help with tuscany trip?
 

Gurus:

My wife and I are traveling to Tuscany for 7 days next June. We are flying in and out of Florence, and would like to spend a couple of days there and the rest touring the Tuscan region. I am trying to piece together an itinerary and could really use some help from those of you who know this region.

I was thinking of starting in Siena and ending in Florence. In between, we'd like to visit some hill towns, including Montalcino and Montepulciano. As we are wine freaks, we also plan on spending some time touring Chianti. Can you all suggest some "can't miss" places and towns to visit? Is my initial strategy a good one, or should I reconsider?

How can we best accomplish this? Can we spend all of our non-Florence time in Siena, and use that as a base? Or is there another location that you all might recommend? I am very much open to suggestion here, and will very much appreciate any help that can be offered.

We will be renting a car the day we arrive in Florence and are pretty flexible, although I don't want to spend each night in a different hotel.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi Rick,

I too am a wino and was just in Tuscany and Umbria on my third trip - Sept.

If you really want to stay in Siena, from there you can easily spend some time in Chianti, San Gimignano, Volterra.

I would move south to Montalcino or near for 3 days. Remember, Montalcino = Brunello & Rosso di Montalcino, Montepulciano = Rosso di Montepulciano, Pienza = pecorino, and on and on.

If you stay, and taste, in the hilltowns, you don't have to worry about driving home after all that tasting!

Highly recommend Taverna Grappolo Blu in Montalcino!

Buon viaggio!

Would you then say a few days around Siena, and a few down around Montepulciano or Montalcino?

Can you recommend any particular places to stay/eat/drink in the latter regions?

http://www.fattoriapoggioalloro.com/...mo/agritur.htm

If you are starting with a couple of nights in Florence, you won't want to get the car until you're ready to leave Florence. Do you have 6 nights actually in Italy? What is your budget per night for hotel?

What day of the week do you arrive?

Most of the stores in Siena will be closed on Sunday and Monday morning (some open in the afternoon at 3 or so). To a lesser degree, stores will be closed then in Florence also - but most museums will be open. This could influence where you stay the first couple of nights. It's very crowded in Florence in June - way too crowded for me, but others have said they can tolerate crowds more than I can. The crowds in Siena are not as bad.

I much prefer the Val d'Orcia area over Chianti. The countryside is much prettier (IMO) and the region has more interesting hill towns (Montalcino, San Quirico, Pienza, Montepulciano, and many others). As Dayle said, they have great wine there too - I actually prefer it over Chianti.

I would not choose to stay in both Siena and Florence in 7 days - perhaps that's too much "city". I would stay in the countryside (Val d'Orcia) instead for a few days, plus 1 night in San Gimignano (visit Volterra from San G).

Stu Dudley

We are arriving in Florence on Saturday AM, and will be flying out on the next Saturday AM. I thought it would be most convenient to do Florence at the end of the trip, to facilitate getting to the airport to leave on that second Saturday morning. I think my flight leaving Florence is at 830am or so, so I didn't want to have to come from very far.

My room budget is not particularly an issue. This trip will be for our 25th anniversary, and I am determined not to cut corners, if there is a choice. Given a choice, my wife will usuallly pick more upscale lodging, although we understand that the Tuscan countryside is not at all like the Via Veneto.

I really do appreciate all the input I am getting here. We have been to Rome, but we have not been to other parts of Italy, and it's a little different when planning for this sort of experience, for us.

Thanks again.

Here is what I would do.

Sat - arrive & pick up the car. Head south to Volterra and have lunch there & visit the town. Drive a little east and visit/stay in San Gimignano. I like the Cisterna hotel because it's in town - in the middle of everything. It's nothing fancy Don't get to San G before about 6:00PM - when all the day trippers have left.

