Flame123

Flygirl - where are you staying and for how long? If you don't mind my asking please.

flygirl

I am staying in Pienza two nights - Il Chiostro di Pienza.

http://www.relaisilchiostrodipienza.com/

I plan to leave Florence, wend my way through Chianti and stay in Pienza. I have plans to go ballooning in Montisi one morning, and, lunch at Poggio Antico in Montalcino one day.

I have such a short amount of time in Tuscany I need to sift out the must dos from the "nice to do". I think I'm going to concentrate on Montalcino for the wineries. thus all Montalcino winery recos are great!

Diz01

At the risk of being a killjoy I thought Vanilla Beans and Brodo was one of the dullest books I've ever picked up. I gave up on it somewhere in chapter 3.

Montalcino is a splendid place (excellent gelateria on the main shopping street!) and not overrun like Sam Gimignano. I prefer Montepulciano.

Diz01

Traviata

flygirl.

Please post about Poggio Antico if you have a chance..it is on my list for next visit...thanks!!

Flame123

Diz - since you are the first one to write something negative about this book, can you elaborate? Why did you not enjoy it? Did you feel like it was too commercial?

Did you stay in Montalcino? If so, where? And what can you tell me about Montepulciano please?

Thanks

Diz01

Flame123 - I don't give up easily on books but this did defeat me (also Mrs Diz01 but she persevered for longer than me). It's a couple of years ago that I tried it but from memory it is very detailed and extremely slow paced - all rather hard going. Not too commercial - this is from someone who won't read the DeVinci Code on principal as I like good literature!

Montepulciano versus Montalcino - the good thing is that they are close enough to visit both. Different posters have their preferences but I really like the top end of Montepulciano around the square. It has some fabulous views over the countryside. All down to personal preference.

Diz01

SeaUrchin

I agree, they are slow reading books, not much action. I found them as a study on the city and its denizens seen from a conservative American-expat POV. I don't mean conservative politically but one who doesn't want to make waves or do anything that might be outside the box.

CRAZY4TRAVEL

If you like a faster paced book that is hard to put down...the Di Vinci Code is actually a page turner. It also has some interesting history and theories as a back drop. It may not be considered literature but is entertaining none the less.

Henry

Flame123,
My trip reports may be of help to you
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34494897

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34608686

If you want more information feel free to e-mail.

Flame123

Henry,

WOW!!! Many many thanks for those wonderful trip reports. I have skimmed them now but will thoroughly go through them later when I have more time. I just wanted to let you know how much they sound exactly like what I want to do!!

Thank you for the offer to e-mail you. I surely think I will when I have more specific questions.

Thanks again!
Flame

Flame123

Henry,

I have read in detail and with great interest and delight, your two trip reports. All I can say is WOW and agree with other posters who write that your grandchildren are SOME lucky kids. What wonderful times you had together.

I will definitely look into some of the places you write about and am very happy to get first-hand information from reliable people that have stayed at properties already.

Now I have several questions :

1) How did you arrive at your decision about which properties to stay? I have never stayed at any of these agriturismos or villas, always choosing instead to be in a city in a B&B, so I have absolutely no experience in this.

2) I am planning a trip of about 10-14 days only, unfortunately no time for more. Given that, would you suggest staying for the entire time in one place and doing day trips? Or might it be a better idea to divide the time into two and base myself in two different areas? If so, which two areas do you think are best for getting to all the places you visited, plus maybe more or others in the areas?

3) Is it absolutely necessary to have a car? I see that there were some areas where you managed with trains. Other areas you rented a car. Is that because you HAD to, or you wanted to?

Many thanks in advance.

flygirl

check out www.slowtrav.com for more Italy info. it's a good site as well.

BrentA100

I'll add my two cents since I recently visited Montalcino (as well as San Gimignano, Siena, Pienza, Volterra, Assisi, and Perugia).

