Oaks

I have 7 days total for a late September tirp to I would like to spend nights at B&Bs in Siena, Pienza, and Florence. How would you divide the time? Suggestions for practical trips in between? Which cities should be reserve the most time for? Which can we double up in one day without rushing?

Plan is to fly to Pisa, take a train to Siena, rent a car... travel around and then return the car to Siena before taking a bus/train to Florence for the end of the trip. In between is the issue.

isabel

I've been to all three of those towns and obviously Florence has the most to do. I had read some negataive things about Florence and so didn't even go there on my first trip to Italy but ended up loving it. I spent 6 nights there and did a day trip to Siena but since you'll have a car I agree spending at least a night or two in Siena would be a good idea. Pienza was lovely but quite small and you could certainly "see" it in a few hours.

So what "type" of atmosphere do you prefer, especially at night. Very quite or a place with more going on. I loved walking around Florence at night - people out and enjoying street music, gelato, just walking around. Wonderful sunsets. A more lively atmosphere even if you don't do anything specific. I sense Siena would be a little like that on a smaller scale although I didn't spend the night. I don't think you'd get that at all in Pienza.

My personal preference for 7 nights would be 2 in Siena (with day trip one day to surrounding countryside), 1 in San Gimignano doing Pienza on the way there, and the rest in Florence. I spent a night in San Gimi and because it is so heavily visited by tour groups during the day, it had a much different feel in the evening. Pienza was pretty quiet even in the daytime.

bobthenavigator

Get your car in Pisa, drive to a base near Pienza for 4 nites, see Siena from there, drop your car at airport in Florence, spend 3 nites. Why stay in 2 hotels :40 apart? Look at Le Traverse near Pienza.

ira

Hi oaks,

I agree with Bob,

canuckuphereathome

We stayed at a lovely apartment about 15 mins. south of Florence. We stayed there actually 2 full weeks and visited every place you mention on a day trip. For us, we much prefer "parking" ourselves in one central location and then do day trips. Just a personal preference but I hate packing up and relocating when everything is in such close proximity. Our apartment was homey and it was nice to come home to it every night after sightseeing.

subcon

i'd pick up the car in pisa, see it in the AM and overnite at lucca. then drive south to san gimignano for the day, overnighting in siena.

then move south again stopping in pienza and overnighting twice (?) in cortona. from there you can either backtrack through chianti for a day or do arrezo.

finally, move on to florence. i'll grant this is a lot of logistics and potential unpacking/repacking. but each overnite town has its own unique charm different from the others. also one avoids night driving on poorly lit mountain roads.

on the other hand, there's nothing wrong with bob's suggestion either.

Oaks

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Will keep everyone posted on what we decide!