Day trips from Montepulciano

Old Oct 1st, 2005, 06:04 AM
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Day trips from Montepulciano

I am in the process of finalizing a general itinerary of day trips for our late October/early November Italy trip and could use some advice from those of you that have stayed in Montepulciano using bus/train service to surrounding towns.

We do want to savor life in Montepulciano itself, taking a day trip to Pienza (bus there)with potentially a hike back through Montechicllo (depending on the weather), day trip to Montalcino and other potentials would be a day trip to San Quirco or winetasting tour of local vineyards serviced out of Montepulciano or day trip to Cortona.

All of these would be by bus. Has anyone taken the bus from Montepulciano to Cortona for a day trip?

Any other suggestions from those of you that have "bussed" it vs. renting a car?

Also, does anyone know if there is a bus or taxi that you can take from Montalcino to the Abby at San Antimo?

Thanks for your help and advice!!
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 06:48 AM
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Just curious - why aren't you renting a car?

Stu Dudley
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 06:52 AM
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Another Stu is also curious...driving, especially in the Tuscan region is a joy..lovely roads, not too trafficky..most convenient way to get to anywhere in the area you wish to. Try it, you'll like it.
Stu Tower
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 08:24 AM
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Our reason for not wanting to rent a car is for several reasons,first the expense of the rental/insurance/gas, I've heard that it can get expensive.

Plus, then having to find a parking space in some towns that have limited parking, not being able to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine without worrying about driving, etc.

I'm sure that we will miss out on some great scenery, but we are also planning to take some walks from Montepulciano through the surrounding countryside/towns.

Maybe we'll change our minds when we get there - my husband did get an International driver's license in case. We'll stay open to the idea!
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 08:35 AM
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If at all possible, I would definitely rent a car. AutoEurope has some decent rates w/ insurance included. I know the price of gas is high right now... but the rental cars over there seem to get great mileage. We were just in Tuscany for a week and drove all over the place. Only had to fill up once. I would think that it would be inconvenient to rely on bus schedules.
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 09:20 AM
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Ditti on the car!!! It's the best way of seeing Tuscany. You can stop along the way if you want or turn down a different road and explore different areas.

Monica
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 09:26 AM
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Italia2005,
see http://www.montalcino-tuscany.it/sagra_del_tordo.htm
for information on La Sagra del Tordo.
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 09:30 AM
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In late October/early November you won't have any trouble parking. I've been there then, and also in March & Sept for a total of over 5 weeks. San Quirico and Montalcino have large lots you can park in , and I've never had trouble in Pienza - there is a large dirt lot there also, just a few blocks east of the medieval section of town.

It might be quite rainy & cold while you are there, so taking walks or waiting for busses might not be a lot of fun.

Why waste your valuable vacation time waiting for infrequent bus service. On one trip, it had rained for about 3 straight days, and when it finally broke, we dashed off to Pienza just to sit in the sun - hard to do that if you have to rely on bus service. Find some other way to save money. It seems real foolish to go all the way over to Tuscany, and then compromise your trip by not being able to see things & go places because you don't have a car. We spend 2 months in Europe every year, and Tuscany is about the last place I would want to visit without a car.

There are many good restaurants that you won't be able to dine at (for dinner) if you don't have a car. I'm just guessing, but I don't think the busses run after dinner (which is late in Italy).

When you get to Montepulciano, get the "Val di Chiana, Val d'Orcia" map by Edizoni Multigraphic. It shows all the walking paths around Montepulciano. We usually drive down one of the small dirt roads in the Val d'Orcia, park the car somewhere centrally located, and then take a circular walk in the area. When you get there, you will notice that Montepulciano is on a ledge (as is Pienza) and the walk up to Montepulciano from the valley is a "leg buster" - that's why we park the car somewhere lower in the valley where our last walk isn't straight uphill.

Get a car - you won't regret it.

If you don't already have my 20 page itinerary on Italy (with a heavy dose of Tuscany) e-mail me at [email protected] to get a copy. I've sent it to over 400 people on the Fodors & aol travel boards.

Stu Dudley
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 01:24 PM
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Thanks! We are hoping to get to the Sagra del Tordo in Montalcino which is the day after we arrive in Montelpulciano - sounds like fun. Have you been, Henry? Thanks for the information link!

Stu - I'm sending you a personal e-mail to request your trip report - thanks!!