I didn't care that much for Montalcino, but I think part of it, possibly a lot of it, had to do with when we went. My wife and I were there the day after Easter, and parking was crazy. There were just too many people and perhaps that just set me in the wrong frame of mind. We went to the Fortezza tasting room to do two tastings of Brunello for nine Euro... two VERY SMALL tastings, during which I overheard the bartender say to a friend "You picked the worst day of the year to visit". Doh! I did enjoy the Brunello, but frankly felt a little scammed. We walked around a bit, looked into a few churches, and then left, glad to be going.

To contrast this, we had enjoyed an absolutely wonderful time in San Gimignano a couple nights before. The difference? The crowds. We arrived in San Gimignano around 4pm, when the crowds were still heavy but beginning to thin. Then we spend a beautiful night there, enjoying a nice meal, and walking around the backstreets. We had a nice breakfast the next morning and then more windowshopping. We bought some great ceramics from Carpe Diam across the piazza. It really seemed like a magical place.

A few days later, we spend the whole afternoon in Montepulciano and again had a lovely time. Crowds were much smaller, and I felt the town was bigger and had more to offer. We brought back 3 bottles of Nobile de Montepuliano from the Contucci winery.

So there is some more data for you. We may have just had really bad luck with when we chose to visit Montalcino, but even now, I would be much more enthusiastic to return to Montepulciano, rather than Montalcino.

Henry

Flame123,
Actually I am the lucky one to have kids and grandkids that like me and want to be with me.

I choose properties based on location first. I take a look at what I want to see then look for a property in the middle of it all. I like Slow Trav http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/vr/reviews.asp to check out rentals but sometimes I take a chance with ones not reviewed. The attitude of the owners usually determines if I use the same place again. I try and use apartments whenever possible. The extra room, refrigerator, and kitchen make a big difference in my comfort.

With 10 –14 days I would stay in two areas. I really like southern Tuscany so that would be one area the other would depend on what I wanted to see or on my airline flights (if I get a great deal to anywhere in Italy I take it and work out my travel from there).

Transportation is a matter of convenience to me. If I can use a train or bus easily that is fine. If the schedules are infrequent or complicated I use a car. I like the smaller towns and some have only bus service that is geared to work and school schedules so a car is easier.

The way I travel is based on my experience; I have been in Italy every year for the past fourteen years so I have no ‘must do’s’. Rome, Florence, and Venice are the most visited cities for good reason but I would always recommend a mix of city and country for a real look at the culture and people.

If I can be of help feel free to e-mail.

Henry

Flame123

Henry - many many thanks for the additional information. I appreciate it. And let's call it "touche" by saying that both you and your grandchildren are probably both lucky. And that is wonderful for both of you!!

As for the car, I am having trouble making decisions about that. Since I wrote before that we always stay within cities in B&B's, we have never needed to use a car. But actually the reason for that is because I have always been wary of renting a car and driving it abroad, having read many horror stories about different aspects of it. But I will have to get past that and realize that I will need to rent a car in order to be comfortable and be able to go where I want, when I want to, as you also write.

Brent - thanks very much for your input. I have heard, many times, that with all the small towns in Tuscany, you should/need to get there in the afternoon when the "day trippers" leave and you get the true feel of the town. So along with being in Montalcino on the worst possible day, you may also have felt better in San Gimi because of your timing. May I ask where you stayed in San Gimigniano?

Thanks to you both again.

flygirl

I wouldn't consider the Tuscan countryside without a car. I couldn't stand the thought of being on someone else's schedule, even a train sched - and the trains don't go every single where there. There are too many out of the way places for photo ops you won't see from a train window.

I'm sure you'd find country driving much better than city driving.

BrentA100

In San Gimignano, we stayed at La Cisterna, right off the main Piazza. It was an ideal location. We booked early enough to ask for and get one of the rooms towards the back with beautiful views of the surrounding area. There is a restaurant in the hotel as well that was quite good. I think you will really enjoy San Gimignano if you stay overnight there. Ciao!