Italian hilltown priorities?
 

I will be staying in a villa near San Gimignano for 7 days in May. I plan to day-trip into Florence for 2 of those days. 1 day will be spent in Siena. For the other four days, which hilltowns would you recommend and why?

See the LAtimes.com article (Mar 24) on "the Etruscans" posted here on another thread yesterday.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Don't have enough time to explain why, but these are my favorites: Montalcino, Pienza, Radicofani, Pitigliano, Castel di Garfagnana, Castiglione d'Orcia, San Quirico d'Orcia. And if those aren't enough, I'll suggest more (all in Tuscany).

Hello Flagg, Wayne has a good start but let me add some of my favs. Do not miss Volterra--and it is close to you. If you head east try to include Mt Savino and Cortona, but it is distance.<BR>Notice the lack of Chianti villages on both lists--that may tell you something.

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Loved Orvieto!<BR><BR>Noteworthy for Orvieto Classico wine, hand painted pottery, the beautiful cathedral and frescoes and just a nice quiet place to hang arouind.<BR><BR>If you go try the Trattoria Etruscan and order the pasta with wild boar sauce...outstanding!

Come to Umbria for 4 days - I have a different favourite hilltown every week, there are lots to choose from.<BR>Now I am raving about Bettona - it is very central for touring around but is "away from it all at the same time".<BR>There is a really lovely hotel right in the centre - fabulous, really fabulous.

ciao flagg<BR><BR>drive to massa marittima, nice pleasant place and the drive from siena to there is beautiful. maybe you would like to see san galgano south of siena. another thing not to miss would be pienza, followed by montepulciano. and when you are allready in this corner you might want to go to bagno vignoni south of san quirico d'orca, with it's thermal spa and the very good panini place in the bar on the left side of the phone cabin.<BR><BR>tanti saluti<BR><BR>christina

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