Florence Radda Montepulciano Orvieto Rome
May 3rd, 2006, 03:43 PM
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Florence Radda Montepulciano Orvieto Rome
Author: 54lucy
Date: 05/03/2006, 11:45 am
Having approx. 2 weeks to visit in early September, does this sound like a good plan? We would like to make sure each place has restaurants within walking distance for dinner.
Florence - 2 or 3 nights (have visited before)
Radda - 2 nights
Montepulciano - 2 nights
Orvieto - 2 nights
Rome - 3 nights
We would fly into Florence, pick up a rental car there, spend the nights at the 3 places mentioned and daytrips from each. Drop off rental car in Orvieto - take train to Rome, where we would fly home from.
We are hoping that these 3 locations would be good bases for covering Tuscany/Umbria. Does that sound like a good plan? We don't like excessive crowds, and have already seen Siena, so probably won't go there.
Thanks ahead for any input.
Author: Robespierre
Date: 05/03/2006, 11:50 am
ACK! The Unspaced Title Syndrome strikes again.
Fodor's, fix this. Please?
Author: Dayle
Date: 05/03/2006, 12:15 pm
Hi Lucy,
Your plan sounds good. My only question is if you have already visited Florence, why spend 2 or 3 days there? Unless you REALLY love it.
I would take those days and spend them in Tuscany or Rome. Specifically add a night to Montepulciano, so much to see, and add 2 nights to Rome, much better than only 3.
No lodging rec for Florence.
Chianti - Hotel San Sano 4*, nearer to Gaolie in Chianti
Montalcino - Hotel Giglio, 3*
Orvieto - Palazzo Piccolomini, 4*
Rome - Hotel Giardino Rome, 2*
There are all hotels I have stayed in and have been very happy with. Hotel San Sano is very special in every way.
Buon viaggio!
Author: jabez
Date: 05/03/2006, 12:54 pm
Agree with Dayle. I'd skip Florence and add a night in Chianti and one in Rome.
Actually, I'd add one to Montepulciano and add another to Rome while skipping the nights in Orvieto.
I'm assuming that you arrive in Florence and leave from Rome. I like the idea of "working your way down" to Rome. I've done that the last couple years, but found that any less than three nights at a location has me packing too often.
Author: 54lucy
Date: 05/03/2006, 01:07 pm
Sorry for the no spaces subject. Not sure why this is a problem? Thanks Dayle - do these towns have a selection of restaurants we could walk to? Please forgive me, but are Gaolie and Montacino close to those towns I had thought of? Better locations? Also, should we skip Orvieto altogether?
Jabez - thank you. I keep reading a lot about Orvieto, but you seem not to find it worthwhile. Would you mind sharing why? Do you have an alternate suggestion where we might drop off the car and pick up a train to Rome?
Thank you so much to everyone for your generous help. This is the first time we plan a trip on our own, and your assistance is invaluable.
Lucy
Author: maitaitom
Date: 05/03/2006, 01:21 pm
If you wanted to stay relatively near Montalcino, I highly recommend Palazzo del Capitano in St. Quirico d'Orcia. Town makes a great base. It is near Pienza, Bagno Vignoni, Monticchiello, Montalcino, Montepulciano and Saint'Antimo. Price is reasonable, good breakfast spread, staff is great, rooms are spacious, garden is perfect spot to enjoy vino after a day of hill-town tripping and the restaurant is terrific.
http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/index_eng.htm
I have also included my blog site below that has more on Tuscany and Umbria. Have fun!
http://travelswithmaitaitom.typepad.com/travels/
Author: jabez
Date: 05/03/2006, 02:57 pm
I like Orvieto, but if i had to elliminate one, that would be my choice.
In Chianti I usually stay at an agriturismo, so I'm not much help concerning walking to a restaurant. I favor Montalcino more than Montepulciano. It's about 20-30 minutes away.Gaolie is about 15 minutes from Radda. Castellina and Greve are also nice alternatives.
Chiusi would work fine to leave you car and train in. You can also leave it at the Rome's airport with no problem. That's generally my preference.
You can also visit Orvieto, spend some time there and train in.It's about 1 1/2 hrs from Montalcino.
Lot's of options and lots of opinions .
