Hi,

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip September 24th-October 6th. We cannot decide if we should drive up the coast from Barcelona toward Begur and the French border, or drive around Tuscany to the coast. We haven't been to either

Several years ago, we did a trip through the Luberon (Provence) to Cinque Terre and it was magnificent. We are in our 30's, but we live hectic lives in NYC and we are fans of rural off-the-beaten-path places. We like to talk to locals, etc.

Any ideas? Thank you!!!!

Let me name drop on you!

Google these places and tell me if they are what you are seeking:

Montalcino
Camogli
Portovenere
Orta San Guilio

That would be an ideal trip to me. Fly into Pisa or Florence and home from Milan MXP.

The Costa Brava is beautiful; we based in Begur.
I have visited the Ligurian Coast in Italy, as you have done, can't comment on Tuscan coast as I haven't visited, just driven past it a couple of times.

With that much time, have you thought about Sicily? Just avoid Palermo & Catania & it would certainly meet your criteria.

Ian

Hi! if you are into beaches then I definitely recommend Costa Brava, I have been in both places and Tuscany's beaches are not that nice (asides from Cinque Terre). I would rather go to Begur, Tossa or Cadaques in Costa Brava, they are beautiful

If you don't care about beaches, then Tuscany may be better, the country side is beautiful (Montalcino area is awesome) and you can see cities also like Florence.

Hope it helps!

Costa Brava is overdeveloped and during high season insanely crowded and expensive. There are some more rugged areas near the French border, but again, they generally full of French. Just for reference, recently an environmental group rated the coast of Catalonia as second most environmentally damaged in Spain after Valencia due to the rampant construction.

Italy has done a far better job of managing its coasts and in general, its tourism. Unless you want to go up in to the Catalan Pyrenees, the food is better as well in Tuscany.