LakesideChick

Hi everyone,
We are in the early stages of planning a trip to Europe, including a trip to Tuscany. I am wondering if anyone can suggest if it’s better to stay in one place for a week and do day trips or move around. Also if anyone has a suggestion for an itinerary for around a week in this area, including must see oroff the beaten path villages. We are travelling in September.
We are interested in history, walking, food and photography.
Thank you for any help!

StCirq

Whether to move around or rent a villa, for example, and explore from there is entirely up to you. We don't normally suggest itineraries on this website - it's up to you to plan your vacation as you see fit, keeping in mind what appeals to you, not strangers on an internet board. There are hundreds of guidebooks, internet sites, and maps to help you do this.

History, walking, food, and photography does little to narrow down your interests. With the possible exception of photography, those are the things everyone goes to Tuscany for.

If you've never been to the region before, I can't see the merit in seeking out the "off-the-beaten-path" venues unless you want to miss out on the important places and sites that draw thousands of visitors every year, most all of which are worthy of a visit
. If you want to spend an afternoon with a pig farmer or mushroom gatherer or something, you can contact the tourist office in any Tuscan town by phone or email and see what local people are offering as special tours and treats. Or you can sign up with expensive tours.

LakesideChick

Hi - very sorry - didn’t mean to somehow offend. I’ve travelled a lot and used this forum many times. I was just asking for some ideas from people who’ve been to the area- often I have had Fodorites mention places to visit that they’ve loved- then I’ve done some research and incorporated some ideas.

Jean

I can't speak for StCirq, but I seriously doubt she was offended... It's just that this sort of open-ended inquiry comes around about once a week here.

I'd probably stay in one place and make excursions. Where I'd stay would depend on what I'd want to see and do, so if you can provide that info about yourself I can try to help. I don't stay in villas or agriturismi, I don't research restaurants before I go, and I don't usually seek out specific "off the beaten path" towns but prefer just to ramble and see what happens.

michele_d

We enjoyed settling into one place for the week and taking day trips from there. There is sooo much to see in the region. Just exploring the small towns can take up days. Half the fun is reading up about the area and seeing what jumps out at you. We stayed just outside Pienza and found it a great location for exploring.

letsgeaux

I recommend staying in one place for a week and making day trips. We have done that before and are booked to do it again next month. We stay about half way between Florence and Siena making both cities easily accessible by rental car. It is also an easy drive to many of the medieval hill towns as well as some of the best wine regions in the world (maybe outside of France). We even did Lucca/Pisa and the Cinque Terra as day trips, although the CT made for a long day. This is a great way to spend a week.

tracilee

We based for a week in Montepulciano and did daytrips to surrounding towns. We really enjoyed doing that and felt we saw a lot of the area.

ANUJ

We spent a week or so in Tuscany two years ago (splitting bases between Siena and Montalcino). I don't mind packing/unpacking and moving bases as opposed to retracing as I personally find it more efficient - many prefer a single base.
- Siena (you could consider San Gimignano etc. as well) was well-placed to explore the "north" i.e. Chianti villages / Monteriggioni / Volterra etc.
- Montalcino (you could consider San Quirico or Pienza etc. as well) was ideally placed to explore the "south " i.e. the absolutely glorious Val D'Orcia.
- The Crete Senesi - roughly between the two, is also very beautiful - we we enjoyed meandering through Asciano, Monte Oliveto Maggiore etc. en route to Montalcino from Siena.

Here are some resources we've found particularly helpful in planning, apart from guidebooks :
Romantic Tuscany - Itinerary - Karen Brown's World of Travel
Slow Travel Italy - Planning Day Trips, Wagon Wheel Travel in southern Tuscany
https://www.chianti.com/traveling-through-chianti.html - for the Chianti area
Scenic drives in Tuscany - for the Val D'orcia area

LakesideChick

Thank you so much everyone for this very useful information! So appreciated! I am loving exploring the possibilities. Thank you thank you thank you!!!