Ciao!
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 01:40 PM
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Italia, although we've had a car in the past in Tuscany, last summer we rented an apartment in Montepulciano for a week and had NO car. We didn't regret it. Instead of our usual zipping around the roads, we hiked through the hills and enjoyed Tuscany in a new way.
We did as you mention a bus to Pienza and hiked back to Montepulciano through Montechiello where we stopped for lunch.
We did do a day trip to Cortona, and that was rather difficult. We took a bus to Chiusi and then a train to Cortona, but the train station is a couple miles from the hill town, and there was no bus service (for the next hour or so) and no taxis, so we ended up walking all the way -- a lot of uphill. We were able to get a bus back to the train station for the return.

We also took a bus to Siena for the day -- which was easier than driving. The last time we drove there we got stuck in a parking lot that was full, but we couldn't get out for a half hour -- blocked in my incoming cars that wouldn't let us out. It took us over an hour to eventually find a parking place. By bus, they left us off at the "escalator" entrance to the city -- so simple. And we got the return bus there as well.

We also did a day trip by bus to San Quirico for market in the morning, then hiked to Bagno Vignoni for a fanatastic lunch at Osteria Leone, then a hike back over the hills for a bus home from San Quirico.

I'm not saying having a car can't be great, but we experienced Tuscany in a whole new way without one! This time we really smelled the country air!
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 01:43 PM
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Bussing from MP to anywhere is doable. It's a schlep, but it's doable. Busses run from MP to Arezzo via Sinalunga, Siena (only a handful), Pienza, and Chiusi via Chianciano. In Chiusi (1 hour away by bus), you can pick up a train to Rome, Florence, Cortona, Perugia, etc. I don't know the website, but the bus company is LFI.

You really should rent a car for day trips, but like I said, it can be done.

In 1999 we got very familiar with the buses between MP and Chiusi. Whatever you do, do NOT, NOT, NOT, NOT under any circumstances take a bus from MP to Chiusi between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Every great-great grandparent and his father in Italy gets on these buses, reeking of sulfur, for the ride from the Terme di MP to the Terme di Chianciano.
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 01:43 PM
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Italia2005,
Yes, I have been. Some tips:
The best place to photograph the procession is in piazza Garibaldi. To find it stand with your back to the fortezza ramp and walk down the pedestrain only street, take the first right(about a hundred meters) this will end in piazza Garibaldi (about 100 meters). In the piazza you'll see a railing (it keeps you from falling from one level of the road to the other as it haipins down). Stand at this railing. The procession will come up this road and stop at the church at the end of the piazza.
After the procession go into the fortezza to eat. It will be mobbed.
Montalcino is one of my favorite places but on this day there will be more people than they can handle. This is not what Montalcino is usally like but it shouldn't be missed.
Take plenty of film. I shot four rolls (all I had with me) and I've been to Montalcino every year for the last ten years.
The archery contest is on the football pitch (soccer field) on the south side of the fortezza (opposite side from piazza Garibaldi).
If you have any questions feel free to ask
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 05:14 PM
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Dear Patrick - thanks for the reassurance that we WILL have a wonderful, slow-travel type of experience if we only stay in the surrounding area and, weather permitting, several nice leisurly walks, with a little food & vino along the way! The information on your hiking tours was very helpful - that is exactly what we are looking to do - very slow pace and enough time to really get to know Montepulciano!

tdyls - thanks for the advice of when NOT to take the busses and that it can be done if we coordinate well!

Henry - thanks for the great information on the Sagra del Tordo - it sounds like it will be crowded, but what a great festival to experience!

Ciao!
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 05:30 PM
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I can't imagine not having a car in Tuscany just for the convenience of not being held hostage to a bus schedule, being able to go/come when we wanted, and/or lugging baggage & stuff on/off busses/trains all over the place.

There were several places we went, then decided to go elsewhere/do something else.

Maybe that's just me.
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 06:21 PM
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Another hike, one that we ran out of time for, but comes highly recommended:
hike through the fields (there is supposedly a well marked path) from Montepulciano to Montefollonico.

Budman, all these day trips do not involve "lugging baggage" and stuff on and off busses or trains. And while I understand the idea of going somewhere and changing your mind and leaving to go find somewhere else (or "better") it defeats the point of seeking simple pleasures. When we had a car we did just what you mention -- sometimes hitting four or five towns in a day. But it was just that -- hitting the towns -- not really experiencing a single town or two as you slowly hike between them seeing the village off in the distance and approaching it from afar. Rather that always saying to ourselves -- "maybe we should get going and see if _______ town is more scenic" we decided to relax and enjoy wherever we were and found it a most rewarding experience. When we drove we found a lot of towns and villages that we thought weren't much and kept moving on, but while hiking we never found a place that didn't have something to enchant us, maybe because we were taking the time to really see it.
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Old Oct 1st, 2005, 06:30 PM
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Patrick, maybe it's just me. I don't like to be held hostage to a bus/train schedule. Hiking is fine, if that's what you want to do.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2005, 05:08 AM
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Well, sure. If you feel like you're a "hostage" while on a bus, then by all means don't do it. My point was that there are several ways to travel, and I don't think it's fair to dismiss people by saying things like "I can't imagine NOT having a car" -- it's too bad one can't imagine that.

