Itenerary Review (Tuscany and Umbria)
 

We are married couple traveling with our young toddler.
I think this is our final itenerary. Would appreciate comments/ thoughts.

Sun-Arrive at FCO, get car drive to Montefalco for check in--

Mon-Bevagna and then to Spello. Lunch in Spello

Tues- Trevi w lunch, then on to Spoleto

Wed Assisi

Thurs- Deruta, Perguia

Fri--Drive to next "base" in Greve

Sat--Greve, drive up to Radda and Giaole

Sun--Panzano, Castellina

Mon-Siena (been there once before)

Tues-Florence (been there once before)

Wed-Open (maybe San Gimi, been there before)

Geeze - you're changing hotels every night. Have you done that before with a toddler?

Many shops will be closed on Monday in Siena. Perhaps visit San Gimignano and Volterra on Monday & Siena on Tuesday.

Consider visiting Gubbio instead of some of the towns you have already explored on prior trips.

You're missing my favorite section of Italy - Val d'Orcia around Pienza. Have you visited this area on other trips?

Stu Dudley

Just to clarify, we are staying outside of Montefalco, and Greve only. The other days are all day trips from those locations.

Thanks, I'll check into the Gubbio suggestion. Yes, on our last trip we stayed in Montalcino and visited around Pienza.

Whine, I was in Umbria last year right near where you are staying (we could see Montefalco from our agriturismo, Le Case Gialle) and it is a beautiful area.

Make sure you try the yummy local pasta w/ saffron cheese in Montefalco. The place we tried it is right in the main piazza -- I think it is called l'Alchimista. (A wine and cheese shop but also serves food.)

We liked Bevagna very much, a walled town in the "flats" that is a nice contrast to all the hilltowns in the area. We did much of our food shopping there and especially liked the fresh pasta shop and the great pastry shop.

Spello is a picture perfect hilltown!

I also stayed just outside Greve on a previous trip. This area of Tuscany is hillier and more wooded than some areas; I thought it was quite scenic in its own way.

La Castellana restaurant, in teeny Montefioralle up a gravel ('white') road from Greve, is very nice and the village is pretty to spend a few minutes (all it takes) walking around.

Perugia can be a little confusing to drive into. Make sure you head up the hill to get to the old city center. There is a pretty fabulous pastry shop (yes, we like to eat!) on the walking street leading to the center piazza.

My only comment on your itinerary is to spend at least one day just hanging out and going nowhere. Looks like lots of long days, and I am sure your little one will get restless in the car...

Looks like fun to me except for the drive from FCO to Montefalco. I hope someone can get get sleep on the plane. Tht drive will be close to 3 hours.

Hi Whine,

I, too would recommend a visit to Gubbio rather than repeating Siena and Florence (unless there is more you want to see in Florence). Also, instead of repeating San Gimignano, how about Volterra?

I stayed in Spello for 2 nights last Sept and loved it! However, it's very small and lunch options might be limited. I know of 3 restaurants in town, 2 of which I tried for dinnner.

I didn't care much for La Cantina, but loved Il Molino! Il Molino is dinner only, not sure about La Cantina. There is another very nice restaurant there, but the name escapes me. Didn't get to try that one.

There is a nice little cafe/gellateria on the main steet with a lovely garden out back. They have a limited lunch menu. Sit in the shade an enjoy the view!

Buon viaggio!

We just returned from a trip to Italy, including two nights in Spello and two nights in San Gimignano.

In Spello, we also went to the garden bar noted above, though only for drinks; it's called "Bar Giardino," and it's on the main street just up the hill from the main square. It has a long menu, basic items, but if you ask me, a perfect place to while away some time overlooking the countryside with a toddler who will have plenty of room to run around - there were some resident cats, so that could be of interest too. I don't remember seeing any of the other restaurants open during the day (La Cantina, etc.).

I think we must have missed something about Trevi. We didn't find it at all interesting, and in fact we found it rather lifeless. That was in comparison to Montefalco, Bevagna and Spello, which we visited on this trip, and Spoleto and Gubbio, which we've visited on previous trips.

One place you might want to visit, also good with a toddler, are two sights 2 and 3 km south of Trevi, on ss. 3. One is the Temple of Clitunno, a tiny early Christian temple; just precious. The other, 1 km further south, is the Fountain of Clitunno, which is an ancient (ancient Romans used to visit it) spring-fed pond area. Now, it's a beautiful little area, with the mostly-crystal-ponds inhabited by hungry swans and ducks. (You can buy food there to feed the swans, or take your breakfast leftovers.) Aside from the existence of the ponds (which are maybe a foot or two deep), also a good place for a toddler.

We also ate at Il Molino, and enjoyed our dinner there. There were several children eating there when we were, though not toddler-aged.

Well we are off later today. Yippee.

Thanks for the good suggestions on day trip substitutions, restaurants, and toddler fun.
I guess we are just going to keep things a little loose, and make a decision that day on what to do.

I'll be sure and give a full report on our return.

ttt