I will be driving early morning from Montepulciano wanting to see Siena and possibly the Chiantis (Radda, Classico, Greve) before heading to San Gim for one night--don't want to get there before 4-5PM. How much time to see a fair amount of Siena and how much time to get to these 3 winerys? I wont' have a tour guide and feel I can see them without one. Looking forward to the scenery and whatever. Does this sound somewhat pratical? After one night in San Gim we will head to FLorence for 2 nights. Need 2 days there? I don't need to see every piece of art. Any suggestion for the first 4-5hrs. of that day on the way or should I just go and spend the 2 days? THANK YOU

Its pretty reasonable to drive from Montepulciano to Siena for a day. But you may want to check out a few travel guides, or threads on this website to get more precise on what you would like to see.

To consider Siena (minimum of 3 hours in your busy schedule - it may take a bit to find a parking space), you will want to spend time walking the narrow streets, and visit Piazza del Campo and its tower, Torre del Mangia - perhaps climbing the stairs to the top for a spectacular view of Siena and the surrounding countryside. That right there will take you an hour and a half. Another must see is the Duomo - a spectacular church that could have been even bigger if not for the misfortunes of Siena (plague etc.). I would add at least an hour to walk over and tour the Duomo. After that you might consider having your lunch in Siena - from what I understand, if you are interested in wine there is an Enoteca in Siena that many here have enjoyed. Can't recall the name right now (its something simple like Enoteca Siena or Enoteca Italia) but I plan to make it a stop when I get there. So, can you make a rush trip through Siena for a morning or so - yes, but it would be much prefered to take more time and enjoy the shopping or museums that are there to visit.

On to Chianti - you gave the names of two towns (Radda and Greve) and a zone of wine production so to speak (Chianti Classico is an official designation for a type of wine). To take the "Chianti Highway" route 222 around the area, and you will come to Radda and Greve as you drive from south to north - and then turn south again to head to San Gimi. To just drive the route is going to take about an hour and a half - but then you need to consider stops along the way. If you are interested in seeing wineries, you can call up other threads in this forum by typing in key words like Chianti winery or Tuscany wine tour etc. With the schedule you are looking at, I would keep my wineries down to two in order to enjoy them. (I do presume that you will be visiting wineries in the area of Montepulciano already?!!?)

BTW, for more information on the wine of this region, check out this website: http://www.chianticlassico.com/english/home.htm

As for your single night in San Gimi - you may want to take some time to walk its streets in the evening, and then in the morning before you head to Florence. My first trip to this area we stayed at La Cisterna Hotel - and really enjoyed just walking the town (especially when the "day tourists" weren't there.

To take in Florence for 2 nights - just to get a taste, it is possible, but you will be barely scratching the surface. When I first went to Florence I didn't realize the magnitude of such a key place. You may not "need to see every piece of art", but there is so much to take in that is art and history related that, to do it justice, you need a few weeks.

Suggestions for Florence: Again, get a couple of good guide books to learn about what you will be visiting ahead of time (it is worth it!). Make sure you plug in: Museum Accademia (Michelangelo's David), the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiori cathedral - you can climb the dome or bell tower). The Baptistry doors in front of the Duomo (copies - the real ones are in the Museum del'Opera del Duomo, behind the cathedral), the Uffizi Gallery (great collection of renaissance art, the markets - Mercato Centrale for wine, spice, foods etc, San Lorenzo market - clothing, bags, leather goods, paper, and Orsanmichele, paper goods, some leather, and the boar's nose that you rub to keep coming back to Florence! Of course you need to see the famous bridge - Ponte Vecchio and the large public square - Piazza della Signoria and the former town hall - Palazzo Vecchio. Plus all the shopping that can be had on both sides of the Arno. Sure, you can "do' Florence in two days - but if you really want to enjoy it you may want to take more time! Or just focus on a couple of things, and do them well - saving the rest for another trip. Remember, its a vacation - take it easy and enjoy!

KenMi...WOW, thank you so much. You really narrowed it down for me as all this is flying around fast in my head. I would spend a month in Italy if I could but can't--work, kids, money!! We will have 3 days in Rome, 3 in Tuscany, 2 in Florence, and almost 2 in Venice. I realize I am scratching the surface but I'm delighted to be able to see what I can and will return I'm sure. Going in October so I am going to be in good shape I hope by then thanks to you and others.

