Orvieto, Cortona, Siena Advice??
Dec 7th, 2004, 04:26 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Orvieto, Cortona, Siena Advice??
For those of you that didn't read my previous post, I'm proposing to my girlfriend of 5 years over New Years...
Thanks for the great advice/resources so far... Because of your great advice, I've tweaked my plans a bit... I found that there's a jazz festival in Orvieto from 29 Dec to 2 Jan... I imagine that this means there's some interesting culture/activites as well.
Here's what my gameplan has morphed into:
28 Dec
Short Flight into Pisa...train to Siena (2hr)...overnight in Siena
29 Dec
Day in Siena…Train to Orvieto (2 hrs)..Jazz Festival in Orvieto...Jazz/Food/Culture/etc…Overnight in Orvieto
30 Dec
More Jazz Festival in Orvieto…Overnight again in Orvieto
31 Dec
Train to Cortona (1 hr)…Day in Cortona…Dinner at Il Falconiere
Proposal
!!!
Stay in Honeymoon Suite at Hotel San Michele (if available)
1 Jan
Relax in Cortona or train back to Jazz in Orvieto…Overnight in Hotel San Michele again
2 Jan
Same as previous day
3 Jan
Travel to another interesting Tuscan town (Arezzo??) making way back to Pisa...Stay overnight in that town
4 Jan
Return to Pisa…fly home…
Just a few more questions…
1) How does the itinerary look? Too rushed?
2) Would it be easier for me to just rent a car…it seems some of these cities would be quicker to get to by auto
3) Any other places we should see?
4) Any recommendations for hotels or little villas/apartments near/in orvieto?
5) Any recommendations for other special/romantic ideas for my Cortona proposal (possibly partly in Italian)?
Thanks for your help!!!
Dave
Thanks for the great advice/resources so far... Because of your great advice, I've tweaked my plans a bit... I found that there's a jazz festival in Orvieto from 29 Dec to 2 Jan... I imagine that this means there's some interesting culture/activites as well.
Here's what my gameplan has morphed into:
28 Dec
Short Flight into Pisa...train to Siena (2hr)...overnight in Siena
29 Dec
Day in Siena…Train to Orvieto (2 hrs)..Jazz Festival in Orvieto...Jazz/Food/Culture/etc…Overnight in Orvieto
30 Dec
More Jazz Festival in Orvieto…Overnight again in Orvieto
31 Dec
Train to Cortona (1 hr)…Day in Cortona…Dinner at Il Falconiere
Proposal
!!!Stay in Honeymoon Suite at Hotel San Michele (if available)
1 Jan
Relax in Cortona or train back to Jazz in Orvieto…Overnight in Hotel San Michele again
2 Jan
Same as previous day
3 Jan
Travel to another interesting Tuscan town (Arezzo??) making way back to Pisa...Stay overnight in that town
4 Jan
Return to Pisa…fly home…
Just a few more questions…
1) How does the itinerary look? Too rushed?
2) Would it be easier for me to just rent a car…it seems some of these cities would be quicker to get to by auto
3) Any other places we should see?
4) Any recommendations for hotels or little villas/apartments near/in orvieto?
5) Any recommendations for other special/romantic ideas for my Cortona proposal (possibly partly in Italian)?
Thanks for your help!!!
Dave
Dec 7th, 2004, 04:54 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The only thing I could suggest to further improve upon your wonderful itinerary might be a day at a spa in Southern Tuscany, maybe on Jan 2 or 3 in your schedule. I have been to one or two, and they were very relaxing. I will try to look for the names.
In answer to your question about the car vs. train; I think you might be better off with a car as it will give you more freedom to tour the countryside, etc.
In answer to your question about the car vs. train; I think you might be better off with a car as it will give you more freedom to tour the countryside, etc.
Dec 7th, 2004, 05:38 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,305
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The best advice I can give is: Make your reservations now! If this jazz festival has any merit, it may already be tough to get a place to stay!
Further, I would think that time of the year would be a busy one in Tuscany.
Further, I would think that time of the year would be a busy one in Tuscany.
Dec 7th, 2004, 10:47 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We made lunch reservations at I Sette Consoli, and the afternoon before, we strolled down to find out where it was and check out their menu.
Their 5-course lunch is 40 Euro per person. The menu stipulated that everyone at the same table had to have the 5-course lunch. In other words, I couldn't indulge and my wife order off the ala carte menu. Wine was extra.
As my wife read down the menu, I can remember her saying, "deer, rabbit, pigeon, and squid." I can't remember the 5th course.
Her words to me were -- not no, but <b>heck no</b>.
Their 5-course lunch is 40 Euro per person. The menu stipulated that everyone at the same table had to have the 5-course lunch. In other words, I couldn't indulge and my wife order off the ala carte menu. Wine was extra.