And I'm not sure I'd advise against a car for a first trip to Tuscany -- when like many people you might want to check off a huge list of towns you've "seen". We did that a couple of trips.

But my point was not to dismiss someone who may want to EXPERIENCE rather than just SEE Tuscany. Like others, we would zoom off for the day in our car and get to a lot of towns and say "OK, been here, done that, let's move on" looking for something more exciting. And if that's your goal -- checking off a huge list of towns in Tuscany you've "seen", then of course you might be miserable "stuck" in a town for three or four hours waiting for the next bus out. But if you ARE stuck in that town it causes you to reach out and explore a little better. And guess what? While driving we saw many villages that didn't impress us in the least as we hopped out in the center of town, took a quick gander around and decided to move on. But when being "required" to visit for several hours, we never found a single place that didn't simply "reach out and touch us". Was it that last year we happened to visit only really wonderful towns and when driving we happened to visit some not so wonderful ones? I sincerely doubt it. I think our reduced pace MADE us take the time to appreciate all the towns we visited rather than being called by our car to "get back on the road and find something better".

And of course, hiking isn't for everyone. But we loved seeing Montichiello or Bagno Vignoni off in the distance and slowly approaching them through the fields as we passed farmers, sheep, and even stopped to smell the cheese being made in a barn or the smells of bread baking coming our of a small house. Those are things you'll never experience driving around Tuscany.

What's more we've learned that you can actually see more from the windows of a bus than from behind the wheel of a car watching for stray cows or sheep, and the navigator with his face half buried in a map.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2005, 05:28 AM
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<"I can't imagine NOT having a car" -- it's too bad one can't imagine that.>

Obviously, YOU can imagine that -- I can't. I am not dismissing anybody -- just giving my opinion. Isn't that what this board is all about. You are certainly giving yours. How boring it would be if we all liked the same things.

Being held hostage by a Bus, I mean wanting to go somewhere at Noon, but the next bus won't be available until 3pm. It has nothing to do with "being on a bus."

There's no competition here. I'm happy for you.
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Old Oct 2nd, 2005, 06:50 AM
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Italia2005,
So your driving along the Hiway looking at the highway....when, with a car driving a secondary road you slam on the brakes spotting one of those yellow signs designating an Etruscian site. Upon much reflection of life in those times you get back in your Ferrari and move on towards your destination, pass thru a small town not big enough to be on the map and "discover" a fantastic Cafe'. Fungi just harvested by my son, Nuts just matured and woven into a Pasta, and Pumpkin soup....oh it must be lunch time! Have a wonderful time
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Old Oct 2nd, 2005, 09:28 AM
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As I've stated here beore, our closest friends have a second home in San Quirico (http://www.munsells.com/italy/). We stayed with them for 3 weeks in Oct '99, 1 week in Sept '02, and 2 weeks in March 04. We had a car, which enabled us to go to little out-of-the-way-places (Bagno Vignoni, Trequanda, Montisi, Castiglioncella, Murio) that I suspect you can't get to by bus, and are really only 30 min visits anyway. We were also able to schedule our trip to Sant Antimo Abbey so that we were there to catch the gregorian chants, and then take an interesting zig-zag return to San Quirico on smaller roads. Don't know how you would do this without a car. On some days, we never used our car - taking walks in the Val d'Orcia, or just sitting in our friends wonderful garden, reading a book, and then treking about 100 meters to the Bar Centrale to sit outside, nurse a coffee or beer and observe Italian village life, then buy some groceries for dinner, some wine & bread, etc. Why limit your options by not having a car. You can slow down your pace to the speed you like if the situation calls for it, or hop in the car on a rainy day & visit an Abbey, or Siena, etc.

November is our friends least favorite month there. They say everything is brown, often rainy, cold, and many of the restaurants and merchants close there stores & go on vacation (their only chance). If you check the Michelin Red Guide, you will see that many restaurants are closed for the entire month of November, or just a portion. You may have to drive to Pienza, or San Quirico if restaurants in Montepulciano are closed and you want to dine at someplace a little nicer than the normal pizza places or trattatorias. Our favorite restaurant there (La Grotta) is a bit out of town and perhaps out of walking distance at night (in the rain, perhaps).

Remember, Tuscany is farther north than Milwaukee, Wis, and you could get stuck with 7 days of rainy & cold weather. I bet if this happens, you will wish you had a car.

Stu Dudley
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