Author: china_cat
Date: 05/03/2006, 03:28 pm
I wouldn't skip Orvieto. I actually liked it better than Montepulciano. The Duomo there is fabulous, and the cave tour very interesting. However, you might not need 2 nights there. I'm not sure there is much in the surrounding area, so giving yourself 1 day/night there on the way to Eome is probably fine.
Author: Pawleys
Date: 05/03/2006, 03:29 pm
Sound like a great trip. I, too would add a day to Montalcino. Such a lot to see in that area. Also, I think you certainly would enjoy the Orvieto area. Be sure to see Civita-Bagnoregio. It's close by.
Author: lucy54
Date: 05/03/2006, 06:41 pm
OK. So now I'm thinking:
2 nights in Florence
2 nights in Radda
3 nights in Montepulciano
1 night in Orvieto (or other drop-off point for car/train)
4 nights in Rome
Many of you are mentioning Montalcino as opposed to Montepulciano as a base? Any particular reason(s) why?
Once again, thank you to everyone for being so helpful!
Lucy
Date: 05/03/2006, 11:45 am
Having approx. 2 weeks to visit in early September, does this sound like a good plan? We would like to make sure each place has restaurants within walking distance for dinner.
Florence - 2 or 3 nights (have visited before)
Radda - 2 nights
Montepulciano - 2 nights
Orvieto - 2 nights
Rome - 3 nights
We would fly into Florence, pick up a rental car there, spend the nights at the 3 places mentioned and daytrips from each. Drop off rental car in Orvieto - take train to Rome, where we would fly home from.
We are hoping that these 3 locations would be good bases for covering Tuscany/Umbria. Does that sound like a good plan? We don't like excessive crowds, and have already seen Siena, so probably won't go there.
Thanks ahead for any input.
Author: Robespierre
Date: 05/03/2006, 11:50 am
ACK! The Unspaced Title Syndrome strikes again.
Fodor's, fix this. Please?
Author: Dayle
Date: 05/03/2006, 12:15 pm
Hi Lucy,
Your plan sounds good. My only question is if you have already visited Florence, why spend 2 or 3 days there? Unless you REALLY love it.
I would take those days and spend them in Tuscany or Rome. Specifically add a night to Montepulciano, so much to see, and add 2 nights to Rome, much better than only 3.
No lodging rec for Florence.
Chianti - Hotel San Sano 4*, nearer to Gaolie in Chianti
Montalcino - Hotel Giglio, 3*
Orvieto - Palazzo Piccolomini, 4*
Rome - Hotel Giardino Rome, 2*
There are all hotels I have stayed in and have been very happy with. Hotel San Sano is very special in every way.
Buon viaggio!
Author: jabez
Date: 05/03/2006, 12:54 pm
Agree with Dayle. I'd skip Florence and add a night in Chianti and one in Rome.
Actually, I'd add one to Montepulciano and add another to Rome while skipping the nights in Orvieto.
I'm assuming that you arrive in Florence and leave from Rome. I like the idea of "working your way down" to Rome. I've done that the last couple years, but found that any less than three nights at a location has me packing too often.
Author: 54lucy
Date: 05/03/2006, 01:07 pm
Sorry for the no spaces subject. Not sure why this is a problem? Thanks Dayle - do these towns have a selection of restaurants we could walk to? Please forgive me, but are Gaolie and Montacino close to those towns I had thought of? Better locations? Also, should we skip Orvieto altogether?
Jabez - thank you. I keep reading a lot about Orvieto, but you seem not to find it worthwhile. Would you mind sharing why? Do you have an alternate suggestion where we might drop off the car and pick up a train to Rome?
Thank you so much to everyone for your generous help. This is the first time we plan a trip on our own, and your assistance is invaluable.
Lucy
Author: maitaitom
Date: 05/03/2006, 01:21 pm
If you wanted to stay relatively near Montalcino, I highly recommend Palazzo del Capitano in St. Quirico d'Orcia. Town makes a great base. It is near Pienza, Bagno Vignoni, Monticchiello, Montalcino, Montepulciano and Saint'Antimo. Price is reasonable, good breakfast spread, staff is great, rooms are spacious, garden is perfect spot to enjoy vino after a day of hill-town tripping and the restaurant is terrific.
http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/index_eng.htm
I have also included my blog site below that has more on Tuscany and Umbria. Have fun!
http://travelswithmaitaitom.typepad.com/travels/
Author: jabez
Date: 05/03/2006, 02:57 pm
I like Orvieto, but if i had to elliminate one, that would be my choice.