Sun - visit San G some more, then high-tail it down to the Val d'Orcia and stay at La Saracina - it's perfect for a destination stay on your 25th. It's half way between Pienza & Montepulciano. Get the Malvensa room - it's decadent (tub/zacuzzi you can do laps in, and a shower with 2 heads and large enough that it doesn't even have a shower curtain - 2 sinks. The hotel only has about 5 rooms, a pool, tennis court, and in a spectacular setting

http://www.lasaracina.it/menu_eng.htm

Book ASAP - this place is very popular. It's much prettier than the pictures show.

Visit Pienza, and drive around in the Val d'Orcia. See if you can find a past post of mine - do a search on "Stu Monticcheillo antimo". If you can't find it, e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll send you my 20+ page Italy itinerary.

BTW, we spend our 25th at La Saracina (we were there 2 years earlier also).

Monday - Wednesday - explore the Val d'Orcia & surrounding areas. Visit Siena (1 hr away) if you get bored with the countryside, perched villages, wine tasting, Sant Antimo Abbey, etc. (I doubt it)

Thurs - head up to Florence early in the day & stay there 2 nights.

Stu Dudley

Hi again Rick,

When we stayed in Chianti (5 years ago), stayed in tiny San Sano at hotel Residence San Sano a 4*. About as far off the beaten track as you can get. We loved it, but it was a long and windy drive to other towns - San Gimignano and Voltera. We also visited Siena, a 20 minute drive.

On my last trip I particularly loved Montalcino and stayed at Il Giglio, a 3*. My other favorite town was in Umbria. Spello, where I stayed at Palazzo Bocci, 4* and wonderful. A day trip to nearby Montefalco let me discover Sagrantino di Montefalco! Just as wonderful as Brunello.

If you want to read my trip report for some ideas, do a search on my name and it should come up.

You'll have a great time wherever you go!

As usual, Stu gives you an excellent plan. If you don't want to go out to a winery for tastings, Montalcino has them every few feet (or so it seemed...I was there in the morning and therefore didn't do much tasting!). I spent three nights (two entire days) in Pienza in Sept and loved it. Many say you can see Pienza in two hours, but there's more there to see than you might think. And although they take the siesta (generally 1-3 pm) in Pienza, all the shops were open on Monday (I had read here that most would be closed then). Make sure you get some of that wonderful Pecorino cheese (it made my suitcase heavy on the way home but was worth every ounce!).

Have a great trip!

A few cautious words. Tuscany, particulalrly the route from Siena to Montlacino has been discovered and will be rather tourist laden in June. The Castello tasting space in Montlacino for instance is rather commercial. My experience there last May was very small portions and high prices and crowds. On the other hand, I found the Chianti hills to be less crowded, and more fun. Loved Gaoli and Greve which are on my must visit list. I would spend a few days there.

R, I hate to tell you but Tuscany was "discovered" a LONG time ago!

What I especially liked about tasting at the Enoteca di Fortezza at the top of Montalcino was that they have a huge selection of wines from wineries all over the area. Yes, it was expensive and busy. If you go in the early evening, not so busy after the tasting tour buses have left.

Every other shop in Montalcino is an enoteca, but most are "direct sellers" for a single winery and have only 1 or 2 wines to taste. Some have more.

I second StuDudley's recommendation of staying at La Saracina. We stayed there in May based on his rec and we're returning this May. We've seen two other rooms there which are lovely as well, in case the one he mentioned is already booked. Email them asap. The location is ideal for what you want. If they are booked, we've also stayed at Locanda Dell Amorosa. It is a beautiful, romantic place of which you can read many wonderful reviews on tripadvisor. It's my second favorite place in the world (La Saracina is my favorite!). Happy anniversary!

Thanks so much for all of the good advice thus far. I don't know how people did this before the Internet!

One other question: if I fly into Florence, how should I best approach the idea of car rental? I keep hearing that picking up at the airport will increase the expense. Should I take a cab or bus or train somewhere else, and then get the car??? Or is the difference actually minimal no matter where I get it?

