Lucca vs Montecatini Terme vs Pisa
 

We are picking up a car from florence and then would like to visit Montecatini Terme, Lucca and Pisa before staying the night in San Gimignano. I know this is too much to fit into one day, so I would like some suggestions for the place that we could miss. We have been to Pisa before but we would like to climb the tower. Any suggestions? Thanks

No question among those 3--Lucca !<BR>However, do not miss Volterra which is much closer to San Gim. Check your map to drive from Lucca to San Gim.--it is about a 1:30 drive. Have fun !

Boy this is a tough one because all three places you want to see are way off the path from Florence to San Gimignano. So I don't think it's a good idea because it will be a long-long day to go from Florence to Lucca, Pisa, Montecatini Terme and then San Gimignano.<BR><BR>I have driven from Florence to Siena with stops along the way at Monteriggioni and San Gimignano, and this took the majority of a day. I would recommend this path if your're heading south and have never been to Siena and San Gimignano.<BR><BR>I've also driven the Florence to Lucca, Pisa and then back to Florence. This also took an entire day, I remember getting back into Florence in the dark.<BR><BR>Good luck with your decision !<BR><BR>

Bob<BR>Did you mean miss Lucca or do not miss Lucca?

Bob <BR>Did you mean do not miss Lucca or do miss Lucca? Thanks<BR>Bill<BR>Thanks for the advice - I really wanted to see those cities, but maybe we should give them a miss if is too much driving. <BR>

Well I really liked Lucca and it's beautiful duomo, but I was far more impressed by the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. I had always heard how touritsy Pisa was and that it was a waste of time. But in my opinion, yes Pisa is touristy but it is definitely not a waste of time. The tower, duomo, baptistry, and camposanto in Pisa are very impressive and historically important buildings and well worth a visit even if you have to deal with throngs of tourists.<BR>I also found Siena more interesting than Lucca and well worth at least one day's stay.

Skip Montecatini. The place is rather boring and has litte to show, except for big hotels. Montecatini can be a place where to find a cheap room and use as a base to visit northern Tuscany because it i beautifully connected by train to Firenze, Pistoia, Lucca, Pisa and to the Versilia area, but from every other point of voew it is but a place where elderly people go to drink water.

I forgot: Montecatini alto can be nice, but it is basically similar to San Gimignano and many other villages in Tuscany, so it can be overlooked.<BR><BR>Finally, unless you have already booked a hotel in Sam Gimignano, look for signs saying "agriturismo". Some of the very best places to stay in Tuscany are agritourisms. Do not expect to be lodged in a cheap building and having to sleep on a mound of hay, on the other hand many of these places have very nice rooms (usually with private bathroom) and often offer good homemade dinners.

Just got back from a wonderful holiday in Tuscany. <BR>Stayed at Azienda Agraria Il Colombaio (www.fattoriailcolombaio.com) near Monteriggioni which I can highly recommend. It is a 4 'spighi' (rating system for agriturismo equal to 4*) place, brandnew, has 6 double rooms, 1 triple and 2 appartments. All the rooms have private bathroom, TV, minibar and A/C. Large kitchen and outside barbecue for common use and swimming pool. Buffet breakfast. And the most charming hostess I've ever met.<BR><BR>Re your itinerary, you can easily drive from Firenze to Lucca over the highway within one hour. Visit Lucca (well worth in my opinion), and a short visit to Pisa on the way to San Gim (Pisa-San Gim is about 1.5 hour drive).<BR><BR>If you haven't been to Siena though, make sure to go there. It was my absolute favorite city.

Myriam:<BR><BR>If you will ever go back there, make another trip towards Monte Amiata area. Visit Santa Fiora, a lovely medieval town, the most lovely I have ever seen. I will have to put the pictures I took in August on the web someday...

Alice, thanks for the suggestion.<BR>We must go back 'cause there's still so much that we haven't seen. <BR>If you put your pictures on the web, could you please let me know. Thanks!<BR>I'm in the process of selecting my pics. I made around 280 ...

Myriam:<BR><BR>Most part of my pictures are already on the web. Check out http://www.alicetwain.supereva.it/ph...hotoindex.html.

See Lucca ! But, a long way back to San Gim. Forget Montecatini.

Alice, thanks for the link. It's bookmarked. I do recognize many places and your photos are really beautiful.

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