In Chianti I usually stay at an agriturismo, so I'm not much help concerning walking to a restaurant. I favor Montalcino more than Montepulciano. It's about 20-30 minutes away.Gaolie is about 15 minutes from Radda. Castellina and Greve are also nice alternatives.
Chiusi would work fine to leave you car and train in. You can also leave it at the Rome's airport with no problem. That's generally my preference.
You can also visit Orvieto, spend some time there and train in.It's about 1 1/2 hrs from Montalcino.
Lot's of options and lots of opinions .
Author: china_cat
Date: 05/03/2006, 03:28 pm
I wouldn't skip Orvieto. I actually liked it better than Montepulciano. The Duomo there is fabulous, and the cave tour very interesting. However, you might not need 2 nights there. I'm not sure there is much in the surrounding area, so giving yourself 1 day/night there on the way to Eome is probably fine.
Author: Pawleys
Date: 05/03/2006, 03:29 pm
Sound like a great trip. I, too would add a day to Montalcino. Such a lot to see in that area. Also, I think you certainly would enjoy the Orvieto area. Be sure to see Civita-Bagnoregio. It's close by.
Author: lucy54
Date: 05/03/2006, 06:41 pm
OK. So now I'm thinking:
2 nights in Florence
2 nights in Radda
3 nights in Montepulciano
1 night in Orvieto (or other drop-off point for car/train)
4 nights in Rome
Many of you are mentioning Montalcino as opposed to Montepulciano as a base? Any particular reason(s) why?
Once again, thank you to everyone for being so helpful!
Lucy
May 3rd, 2006, 05:05 PM
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The fodors.com server script doesn't break a line at any punctuation mark but a [space]. Your title was (in the script's opinion) one long word - so it had nowhere to break it.
The fix is to write two lines of program code that will also break at / or -
The fix is to write two lines of program code that will also break at / or -
May 3rd, 2006, 05:39 PM
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It's wrapping for me. I complained in the past because it really messed up my browser on the left-hand side. If it does it for you and not for me, what gives?
Is there a techie in the house? Robespierre, can you explain?
Is there a techie in the house? Robespierre, can you explain?
May 4th, 2006, 03:29 AM
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I couldn't imagine what the fuss was all about, but now that you've explained it, it all makes sense. I couldn't see what you're seeing, and now I understand why you were annoyed. Promise - I won't let it happen again....
Lucy
Lucy
May 4th, 2006, 09:58 AM
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Lucy,
I would also recommend Ristoro di Lamole in Chianti. We had lunch there 2 weeks ago; it was a drizzly day but even then the view from the patio was stunning and the food was good, too. I swear that if our daughter had not had to return to Siena for an evening class we might still be there, sipping limoncello and waiting for the sunset.
I would also recommend Ristoro di Lamole in Chianti. We had lunch there 2 weeks ago; it was a drizzly day but even then the view from the patio was stunning and the food was good, too. I swear that if our daughter had not had to return to Siena for an evening class we might still be there, sipping limoncello and waiting for the sunset.
May 4th, 2006, 12:27 PM
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THank you both for the dining recommendation. I will certainly note that down!
Well, after hearing and seeing many comments/viewpoints, I now have my list narrowed? to the following:
Florence - 2 nights
Radda or Penzano - 2 nights
Montepulciano or Montalcino - 3 nights
Orvieto - 1 night
Rome - 4 nights
Any pros/cons on the middle 2 to help us make up our minds? We are looking at Villa Le Barone in Penzano or Relais Fattoria Vignale in Radda. Availability for mid-Sept may make up my mind for me.
Thank you everyone!
Well, after hearing and seeing many comments/viewpoints, I now have my list narrowed? to the following:
Florence - 2 nights
Radda or Penzano - 2 nights
Montepulciano or Montalcino - 3 nights
Orvieto - 1 night
Rome - 4 nights
Any pros/cons on the middle 2 to help us make up our minds? We are looking at Villa Le Barone in Penzano or Relais Fattoria Vignale in Radda. Availability for mid-Sept may make up my mind for me.
Thank you everyone!
