Does it work to hire a driver without a guide to visit hill towns (pienza , montalcino dairy farms ) and arrange to do tastings with the places on your own or do you need a guide with the driver

I am not sure what you mean---most drivers act as guides.

You can walk side-to-side in Pienza in less than 10 minutes so will be easy to do on your own. Visits to farms and vineyards would have to be scheduled as they are more working type than Napa Valley type (although a few have regular tastings).

Where will you be based in Tuscany? And how many days do you have for touring?

Pienza and Montalcino are fairly close together, but Tuscany is a large area.

I never heard of anyone wanting to visit dairy farms in Tuscany. It's not a big dairy region. I just did a quick search, and didn't see any dairy farms near Montalcino that had visits. In fact, I found only one dairy farm in the area.

My understanding is that there is a difference between
Licensed drivers and licensed tour guides . Especially in indoor spaces like museums only licensed tour guides can take you in and provide information . Technically drivers are only supposed to drive . After doing more reading it seems like in places like tuscany where there is less interior touring and more driving through the countryside , the driver can do both if you get a driver who is knowledgable about the area .

Also as far as the dairy farm :I was looking to find a place that makes their own cheese on the premises . Maybe that is not called a dairy farm .

We are staying in siena for three nights . Still searching for a driver "guide" that won't cost a fortune to take us around the southern part of Tuscany. Thank you

Why not ask your hotel or wherever you're staying for a recommendation for a driver. And a cheese place.

I would not call a cheese maker a dairy farm. I think of them as two different things.

Here's something on cheese making.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...a_Tuscany.html

http://www.thekitchn.com/a-visit-wit...alcetti-196178

Is there a reason you won't rent a car and do this by yourself? It's incredibly easy. You can't visit a museum and make sense of it without a private guide?

I agree about the "dairy farms." Not exactly what Tuscany is known for. And that's totally different from a cheese maker.

>>> Especially in indoor spaces like museums only licensed tour guides can take you in and provide information . Technically drivers are only supposed to drive .<<<

That's more for sites like Pompeii, the Vatican Museums, etc. where you have to be licensed to guide inside.

If you are looking for places that make cheese, then it's Pienza surroundings towards Montepulciano (Pienza is known for it's pecorino) and not Montalcino as much which tends to be about the Brunello wines.

http://www.caseificiocugusi.it/azienda.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7jZhDM51CU

The tourist offices in Pienza or Montepulciano would have a list.

http://www.podereilcasale.it/farm

Thank you all for your help

Luca of hillsandroads.com is a wonderful driver and guide who works from Siena.

I second Luca.

>>Still searching for a driver "guide" that won't cost a fortune to take us around the southern part of Tuscany.<<
Would give people more to go on if you put an actual amount on what you're willing to spend. Obviously, "a fortune" means different amounts to different people.

A third vote for Luca !!!