After driving from Cinque Terre on saturday to our base in Montepulciano, our first full day will be a Sunday. We will be staying 1 week in our apartment the 1st week in October.

Looking for Sunday options.........should we just familiarise ourselves with Montepulciano or visit a nearby town with good Sunday options.

A good Sunday option would be to go for a drive, sticking to the secondary (Supestrade and yellow - SS and SR) roads for the towns in the vicinity (Pienza, Chiusi, Arezzo - depending on the direction you head) or duck over to Cortona for an early dinner. Plenty of options for trattorie will be open on Sunday for lunch in all towns, but don't arrive much past 12.30pm or you'll miss a seat (family day out, some places fill quickly). It might be nice to tootle along the Tuscan/Umbrian countrysides sightseeing and familiarising yourselves with the area on your first day.

madamtrashheap - thanks for your reply
Yes had thought maybe a Sunday drive might be nice, wasn't sure whether there was a special place "to be" or just a general soaking up of the beautiful countryside.

October is porcini season (well, part of the season) so if you're into your funghi, you could keep an eye out for a trattoria serving them as a Sunday (or any day of the week really) special. Or, check local listings for any town festivals on in the area when you're there. Autumn/Fall is a great time for food festivals. There's a great truffle market and festival in San Miniato (between Pisa and Florence)on the 2 or 3 weekend in November, so pencil that in for next trip!

Yes we like food and food festivals sound good. Are there food markets in any of the closer towns to Montepulciano?

I will check local listings for festivals, I think we are too early for chocolate in Perugia

Check the web for towns with Sunday market days near Montepulciano. We normally stay in Chianti and go to the Panzano market on Sunday. And then out to a lovely late lunch at a restaurant with a terrace. You will need provisions for your apartment so be sure to get them on Saturday - we have found that a lot is closed on Sunday.