Tuscany Help -- North or South???
 

While on our honeymoon in the beginning of July, we will be spending 4 nights in Tuscany. I am having the most difficult time deciding if we should go to Northern Tuscany or Southern Tuscany. We have never been to the area before. Any help would be appreciated. We would like to ramble around towns and eat and drink and be merry!
Thanks for the help!

All of Tuscany, (all of Italy!!) is beautiful but if I had to make a choice, there would be no question in my mind - Southern Tuscany, Val d'Orcia, towns of Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Quirico, Pienza, Montichiello, to name a few.

Oh thank you for the suggestion! Any specific lodging you would choose. (Probably a hotel or inn as apposed to renting a villa or apartment.)

I agree with Darcy.

Here is my choice for a honeymoon place - but they are probably already booked-up.

http://www.lasaracina.it/home.en.php

Stu Dudley

It sounds like you've got a great honeymoon planned (I see that you're also planning on visiting the Amalfi coast). I think that Pienza makes a beautiful base for a southern Tuscany trip. Pienza has just enough for 4 days. There is a old convent that is in the city that has been turned into a nice hotel, and a smaller motel just outside the city wall is the number 1 rated place on tripadvisor.com. We stayed for 4 nights a Agriturismo Terrapille, about 1 km away. It is really pleasant with large rooms, a nice view of the town on the hill, pool, and a good breakfast. In Pienza, make reservations at La Luna. Their specialty, roasted pig is perhaps the best entree we've had in Europe. Pienza is convenient for Montalcino and Siena, both wonderful day trips.

Oops - I agree with Flame123

Nearly all of Tuscany is beautiful. Northern Tuscany is a bit more upscale, more wooded. Southern Tuscany has vast open rolling plains. They are both dotted with hill towns and covered in vineyards. Of course you could base yourself near Sienna and explore both areas. If I had to choose I suppose it would be the southern area. Try and get a copy of Stu Dudley's Tuscany writeup (a fellow Fodorite) - it beats any tour book.

South.

I am with Flame123. We came back last Friday from a second visit to that area. Spectacular scenery. We stayed outside Pienza at at an apartment in Fonte Bertusi. You might give a budget range so that people can be more specific with hotel and inn recommendations. Have fun. PJK

Budget range is up to about $400 US dollars a night. How can I find a copy of Stu Dudley's Tuscany writeup? Also, did anyone see the previous post about Venice or have any info on that area. Thank you!!

I agree with StuDudley's rec - email La Saracina and keep your fingers crossed for availability. It's a perfect honeymoon spot!

>>How can I find a copy of Stu Dudley's Tuscany writeup? <<

E-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach it to the reply e-mail.

Stu Dudley

Thank you for the help. Now if La Saracina doesn't have a room...

http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/index_eng.htm

Ask for one of the suites. This is in the village of San Quirico

Stu Dudley

Yes, that was one of the other places that looked nice. We are going to try to book something tomorrow. I hope there is room somewhere!

I think we are definitely going to stay in Pienza...now it is a matter of planning the days. I have to figure out what little towns are must sees and which we can skip. I don't want to miss one that is wonderful and see another that is just soso! We are looking for charming little eateries and towns with shops that we can ramble around...

Hi Darcy!
Sounds like a tough decision! I just responded to someone else;s query on a similar subject.

My wife and I LOVE southern Tuscany. We enjoy getting off the beaten path and this is where we can do it! I saw that Flame and some others recommended you visit Pienza, Montepulciano, Montichiello etc. I agree this spots are wonderful, but, personally, I prefer to stay in less touristic spots than Pienza and to take day trips to the touristy destinations.

My wife and I based ourselves recently in a small village located in the town of Sarteano. The village (Fonte Vetriana) is located on a dirt road on the base of Monte Cetona. From our windows, we looked over the Val d’Orcia – unspoiled nature dotted with medieval buildings here and there! We had great access to loads of hilltowns in southern Tuscany and Umbria – Cetona, San Casciano, Pienza, Montepulciano, Citta’ della Pieve, Perugia, etc. We rented a little house for the week (www.casacollecetona.com). It’s ……wow……beautifully restored, yet rustic……….looks out at that beautiful view. there's also a quite fine Osteria right in the little village.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

Thank you so much for the help. I think we want to stay in a place where we are not too secluded...I have found a few hotels that look great for us. Any plusses or minuses to:
* Locanda di San Francesco - Montepulciano
* La Bandita - Pienza
* Aia Mattonata Relais - Siena
* Adler Thermae Spa Resort - San Quirico
* Sant' Antonio - Montepulciano
* Castello Banfi - Il Borgo - Montalcino
* Catel Monastero - Siena
Anyone heard good or bad things about these? Looked at trip advisor but would like advice from here...

Probably the highest priced hotels in Pienza won't be $400 and only a couple of hotels have pools. The ones I know of that have pools are:

http://www.relaisilchiostrodipienza.com/en/index.php (probably the nicest hotel in Pienza).

http://www.sangregorioresidencehotel...a=2&idPagina=3

I only know of one other hotel that has a pool in Pienza (Pienza is a tiny town) and it's more budget.
http://www.albergorutiliano.it/intro.en.php

Both the San Gregorio and Rutliano are outside the tiny historic center (you can walk end-to-end in five minutes) with S. Gregorio just across the street and Rutliano about a 3 minute walk.

I like this website for Pienza. Click on the bar or restaurant links and you will get a list of all in the town. Most will have links to their websites.
http://www.portalepienza.it/

For wine (you can do Brunello flights), snacks with great views in Montalcino, I like Osteria Osticcio.
http://www.osticcio.com/

We spent a week at Sant' Antonio just outside of Montepulciano about 6 months ago. FABULOUS and highly recommended!! The proprietor, Nico, goes out of his way to make your stay great. The grounds are beautiful, the apartments are nice and the quiet and tranquility are aaaaahhhhhhh...... Don't know anything about the others.