Driver in Tuscany? Great Tuscan Accomodations
 

Will be traveling to Italy starting in Venice then to Bologna, Florence and Tuscany.
Will be flying into Venice and training to other spots. Is there a driver for hire to take us around Tuscany for 4 days? Also looking for high end accomodation to be able to visit Siena, Montelcino and Montepulciano.
Please help?

Mike, look first at Locanda Amorosa and La Saracina for good locations to meet your itinerary. Get back when you have narrowed your location for more about drivers.

Thank you for the info. I looked at
Locanda Amorosa and La Saracina. Both have availability...have you stayed at either? Is La Saracina in a better location for doing Montelcino and Montepuciano? We are wine lovers and would like to do those towns as well as Siena. How do they compare to Palazzo del Capitano?

Driver: Dario Castagno - Very colorful, entertaining and knowledgeable. You can make arrangements via email: [email protected]

High-end accomodations: Certosa di Maggianno - a 17th century former monastery that's incredible and about a mile or so from the Siena city walls.

See details / trip report here: www.hightide.com/travel. Click on 'Italy trip report'

Happy to answer any questions on one condition: can I go with you?????? hehe

mikeglobaltravel,

We were in Florence and Tuscany this August. We hired Luca Garapa of Hillsandroads.com ( based in Siena) to take us all over Tuscany, and enjoyed every minute of it. He was also incredibly reasonable compared to other drivers.

For a high end accomodation, check out Relais Fattoria Vignale in Radda. We stayed there four days in the annex rooms ( across the street from the main hotel) which have unforgettable views of the rolling Tuscan countryside. There's lovely pool out back near the olive groves, and the food for the most part was excellent, if expensive. If you decide to go there, try to have lunch or dinner at Pizzeria Michele in town. The owner is worth the (inexpensive) price of admission. Absolutely hysterical. Lots of fun!

If I can help further, just post again.

Thank you both, Hightide and Weadless, for the information. I will contact the drivers about availability. The hightide website was a great resource.
Mike

I can personally recommend La Locanda del Loggiato in Bagno Vignoni. It is a small inn in a relatively undiscovered town. There are hot springs, a few truly wonderful restaurants (including one affiliated with La Locanda) and views of the Val d'Orcia. It is not the closest to Sienna, but you have easy access to Pienza and some great wine regions.
http://www.loggiato.it/page2.html

It can be said that all dogs think their pups are cutest. Likewise, most travelers think their choices were the best. We stayed at La Saracina and loved it (search on La Saracina and you will find a post from me entitled "For those who can't get enough of Italy..." under my old screen name jmv. On that trip we stopped at Amorosa to see if we would have liked it better and felt that we would not have. I think a choice between the two may come down to how much service you want from your hotel. Locanda Amorosa is a larger property and offers more services including a restaurant, I think. La Saracina has only 5 rooms/suites so it is more like a private home. We liked the smallness. Both are exceptional properties. You can't go wrong.