Three nights between Rome and Florence--recommend me a town or two??
 

I've finally booked my 5 days in Rome--April 23-28. I need to be in Florence on May 1. So, for the day/night of 28, 29, and 30--could you single out one town (two max) that are musts? I may exclude Assissi because of high tourism volume. Was thinking of Orvieto. Gubbio has been recommended elsewhere. Or should I just go to ._______ and stay there? I'm inclined to slow travel--so I might just go to one place and hang out. Small, pretty and laid back would be good after 5 frenetic days of my first ever trip to Rome.

Am undecided about driving for this leg of the trip but I guess I have to make sure I can do it "open jaw." More likely will just take a train. But if there is a gorgeous drive that I should take between Rome and Florence, (off the main autostrada), please advise.

Grazie a tutti! (thanks y'all)

"Sam" of Santa Monica

Orvieto with a day trip to Civita di Bagnoregio.

The Val d'Orcia in Tuscany is the prettiest countryside I've experienced in Europe & the US. I live in the San Francisco area & spend 2 months traveling in Europe. The Val d'Orcia is around Pienza - which is a "must see" village in Tuscany, along with Montepulciano, IMO. I would stay next door to Pienza here
http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/index_eng.htm
in San Quirico - less touristy than either Pienza or Motepulciano. You might not want to leave. Late April is a perfect time to be there.

I would take the train to Orvieto, rent a car, stash the bags in the car, visit Orvieto, then drive 1 hr to San Quirico. Drop the car off in either Siena & take the train to Florence, or drive to Florence. The roads in the Val d'Orcia are unbelieveable scenic, and easy to rive on. If you choose to do this, post back here & I'll send you my driving itineraries in this area that I've sent to over 1,000 other Fodorites & AOL people (free).

Stu Dudley

What Stu said !

What Stu said sounds amazing! I will be spending the entire month of May in Florence, actually, because I found an amazingly cheap deal there, so was planning to do trips using Florence as my base during May. Then my plan is to go up to Venice for 2 days/3 nights, and then take a train to Paris and fly back from Paris on June 11. Any suggestions on how to strategize my entire itinerary would be very welcome. I incline to very slow travel--spending more time in one place versus 3 places in one day. So I could do the Val d'Orcia trip in May from Florence as an alternative.

Stu, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR DRIVING ITINERARIES OF TUSCANY! I got the ones for the Dordogne and Languedoc last year (even though unfortunately had to cancel my trip). Any ideas for where to stay in Venice for 3 nights and Paris for 6 while we're at it? (Don't want to overstay my welcome, though, you're so generous with this stuff! I'm in Santa Monica by the way, and lived up in Kensington/Berkeley/Oakland in the 70s).

Thanks so very much!

Pat

I totally support Stu's suggestions. San Quirico is perfect for base, the near Buonconvento is good too. Pienza, Montepulciano and Montalcino are very close, Siena and San Gimignano not so far. Reaching Orvieto by train from S.Quirico is not so easy (the nearest railway station is at Chiusi) and if you want to extend your visit to Civita di Bagnoregio you absolutely need a car. Renting a car is definitely the best way to explore this area.
End of April is a very good time to visit Tuscany for weather, but it is a little crowded period because is a period of "ponti" for we Italians: April, 25th and May, 1st are national holidays, and a lot of people is underway up and down the "penisola".

Maurizio - Italy

e-mail me at [email protected] for my itinerary of Italy, that includes several recommended drives from the Val d'Orcia

Stu Dudley

Grazie tutti (thanks everybody)!

Pat/aka SAMOCA

Orvieto - a wonderful place with a superb Duomo, great shopping on Corso Cavour and around town, frescoes by Fra Angelico and Signorelli in the Capella di San Brizio (prebooking req.) Museum of Medieval Ceramics etc and medieval lanes some with interesting modern wood sculptures which are also in cafes etc. Would stay a night as threr's a lot to see . Hotel Maitani is right near the cathedral and while I wouldn't rave about it, it is ok, and so well located. I second Pienza (much smaller but lovely) and would arrange a visit to Iris Origo's La Foce which looks over the Val d'Orcia. You can stay there too. www.lafoce.com. Gardens were designed by Cecil Pinsent - you'll recognise that iconic view of the winding road lined by cypresses. Her book Images and shadows is a must read before you go, if you can ..

Whoops, La Foce is weekly stays only ...