We will be in Florence for 3 days and then want to spend a day in Montepulciano checking out wine. My question would it be easy to take the train to Orvieto, drop off luggage at a hotel, take a bus to Montepulciano and then back to Orvieto to sightsee a bit and spend the night? The next morning we want to take the train to Rome from Orvieto. Is this a feasible plan? I am not sure the distances by bus between the two cities. Also any recommendations on hotels in Orvieto? Thanks.

Is there some reason why you want to go first to Orvieto and then backtrack to Montepulciano?

I don't think that there is a direct bus between Orvieto and MP. (There wasn't one at least as of 1999 when I was there....but that was 6 years ago.) However, you can take the train between Orvieto and Chiusi, and then the bus to MP. Travel time is about 1:30.

Given what you want to do -- Orvieto, MP, back to Orvieto -- you may want to stop in MP on your way to Orvieto instead. See if Chiusi train station has a luggage check, where you can drop off the luggage for a few hours while you visit MP. If they do, take the train from Florence to Chiusi, drop off the luggage, then take the bus to MP, see MP, return on the bus to Chiusi, pick up the luggage, and then take a train to Orvieto.

topping

How would one go about checking to see if there is luggage storage at the Chiusi train station? I'm interested in leaving luggage there for a short time when we go in May...Thanks!

Remember that EVERYTHING closes between noon and about 3PM(?) in those little towns. Well, restaurants are open but that's about it. (I remember waiting for a wine shop to open in MP) So you will have to be mindful of the train and bus schedules...

Thanks for the information. I think what we have decided to do is take the train to Chiusi and then have a private car pick us up and do a wine tasting tour around Montepulciano. Then just spend the night in Montepulciano and take the bus to Chiusi the next morning.