Tuscany
Mar 17th, 2012, 06:25 PM
#1
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Tuscany
Hi , I am looking for advice from folks who have experienced Tuscany by car before.
We are in landing in Rome in the 2nd week of June and heading up to Montopoli Val d'Arno where we will be staying. We would like to visit Sienna, Florence, Lucca, Pisa etc., so we thought that place will be central. We will then spend a few days in La Spezia so we can visit Cinque terre and maybe drive to Monaco??. This is our plan so far. do you guys think this is good or have we left some interesting places out? Also what is the driving like? Traffic does not bother me ,it is the very very narrow roads going up the mountains with no guard rails that freak me out. Would I be facing these in any places that I have mentioned?? what was your experience like? Please advice also good places to see and where to eat traditional local cuisine. Thanks
We are in landing in Rome in the 2nd week of June and heading up to Montopoli Val d'Arno where we will be staying. We would like to visit Sienna, Florence, Lucca, Pisa etc., so we thought that place will be central. We will then spend a few days in La Spezia so we can visit Cinque terre and maybe drive to Monaco??. This is our plan so far. do you guys think this is good or have we left some interesting places out? Also what is the driving like? Traffic does not bother me ,it is the very very narrow roads going up the mountains with no guard rails that freak me out. Would I be facing these in any places that I have mentioned?? what was your experience like? Please advice also good places to see and where to eat traditional local cuisine. Thanks
Mar 17th, 2012, 06:42 PM
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To be honest, I have never heard of Montopoli before. Did you select it strictly because of it's geographic proximity to your desired sites? In that general area you will find a lot more interest in Volterra, San Gimignano, or Certaldo.
Mar 17th, 2012, 07:34 PM
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These aren't scary roads at all. In fact, if you must pass through Empoli, you're more likely to experience traffic jams than any mountain roads.
You're location: you will certainly be driving some distances on busy roads. Lucca is OK as you can park outside the walls; Pisa has directional signs for parking; Siena shouldn't be a problem either, but lots may be crowded in all these places in the second week of June. Florence is another story; driving in is full of problems, including the no-drive ZTL zones.
La Spezia to Monaco is a three hour plus drive. Then what to do with the car when you get there.
I would recommend taking trains up the coast from La Spezia, perhaps only as far as Genoa. There is plenty to see and do.
Actually there is some sort of pretzel in the sky highway outside of Genoa that scared the life out of me. But it wasn't a mountain road, just a spectacular piece of highway engineering.
You're location: you will certainly be driving some distances on busy roads. Lucca is OK as you can park outside the walls; Pisa has directional signs for parking; Siena shouldn't be a problem either, but lots may be crowded in all these places in the second week of June. Florence is another story; driving in is full of problems, including the no-drive ZTL zones.
La Spezia to Monaco is a three hour plus drive. Then what to do with the car when you get there.
I would recommend taking trains up the coast from La Spezia, perhaps only as far as Genoa. There is plenty to see and do.
Actually there is some sort of pretzel in the sky highway outside of Genoa that scared the life out of me. But it wasn't a mountain road, just a spectacular piece of highway engineering.
Mar 18th, 2012, 12:28 AM
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Driving in Tuscany is not horrible, except for some of the autostrade which are just like expressways in the northeastern US.
There is a ton of parking available outside the walls in most of these places (across the Arno in Florence)so you never need drive into the city, though I can't say about Pisa because I haven't been there. Similar parkingin many smaller places that you will want to visit: Pienza, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni. Others, like Greve in Chianti, have lots off the main road.
There are few disadvantages to being out and about early when you are a tourist in Italy. Lots fill up, attractions fill up quickly as you get closer to noon. A lot of things are closed in the afternoon anyway, so earlier is better, with the exception of small towns that are often quite nice late in the afternoon after the rest of the tourists have gone. But then many of the gotta sees are closed.
There is a ton of parking available outside the walls in most of these places (across the Arno in Florence)so you never need drive into the city, though I can't say about Pisa because I haven't been there. Similar parkingin many smaller places that you will want to visit: Pienza, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni. Others, like Greve in Chianti, have lots off the main road.
There are few disadvantages to being out and about early when you are a tourist in Italy. Lots fill up, attractions fill up quickly as you get closer to noon. A lot of things are closed in the afternoon anyway, so earlier is better, with the exception of small towns that are often quite nice late in the afternoon after the rest of the tourists have gone. But then many of the gotta sees are closed.
Mar 18th, 2012, 07:02 AM
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Thanks for your quick replies. I will definitely watch for ZTL signs.@Aramis, I chose this Montopoli only because it is within reasonable reach to the places that we would like to visit. This place is half way between Florence and Pisa just off the main hwy.@tuscanlifeedit I will definitely watch for that pretzel bridge as I have seen a picture of it before.
