of turning right the way you entered the lot. This will lead to Montepulciano on a paved road that shortly becomes a dirt road and later paved again. There is a nice view of Montepulciano from this road. When this road dead-ends at the N146, turn left towards Pienza, or right to Montepulciano if you want to visit this town (one of my favorites).

Visit Montpulciano, if you like (1 hr visit). Use the Michelin Green Guide to find the sites you want to visit. Hike all the way up to the Piazza Grande. It’s a somewhat steep walk through town, however, but the village is very pretty. You can taste some excellent wine at the Avignonesi estate (you will see it – just opposite the tall column in the middle of the main street, just after you enter town). If you need a snack, find a place where you can get pizza by the slice & have a mushroom (fungi) and truffle (tartufi) pizza (only in Italy!!!).

Leave Montepulciano towards Pienza on the N146 again. Now you get a better view with the remarkable San Biagio Church in the foreground and Montepulciano in the background (you may have to drive a little west on the N146 to get the view). Hopefully you are at this spot about 5:00 or so. Without any further stops, you are less than 1 ˝ hrs from Siena.

Drive along the N146 toward Pienza & San Quirico again (30 min drive). The sun will be in your face, but now the little church with the cypress trees around it will look quite different, as will other sites you photographed when you drove this route in the morning.

If time allows, visit San Quirico (it’s 45 mins to Siena from SQ). San Quirico is kind of a poor man’s Pienza – but they like it that way. It’s a town where people really live. In fact, I’ve told friends that San Quirico is the type of town we wish our small towns in the US would be like – kind of a River City, Iowa (Music Man). Everyone knows everyone else, people are out strolling, there are stores where locals shop for their everyday stuff, etc. Families congregate at the Bar Centrale (closed Thurs) in the evening, where the men play cards in one room, the younger children are in the video room, and the older children are outside playing soccer in the town square or just hanging out. If you visit San Quirico, have a coffee latte at the Bar Centrale & “people watch”. SQ is a 30-45 min visit. Some stores may be closed Wednesday afternoon.

Stu Dudley

Well, I seem not to be the only one surprised by this Avis location on the via Molise. I read quite a few internet postings about picking up cars in Chiusi, and I'm sorry I didn't come across yours warning against this location.

As for the convenience of online booking against the benefits of phone calling, I'm not entitled to the discounts you mentioned, and in many trips to Italy, this is the first time I felt I needed to say something for the benefit of other people about the location of a rental office. I think Chiusi is quite the exception to the rule of rental offices convenient to train stations.

I have seen the film of the "Music Man," and while I won't presume to know what all Americans want their small towns to be, I must say you haven't made me enthusiastic about visiting San Quirico d'Orcia by likening it to the small town in that musical! Perhaps people just have different sensibilities. I take it as a plus we all don't want to crowd into the same places!

I really did prefer the val di'Chiana to the val d'Orcia as a landscape. And while I'm sure that others who find this thread will appreciate the wealth of detail you've provided, I've learned that for me, speaking only for myself, when I personally travel, it's best I not try to follow another's guided tours, timed to the hour and minute.

But it's lovely you've found "your spot" in Italy, don't want to tour elsewhere and have such enthusiasm you like to share. On one thing we surely agree. You advised:

"In my opinion, the countryside is the “star” in this part of Tuscany. You “must see” Pienza and there are other interesting villages too, but don’t shortchange the drive through the countryside."

That's exactly what we did! Not wishing to shortchange the countryside, we drove the roads of the val d'Orcia when we had our best chance to see it during the time we were there.

Sounds as if you enjoyed your short visit and ate some great food. Like others I really enjoyed Sant'Antimo, it was one of the highlights of our visit. Not sure what was unorthodox about your holiday or why others wouldn't want to emulate your travelling style. It didn't sound that different to me.

SuddenlyTuscany have you written any other reports?

If so, could you post a link so we can enjoy your "unorthodox" travel style?

Many thanks..

ekscrunchy,

No, I have not written trip reports before, and now having discovered they are such hard work, I won't again, believe me! I started out thinking I would just focus on our mistakes or surprises, but once you get started with "Day One" and "Day Two", you really feel obliged to keep going with the silliest details until you're done with "Day Seven." Who cares if some of us bought a toothbrush in Tuscany?

I hope some future fellow travelers learn a lesson from us about Chiusi car rentals,, or the good food at Da Toto, and make sure to include the "crete sinese" near Asciano as part of their Tuscan tour in addition to val d'Orcia, and to give Tarquinia and Ostia Antica a go if they are in the region. But hope no one puts too much weight on our experiences. We're not experts, or gourmands. We were out for a lark, hoping to find a Tuscany not-too-touristed, despite our doubts. And we did.

rickmav,

We're not all that unorthodox, it's true, but I do think most people, especially those traveling across the Atlantic, will probably want to plan their days with more care than we did. We went in a rush, hoping to catch sufficient sunshine, and leaving a lot of our hotel bookings, restaurant choices, and sightseeing to chance. Foreign trips are expensive, and people planning a rare trip to Italy (we teravel around it often) are well advised to do more research about their target area than we did in order to get the most out of their brief time in Italy.

Also, we now think our trip was too much driving for that particular region. It made some sense for us to be in our car so much, given the time of year, but were we to return to that part of Tuscany, we would probably pick one pretty spot to enjoy and relax outdoors, enjoying long walks, and we would go in warmer weather.

Unlike us, foreigners who have heard about "beautiful Tuscany" and dearly want to see it for themselves should probably consider visiting the smaller "cute" hilltowns and the famous ones as well. We deliberately chose Arezzo, Lucignano and bypassed some much-recommended towns. We enjoyed our trip, but we hesitate to tell others to follow our footsteps, unless they really like a bit of adventure and don't mind the risk of striking out when their gambles outside the "tried-and-true" and repeatedly recommended don't pay off.

All that said, it's hard to imagine most people landing in Tuscany and not finding it a rewarding place to be, plans or no plans, summer or winter, crowds or no. It's a quite unusual farm country, with inescapable charm.

The beauty of this forum is that we all learn from each others experiences, good and bad. I now have another frame of reference to hopefully avoid.