Hello,

My family will be visiting Siena late-July (for eight days) travelling by car. I have been doing a lot of research on-line, but I'm not sure how much time to devote to each place. We want to explore Tuscany, and want to include the following places to vist: San Gimignano, Volterra and try a day trip to Pisa. Any suggestions? Many thanks

Angela,

I just returned from 10 days in italy including 5 days in Tuscany. I split my time between northern and southern tuscany since some cities are 2 hours apart and that could make day tripping exhausting if staying in one location. But its all personal preference. I'll attach my itinerary from last week. This is for 5 days, having more days will make for a wonderful and more enjoyable trip. My trip was busy at times.

Tuscany
May 31st Thursday
Day one: 8:00am Drive to Pisa, Italy
12:30pm Arrive Pisa: drive 1 hr+
"church and baptistry church is where Galileo came up with the theory for the pendulum, (while watching
a chandelier move with the wind--he timed it by using his pulse as a measure) There is also an interesting burial spot there."
Visit the walled cemetery there
2:30pm Leave Pisa, drive to Volterra
3:30 Arrive Volterra
Roman amphitheatre ruin
Pinacoteca
Museo Etrusco Guarnacci
Tower to climb and an historic house to view
6:30-7pm 35 minute drive to hotel
Night one: HOTEL LA COLLEGIATA
localita' Strada n. 27 53037 - San Gimignano (Siena) tel. 0577-943201
53037 San Gimignano — Località Strada 5
8:30pm Dinner La vecchie mura
http://www.vecchiemura.it/rest.htm
June 1st Friday
Day two:

10:00am Arrive See Chianti *1 BELOW
Chianti area to see Castellina.
11:00am Greve
12:00pm Radda
12:30pm Lunch
1:00pm East, Ceramiche Rampini CHINA, NEAR radda
Arrive San Gimignano
Collegiate Church/Duomo in San Giminianno
7pm LEAVE for dinner, 50 minute drive
8m Dinner SIENA: Cane e Gato
One seating 4 hrs @ 8 fixed menu
Ristorante Cane E Gatto S.a.s. Di Senni & C.
6, Via Pagliaresi - Siena (Si)
Night two HOTEL LA COLLEGIATA


June 2nd Saturday
Day three Siena, Le Crete & Abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore & Monticiello?
Arrive Siena
2:00pm Asciano drive thru "Le Crete"
3:00pm Arrive Abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore
8:00pm Osteria La Porta Montichiello
Night three: La Saracina

June 3rd Sunday
Day four: Montepulciano, Pienza & Environs
9:30-11am Arrive Montepulciano 60 minutes
-go to Church
11:30-noon Montichiello 30 minutes
Arrive Pienza (open today) 60-90 minutes
Lunch Trattoria Latte di Luna *arrive noon exact* Pienza

7:00pm La Grotta 0578 757607 Montepulciano
Via Di S. Biagio, 15
53045 Montepulciano (SI), Italy

June 4th Monday
Day Five: S. Quirico, Bagno Vignoni, Abbey Sant Antimo, Montalcino
9:00am San Quirico d'Orcia
-Park at Taverna del Barbarossa restauant/Casanova Hotel)
10:00am Bagno Vignoni
10:30am Abbey Sant Antimo -chanting
Montalcino (best wine/Brunello) 2 hours
12:00pm Lunch at Taverna Grappolo Blu 0577 847150 Montalcino

8:00pm Albergo Ristorante La Chiusa Montefollonico
Via Della Madonnina, 88
53040 Montefollonico-Torrita Di Siena-
Tel:0577/669668
Night five: La Saracina

June 5th Tuesday
leave Tuscany
7:30am depart Tuscany
11:30 ARRIVE rome
1:30PM FLIGHT

Montalcino = Brunello & Rosso di Montalcino, Montepulciano = Rosso di Montepulciano,
Pienza = pecorino, and on and on.

natc143 - I enjoyed reading through your recent itinerary. La Saracina is my favorite place - how is Simonetta, Isaiah, and Alfonso (the dogs)? Hope you enjoyed your stay there as much as we have...your restaurant choices were also some of my favs.

Thank you so much for the information. I may have to rethink my plans, as we were planning to based our stay in one hotel in Siena (outside the wall), and take day trips to the various locations.

I think it is hard to answer the question of "How much time do we devote to each place" because until you are there, you don't know how a particular place will affect you. Some towns that everyone raves about may not be so appealing to you and vice versa. I like to do a lot of research but I found that we often didn't see or do a lot of what I originally planned. Now I'll make a list of certain things I would like to see if I am in a particular area, but they are just a sort of guideline.

When my husband and I were in Tuscany, we stayed outside of Castellina and made day trips to Siena, Pienza, Montepulciano, San Gimignano and other small towns. Some days we would arrive in a town and for one reason or another we didn't love it so we got back in the car and went elsewhere. That's the great thing about traveling by car - you can spend as much or as little time as you like in each place.

I recommend getting a good map like the Michelin guide. I mapped out our routes ahead of time on the viamichelin website, but always had the big road map with us as a back up. Some of those road signs weren't as easy to follow as we thought they'd be!

My advice is to enjoy the planning and research, but once you get to Italy, relax and take in all that is around you. Don't be tied to a particular itinerary because sometimes the unplanned moments are the most memorable!

bkmkg

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