Alex is a great driver I have used before but he would have a 2 hour drive to pick up in Florence.

hey jlb, I found one that's even closer: 30 mins to Sant'Antimo. Maybe they can tell you how to get there without a car:

http://www.marziaealbertointoscana.com/EN/storia.php

And this appears to be another taxi service (sorry if it's a repeat. Careful: It has a soundtrack:

http://www.autonoleggioilgirasole.it/index.en.php


hope you enjoy googling!



I read some Tripadvisor reviews of La Crociana and it seems a real love it or hate it kind of place.

Here are other places to stay right near Sant"Antimo:

http://www.antimo.it/pagine/contenuti/07_dormire.html

jib,
The bus schedule I posted shows a bus that will get you close to Sant'Antimo.

Henry

THANKS Everyone!
I have some more researching to do.......

One more question first;
zeppole, your suggestion to drive from Venice to Montalcino, how long would that be?

You can use a webiste like Michelin to calculate not only driving times, but walking times between Italian towns. Just plug in the names of the towns.

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/

I prefer the " GOOGLE MAPS" program these days to Michelin, which I used for 20 years. It says 4:21 hours on that route. I always add 10% plus stops---I would allow 5 to 6 hours.

THANKS Bob !

We did your exact trip a few years back. Flew into Florence and stayed 4 nights; rented a car and drove to Montalcino, stayed 4 nights; drove back to Florence, dropped the car at the hertz office literally across the street from the train station and took the train to venice for our last 5 nights. We did a number of winery tours, saw lots of off the beaten path places in and near Montalcino including Sant Antimo - yes, it is beautiful and a wonder to see. Enjoy!

Thank you cmeyer54.
I am feeling really torn; I'm not sure seeing "all of the historical sights" is what I want to do because my time is limited and I truly do not know if I will be able to have a second trip to Italy.
I am the kind of person to just roam about and not necessarily plan to do anything. That being said, I DO want to see certain sights, but I definetely don't need to see all of them. Planning which to see and experience is "the struggle".