Fine tuning Tuscany itinerary--some questions
 

We are finalizing our April/May itinerary and I could use some help with the Tuscany leg...based in Siena for 5 nights.

Will have a car. We hope to stay in town (Palazzo Bruchi), but will have to look at the parking situation. With 4 full days, we're trying to decide what to see and when. We don't mind driving but don't want to feel like we spent all our time on the road.

From Siena, does this sound reasonable?
Sun--Montepulciano and area (via Asciano)
Mon--Montalcino/Pienza
Tue--San Gim, Volterra
Wed--Chianti area (or Cortona/Perugia?)
Thu--To Florence
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Also, we will be driving from Stresa to Siena. Is there a good place to plan a stop for lunch? We'll be leaving Stresa around 10am.

The panel on the left tells me there's 1 response to this thread. But nothing is showing up on my screen. (Fodors has been acting funny all weekend)

Please re-post the response...thanks.

Jeanne, The best place for lunch is to take A-26 south via Genoa and exit at Rapallo to go out to Portofino. If the road from SML to Portofino is too crowded, turn around and have lunch in SML. You day trips look good. But, I would shift Pienza to your first day and add the 2 abbeys to your Montalcino day. Chianti would be easier--Perugia is a long way.

Bob! What a great suggestion. I would never have considered that route. I regretted having to take "the Riviera" off our itinerary. Is that route more picutresque as well?

According to Michelin, from Portofino, we would then continue on the autostrada toward Lucca and Florence and on to Siena. Do you agree with that route?

Thanks for tweaking the Tuscany schedule, too.

Bob: Let me ask your advice one more time. I've just received a very generous offer from the owner of the Politian apartments in Montepulciano. Apartment #1 was booked so he has offered us the 2 bedroom for 70 euro per night, including parking right outside the door. Given the parking difficulty in Siena this is very tempting.

If we stayed in Montepulciano, how does this sound?
Sun--Montepulciano and Pienza
Mon--Montalcino and abbeys
Tue--San Gim/ Siena (incl dinner)
Wed--Chiusi, maybe Orvieto?
Thu--To Florence with stop in Greve.

Yes, that is the route. Go to viamichelin.com and input that itinerary--be sure to include the interim stop on the right---for detailed times and routing. You also avoid Milan that way. I would guess about 2.5 hours to Portofino and another 3 hours to Siena from there.

Jeanne, we stayed in Apt #2. Here's a copy of my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34535227

It was a great base for touring Southern Tuscany. ((b))

Whew! I'll remember not to take the kitchen sink. LOL! That's a lot of steps.

Really, though, is it so different than if we stayed in town in Siena? It sounds to me like that would also involve a lot of climbing and the car wouldn't be convenient...not to mention the cost of parking .

I hope I can get my friend to nail down our dates before the apartment is taken. I'm sure I'll have questions for you if we head that way.

I would be tempted with that offer--and staying in Montepulciano is a good idea. Two thoughts; I am not sure you want to drive home that late after dinner in Siena, and if you go into Florence I would not waste time seeing Greve---too much to see in Florence. Do not miss Caffe Poliziano in Montepulciano.

Siena was about an hour or so drive from Montepulciano. The roads weren't that bad at all. If you have a designated driver, getting back after dinner shouldn't be a problem.

I agree with Bob, don't waste your time with Greve if you are going to Florence and back. Greve and back would be a day trip in itself.

As for Cafe Poliziano in Montepulciano, I have mixed feelings about the place having walked past the place almost every night. They have the worst gelato that we tasted in all of Tuscany. Stopping in for coffee and dessert maybe, but not for something to eat.

If you do decide on Montepulciano, there are plenty of restaurants in the town. Osteria Acquacheta is a short walk from the Apt, and that's where Giacomo Stewart eats. Good food. Their house wine is excellent!! They have an English menu, but their specials are written out on parchment. Go for the specials, but take your menu translator.

A short distance away is a small walled village of Monticchiello. We had our best meal at Taverna Di Moranda. Also, right outside of the gate is a small cafe which would be great for coffee, wine, and views of sunset.

Also, the wine (vino de tavolla) is wonderful!!! You can purchase it right across the street from the Apt for a Euro or so. Great table wine!!!

Now I'm going thru withdrawals. We just loved the area.

Whatever you decide, you will have a wonderful trip!!! ((b))

Oh, Budman, can you believe we stumbled across Montecchiello by accident, and Taverna di Moranda was the ONLY restaurant in town? What a fabulous meal we had there! And a wonderful Nobile with it. (This was in 1997 or 1998.)

Marilyn, my first time in Tuscany. What a great place!!!

I know my Bud-brew will not be as good as some of the Nobile's in the area, but I hope you enjoy it at your GTG. Cheers!!((b))

If we do stay for dinner in Siena, we won't stay late. I really wanted to try Cano e Gato, but I'm sure that would make us too late on the road. Oh well, can't plan the whole trip around one dinner.

JeanneB, LOL, plenty of posters on here do! But I think you're right. And as my last post proves, you never know what little restaurant treasure you will discover for yourself, just through serendipity.

Oops, I also meant to say Budman, looking forward to sampling your wine! If you ever get out here, my BIL is a winemaker and I'd love to get the 2 of you together.

Please give me your opinion on that last day in Tuscany.

From Montepulciano, we are trying to decide whether we should drive down to Orvieto or go north and drive thru the Chianti area. We could be happy with either one.

Jeanne, if I've got it correct, you'll be driving the last day from Montepulciano to Florence, right? Take your time and wander through the Chianti countryside -- it's so beautiful! You can do Orvieto (another favorite of mine) on another (Umbria) trip, or even as a day trip from Rome.

Jeanne, where are you going from Montepulciano?

Orvieto is only a short distance to the South from Montepulciano and you can do it on a day trip. Make sure you do the underground tour -- get your tickets from the tourist office right across the plaza from the Duomo. Have lunch, walk the town, great shopping.

Chianti is between Siena and Florence. Be sure to take R 222. Great drive.

If you are going from Montepulciano to Florence for a day trip, be sure to take the A1. The S222 is the scenic route and takes more time. ((b))

From Montepulciano we go to Florence for 3 nights, then express train to Rome for 4 or 5 nights.

After really thinking about it, I suspect we're trying to schedule too finely in Tuscany. Given only 4 full days, we're thinking we'll just plan 2 days in the countryside (Pienza, Montalcino area), 1 day in Siena (maybe San Gim), and leave the 4th day open for whatever strikes us after we're there. I hate leaving San Gim off the "definite" list, but we don't want this to turn into a race to see everything. We want to leave time for spontaneity.

As for that last full day, we might consider driving up to Radda just to see the Chianti countryside. If we left early enough, there might be time to head over to San Gim before returning to M'pulciano for our last night. Does that sound like a reasonable day?

You might want to consider doing Chianti on your way to Florence, since you are not going to Florence just for a day trip. Take the S-222, stopping in Castellina In Chianti. Nice town to stroll and wine taste.

Wanted to go to San Gim, but didn't have enought time. Saving it for next trip. ((b))