As my wife read down the menu, I can remember her saying, "deer, rabbit, pigeon, and squid." I can't remember the 5th course.
Her words to me were -- not no, but <b>heck no</b>.
Dec 7th, 2004, 11:10 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,702
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
davemuni, can you give me any information on the Jazz festival in Orvieto? We were planning to stop during that time frame going from Florence to Rome. Anyone else been to Orvieto for this festival?
Dec 7th, 2004, 02:42 PM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I personally don't have a problem with eating deer, rabbit, squid, or pigeon, but I think it fair game (no pun intended) to make people who are adverse to some or all of these "things" aware ahead of time so they can make their own "choices."
Dec 7th, 2004, 03:42 PM
#13
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dave / Sandi,
We stayed over in Orvieto for a couple nights of the jazz festival last year. Found a couple of people in this forum who provided good information. If you check this thread you may find some info worth reviewing (and a couple of the folks who provided answers):
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34458895
With that for a start, here is what we learned from our experience last year.
First, make a contact and GET YOUR TICKETS ASAP for those events which have reserved seating. (i.e. Teatro Mancinelli). You will be glad you did. We were able to get fifth row, main floor seats for Randy Weston and Terence Blanchard in a great opera house setting). Don't worry about sending them your credit card number and request - they will take care of you and your information. BTW, the ticket pickup (and sales) point for tickets is Teatro Mancinelli. For any general admission settings just get there early, most places will be packed.
Orvieto is a beautiful little town, and very busy during the jazz festival at night. If you stay in town (I would recommend it - if you really want to take in the festival) make sure you contact your hotel for a place to park. And get directions to your hotel / parking area. We arrived in the evening, during the street parade (Funk Off), it was hell to get to our hotel (Hotel Duomo, very friendly family operation, it is centrally located, very close to the Duomo, didn't "mark up" the rooms too much, and parking was reasonable).
During the day, before any concerts things are pretty quiet, you can take in the Duomo and other sites in town without too much traffic to worry about. If driving in for concerts get there early, traffic really boggs down the closer you get to show time. Remember, Orvieto is on the top of a hill, no real traffic alternatives except the main road to the top. Or park below and take the funiculare if you wish, but that makes for some good hikes to and from the concert venues.
If you want any souveniers of the event, especially posters, buy them early. We really love to have posters from the jazz / music / art events that we have attended, and were disappointed that we could not buy one as they were all sold out by the time we got around to it. (Only thing left was baseball hats - my wife already cut me off at my 100th hat, so it was not an option.)
SIDE NOTE: If anyone could point me in a direction to purchase a poster from the 12th Orvieto Jazz Festival (2003/2004) I would really appreciate it!!!
Any other questions? Let me know, would be happy to fill you in with whatever I can!
We stayed over in Orvieto for a couple nights of the jazz festival last year. Found a couple of people in this forum who provided good information. If you check this thread you may find some info worth reviewing (and a couple of the folks who provided answers):
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34458895
With that for a start, here is what we learned from our experience last year.
First, make a contact and GET YOUR TICKETS ASAP for those events which have reserved seating. (i.e. Teatro Mancinelli). You will be glad you did. We were able to get fifth row, main floor seats for Randy Weston and Terence Blanchard in a great opera house setting). Don't worry about sending them your credit card number and request - they will take care of you and your information. BTW, the ticket pickup (and sales) point for tickets is Teatro Mancinelli. For any general admission settings just get there early, most places will be packed.
Orvieto is a beautiful little town, and very busy during the jazz festival at night. If you stay in town (I would recommend it - if you really want to take in the festival) make sure you contact your hotel for a place to park. And get directions to your hotel / parking area. We arrived in the evening, during the street parade (Funk Off), it was hell to get to our hotel (Hotel Duomo, very friendly family operation, it is centrally located, very close to the Duomo, didn't "mark up" the rooms too much, and parking was reasonable).
During the day, before any concerts things are pretty quiet, you can take in the Duomo and other sites in town without too much traffic to worry about. If driving in for concerts get there early, traffic really boggs down the closer you get to show time. Remember, Orvieto is on the top of a hill, no real traffic alternatives except the main road to the top. Or park below and take the funiculare if you wish, but that makes for some good hikes to and from the concert venues.
If you want any souveniers of the event, especially posters, buy them early. We really love to have posters from the jazz / music / art events that we have attended, and were disappointed that we could not buy one as they were all sold out by the time we got around to it. (Only thing left was baseball hats - my wife already cut me off at my 100th hat, so it was not an option.)
SIDE NOTE: If anyone could point me in a direction to purchase a poster from the 12th Orvieto Jazz Festival (2003/2004) I would really appreciate it!!!
Any other questions? Let me know, would be happy to fill you in with whatever I can!
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Steph_SEA
Europe
8
Sep 23rd, 2004 05:51 PM