Rick,

Check the pick up locations for smaller cities if you want to avoid the airport surcharge. Since you are doing Florence last, try picking up in Siena (if you do Chianti first) or Chiusi if you go south first. Just make sure the smaller offices will be open on the days you want.

I've used Autoeurope twice. Good prices and they will match the competitors.

How would you recommend I get to Siena or Chiusi, from the Florence airport?

>> in Pienza, all the shops were open on Monday (I had read here that most would be closed then).<<

That's normally the case (shops closed Monday) in most cities - Pienza & San G are exceptions because they are very tourist oriented. We were in Cortona on a Monday last year, and most shops were closed in the morning. Same in Perugia - but many (not all) opened up in the afternoon.

Stu Dudley

Rick,

I have not used the Florence airport, so don't know if there is a train into Florence, but whether you take a taxi or train, you will probably need to change trains in Florence to go to Siena. The Hertz rental office in Siena required a short taxi ride to get there. As you have probably read, the train station is not right IN Siena.

My Avis rental office also required a taxi ride from the Chiusi train station, although I have read from other posters here that there is a rental office walkable from the station.

One of the other Fodorites will be able to give you specifics on travel from the Florence airport to either of these towns.

This year we stayed at Hotel Il Giglio in Montalcino and explored from there. We did a tour and tasting at Altesino, about 15 minutes from Montalcino and really enjoyed the peccorino, prosciutto, bread, and wines.

rick_c, since you are flying into Florence, just pick up the car at the airport and drive to Siena. It might cost slightly more but it's also much more convenient.

We have a general preference for staying inside cities and towns close to the Centro Storico. And for staying in one spot as much as possible. But when doing excursions in Tuscany with a car, picking your way into and out of a small town with its narrow streets and cramped parking--if any--is not fun. If you stay on the edge of town or just outside, you can still be within walking distance of restaurants and shops.

may i suggest a fantastic small B&B located smack in the middle of florence...it is the dei mori B&B....look for it on the web...

rooms are small but clean and comfortable, but the location is fantastic....you could not be more centrally located...

the two guys who own it are supurb and send you to the best restaurants and provide tons of advice...

it is up about 40 stairs with no elevator however....

they have an apartment rental east of florence also, which we are renting in may....

you won't go wrong here, unless you need a huge room...

>>when doing excursions in Tuscany with a car, picking your way into and out of a small town with its narrow streets and cramped parking--if any--is not fun. If you stay on the edge of town or just outside, you can still be within walking distance of restaurants and shops.<<

I think driving through small towns used to be the case many years ago. I don't recall having to do that too many times now.

Montalcino has a large car park next to the fortress. San Quirico has a large lot at the east end of town, Pienza has a dirt lot at the east end of town and across the street from the main town entrance - plus several other lots. Montepulciano is a little more difficult to park in, but I've never had any major problem. Volterra and San Gimignano have ample parking in lots just on the edge of town. Volterra's is actually underground.

Pienza, Volterra, San Gimignano, & San Q don't even allow tourists driving through town, and I'm pretty sure the same goes with Montepliciano & Montalcino & most others. There are parking lots in Cortona, Orvieto, Assisi, Pitiglano, and many others.

In Siena, I always park just outside the Porta Romana (old Roman gate at south end of town).

Rick_c - you have a VERY short vacation - don't waste any time trying to save a few dollars on car rentals - pick the car up at the airport.

Stu Dudley

Hi!
Here's just a thought. Why not rent a place in the outskirts of Firenze, such as a villa in the hills of Fiesole. You can rent a car and will have no problem parking it at your villa. To get into Firenze, there is a direct bus (the #7) that takes you quickly (i.e. 15 minutes away)into the centre of Firenze for sightseeing. You can't drive into the centre of Firenze anyways without a proper car licenseplate as traffic is SERIOUSLY controlled here, so perhaps renting at the airport and driving to your villa in/near Fiesole would work well. From there, you can travel in the Chianti region as you please. I have taken a day tour by car through this region and it is quite simple and actually quite convenient from Firenze. You can also travel to Siena (about 1 hour away by car) without difficulty, and to San Gimignano if you like.
A great rental website is www.homesintuscany.net
It is a legal, state-licensed agency that lets out villas/apartments/etc. I have rented from them for the past 5 years. One of the partners is an expatriot Brit, so of course there will be no communication problems.
Anyways, sometimes it is nice to have a home base and not have to pack/unpack etc. for days of touring.
Just a thought!
Cheers!

