PatrickSch

We will have 10 or eleven days in Tuscany in September. I'd like to get input on our preliminary plans.
We would like to base ourselves in Florence for five days.
Two days for Florence itself. We were there 35 years ago so maybe we can skip few things.
Take the train to Lucca for a day trip and maybe a quick stop in Pisa- also there 35 years ago. A small group tour of Lucca would be nice.
Take a tour of wineries with a tour agency from Florence.
Take the train to Sienna for four or five days. Base ourselves in Sienna and tour several of the hill towns- San Gimignano, Pienza, Montepulciano , Montalcino would probably be our choices. We would like to tour these towns with small group tours from Sienna. Last year in Rome we used When in Rome and another agency for tours and they were excellent.
Our other option is to rent a car in Florence and drive to Sienna and the hill towns on our own but it is not our first choice.
Any comments will be appreciated. Also if anyone has used any local agencies for tours in these cities I would love to know their names.

zeppole

I suggest you contact Idyllic Italy and have them put together all the pieces of the puzzle for your trip.

http://www.idyllicitaly.com/

ellenem

Many here, including me, have spent wonderful days touring Tuscany with Luca Garappa of hillsandroads.com

kybourbon

Caf tours has some small group tours, but mostly involving food/wine.
http://www.caftours.com/

This company operated a tour sponsored by the City of Florence to Chianti. The city no longer offers it, but they have quite a few listings.
http://www.bestoftastetours.com/

These companies are listed on the Florence Tourist Board website.
http://www.firenzeturismo.it/apt2009...scursioni.html

http://www.firenzeturismo.it/apt2009...-incoming.html

IdyllicItaly

Thank you, Zeppole.

PatrickSch

Thank you all. I am pursuing all of these suggestions.