Hi LJ,

>We will have 3 days in Rome, 3 in Tuscany, 2 in Florence, and almost 2 in Venice.

May I suggest combining Florence with Tuscany and adding at least one night, if not 2, to Venice?

ira, so one full day in Florence and add a whole day to Venice? I would arrive in Florence late morning, have the day and maybe something in AM and take the train to Venice. I realize a could use a lot more time but have to work with what I have. Thank you again.

I am assuming that you have an "open jaw" flight schedule - flying into Rome, and then out of Venice - which explains your planning to move north from Rome to Venice. October will be a very nice time to visit - away from the crowds of summer and the holidays. Depending on when you visit, you may be able to visit wineries as they take in the harvest - I am sure there will be some great times during the harvest!

Ira and a number of the other folks who post here have great advice. Probably the best they have taught me is to slow down and enjoy what I have the time to do - realistically. People love to travel, and see a lot, but sometimes its the quality of the experience that gets lost. While you are in Italy, one of the best things I can suggest is to make dinner reservations, and then eat as the Italians do - in courses, not rushed, with wine to add to the experience. My first "slow meal" was a "forced experience" - we wanted, and expected, to eat quickly and then move on to other things on our schedule - not so with the Italian experience - it took us over two hours to dine. Somewhere into the second hour we recognized the fact that we were having a great time - eating as they do, and enjoying it more! Now, that is the way we eat at home whenever possible, and the way that we entertain friends!

BTW, speaking of food, I would try to take a lunch in Mercato Centrale in Florence (Central Market - in the area of the Church of San Lorenzo) - just walk around and see what there is to purchase - many vendors will offer samples before you buy, so don't be so quick to buy at the first stop. Then with some wine you can have a great lunch in a place you will remember. Be ware though, the Mercato Centrale closes around 4 or 5 pm - so you want to get any other shopping done by that time should you miss lunch.

I think what Ira was suggesting was to spend 4 days total in Tuscany (perhaps 2 in the south near Montepulciano, and then 2 in Florence - rather than slipping into San Gimi for one night). That way you could sample Tuscany, and then move on to take the time to experience more of Venice. So your schedule would include 3 days in Rome, 4 in Tuscany/Florence, and then 3 in Venice.

Once again, great advice. After leaving Rome early, we planned to take the train to Orvieto (thanks ira), spend time there before going to Montepulciano for 2 nights, getting in also Pienza and Montalcino and then heading for San Gim and Florence. Moving around is fine with us and I'm happy with my hotels--it is what to do between each and who gets more attention. I don't want to rush and planned to have long dinners (able to walk back to hotel rather than drive). Want to drop car off when getting to Florence, still not sure where the easiest place is for that. We will take the train to Venice as early as we can when leaving Florence.

You've received some good advice on this thread. The suggestion to spend 2 or 3 nights in the southern part of Tuscany, near Siena and 2 nights in Florence is a good one. San Giminano is nice for a short visit. You are better off doing that as a day trip. Siena is also a good 3 hour visit. It is very difficult to get in and out of the central historic area of Florence. I've been to Florence many times and the two times we tried to do a day trip into Florence, the experience was miserable. Unlike Siena and San Giminano, Florence is not a a good "day trip." I always suggest a reservation for the Uffizi.

If you want to do more wine tasting and visit hill towns, spend 3 nights in one place in the Tuscan countryside and two in Venice.

Here's another suggestion. Consider visiting the Chianti area as you drive (assuming you are doing so) from San G. to Florence.

Lexma, that is exactly what I was thinking. I do want to spend a night in San GIm and relax with a dinner and see it without the day crowd. If I travelt through the Chianti region on my way to Florence, do you suggest an easy car drop off or do I need to find my way into Florence? I don't mind hopping on a bus or train but would rather take a taxi from a drop-off to my hotel. Thank you.

We had little difficulty dropping rental car off near the Termini in Florence.

Where you drop off depends mostly on your comfort level with city driving.

One each of our 3 visits to Florence, we started in Florence, then left the city, which is opposite of what you're doing. One time, I think it was on our first trip to Italy (about 15 years ago), we took a cab to a pickup place just outside Florence, I think to the south or west. I don't remember where it was, except that it was pretty easy from there to pick up the S.222 that goes through Chianti.

Another time, we picked up a car in Florence and drove it out of the city to the S.222. That wasn't bad, either.

But I'm the kind of person who's willing to deal with a little driving stress in order to save time (I'm the driver, DH is the navigator).