First Trip to Italy
 

We are planning a trip to Tuscany and Umbria this October. We enjoy wine tasting, great food, friendly people, beautifuly scenery. We prefer to stay in three to four small inns or hotels. We would love any suggestions, advice or learn about your favorite place to stay. As an afterthought, we speak minimal Italian.

Start in Fiesole, just a few minutes above Florence at Villa San Michele. Definitely four-star.<BR><BR>Then Locanda dell'Amorosa - - Sinalunga. Another class act.<BR><BR>And finish with Hotel Fontebella - - to bring your average lodging cost per night back down to earth a little bit again - - without sacrificing niceness. Top of the three star class.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

We stayed at Hotel Villa Belvedere just outside of Florence and would recommend it. The setting is lovely, (view of Duomo), the owners are lovely, and they have a great St. Bernard named Ben (I'm a doglover).<BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Paula

Thank you Rex and thank you Paula. I will look these up!

Trish,<BR>We would recommend both Orvieto in Umbria and San Gimignano in Tuscany. Have just come from both . The train from Rome goes to Orvieto Scalo then you get a funicular to Orvieto which is a hilltop town. Very old and interesting and the Duomo is stunning - frescoes in the chapel rival the Sistine Chapel. Also interesting underground tour run by the tourist office.<BR><BR>We stayed at Locanda di Querccechio in San Gimignano(see www.sangimignano.com and look under Rooms). Would highly recommend it, very central, great shower, lovely rooms, very friendly family run it. You get a train to POggibonsi then a local bus (20 mins ride) to San G.<BR><BR>San G is quite small but very picturesque, has some beautiful ceramic shops and shops selling the local wine, cheese etc. <BR><BR>We found hardly any English spoken in Orvieto but lots spoken in San G. Also lots more tourists in San G.<BR><BR>Kay

Interesting Kay, all I heard in Orvieto was English!

Another vote for Fontebella in Assisi.<BR>