We have 5 nights in Tuscany and I would like help with how to plan due to the fact we will be there over May 1, arriving on Tuesday, April 27. In 2010 May 1 is on a Saturday. We will be staying in either Pienza or Montepulciano. This is what I would like to do, in no particular order.

1. Day trip to Assisi (A must see)
2. Day trip to Orvieto (Also a must)
3. Val D'Orcia
4. "

Would it be better to plan on spending May 1 just exploring the town we're staying in and stay off the roads or could we drive a short distance, for instance if we stay in Montepulciano but would like to explore Pienza more indepth?

If we arrive on Wednesday, April 28 we would have Saturday the 1st and Sunday in Tuscany. Worse to include Sunday - will everything be closed that day?

Thank you.

Where are you arriving from and going to afterwards?

We will be coming from Venice and I posted a question about being in Venice on April 25, going to the Amalfi Coast from Tuscany.

Have you been to Florence? It is great anytime of day or night. We also loved San Gimignano. everyone said it was too touristy but we thought it was really nice. My husband's favorite hill town is Siena, so beautiful.On that trip we stayed in Radda at a beautiful place called LaVignale. That was our base. The Etruscan Museum in Chiusi is small but fascinating. And if you are there, nearby is a fabulous place for lunch: Locana dell'Amorosa www.amorosa.it, beautiful and romantic. the food and wine are too die for!

We've been to Florence, Siena and Arezzo. Other than the trips to Orvieto and Assisi I wanted to concentrate on the towns in the Montepulciano/Montalcino area. I also just learned there is a large fair in Montepulciano on May 1..may be fun just to stay put for that day and experience it.

Most places are open in Assisi, Pienza, Orvietto and Montepulciano on Sundays, due to weekend tourist traffic. Monday is the day that some places may not be open.

I see no reason to restrict your exploration on May 1 (I'm not sure why you would want to "stay off the roads"). Pienza is only a 15 minute drive from Montepulciano, so you can certainly visit Pienza on May 1. There will not be traffic. Also, if things are closed on May 1- a big part of visiting the area is the beauty of the countryside, so you can spend a lot of your time just doing that and enjoying a great lunch.