Rick,

On my trip I stayed in the hilltowns of Montalcino, Gubbio, Assisi, and Spello. I had no problems driving in the towns or around them, or driving and parking at the others on day trips.

In Montalcino, the Il Giglio will park & retrieve your car for you which is a good thing considering where they park. Driving in and out of the town every day was easy, even on market day. There is only one main street that is closed to traffic.

Spello was a breeze.
Gubbio would have been a nightmare. Thankfully, for the hotel I stayed at, you couldn't park there if you wanted to. They had a shuttle to a distant parking garage.

As Stu mentions, most of the hilltowns have plenty of parking just outside the walls.

Thanks to all of you for the great advice. I'm made considerable headway with my planning and am well on my way. I am sure this will be my first of many trips to this area, so I am not going to overburden my itinerary, as many of you have advised. Once my kids are out of the house, I'll be able to do visits that are more prolonged!

I've already got my plane tickets taken care of, but I've noticed that my flights are now $500 more expensive than when I booked them over a week ago (Lufthansa). I had been watching carefully and got lucky to get a $900 roundtrip from the east coast into Florence. Guess you really have to keep an eye out. I'm sure they will go down again at some point soon, but it's interesting to watch the process. Same thing happened to me last year, with the air fare to Rome. Up and down, up and down.

Airfares! Don't get me started!! Just immagine if we had to buy things the way we had to buy airfares -- "You need that new shirt for tomorrow -that'll be $400. If you bought it three months ago, it would have been $50. But, if you wait, it might go on sale for $250, or not -- keep checking" :)
Anyways, I digress...
Have a great trip and keep us posted.

Well, much has been said about airline pricing absurdity, but geez, an increase of $500 overnight is a bit steep. Before I bit on the $900 tickets, they had been around $1200 for a few weeks, then went down to $900 for around 10 days, and now they are up to $1400. I'm sure they have their reasons for this, but the are well beyond my comprehension.

Rick C - consider staying in Montecatini, a Spa town outside of Florence. I stayed at the Hotel Grand Vittoria where there is much personal service, spa treatments, and a charming village at the doorstep. The town is very close to Florence, Chianti, and all of Tuscany. With Montecatini as my home base, I also visited Venice and Pisa as day trips. There is a local train station in walking distance to the hotel. BTW the hotel has excellent food and service. This spa town has it all - several nightclubs, a charming church at the center of the town, cafe for limoncello in the evenings and great gelato. Be sure to make a reservation to see David and eliminate having to wait in a long line at the museum in Florence. The hotel also has cooking classes I'm told. Consider it. Have the city and towns nearby and enjoy spa treatments each day.

Rick,
You've gotten a lot of good advice here. I agree with those who say it's not difficult driving / visiting towns in Tuscany. Just make sure you have a really good map. And I strongly agree with not trying to cut costs by renting a car away from the airport. Just do it.
Have a great trip!

Just found this thread; we're trying to plan 5 nights in the Chianti region and then 5 nights in Montecatini. At the moment we've reservations in Radda. Is that going to be ok for visiting the southern towns, like Montepulciano? We like Chianti, but want to visit other areas too. Don't think we can split the time any more than it has been; we're pretty much set on unpacking only twice.
Thanks.

Rick,

We spent a glorious week in Montalcino about 3 months ago, with day trips to many many towns in the area (and some a bit further away). Click on my screen name to get my trip report and let me know if I can help you with anything else specific.

You will LOVE it !!!

Marlynek, No, stay south of Siena.