Barb

I would love some advice on planning 7 days in Tuscany. A group of 9 of us are going in October. We fly into/out of Pisa and are staying in a farmhouse 40km south of Florence near Loro Ciuffenna. We will have cars as well as bus and train access and I would love advice as to where to go. Half of us have been to Italy several times (but have not done the hill towns) but the other half are 1st timers so Florence, and possibly a day trip to Rome may be necessary. The rest of the time would be exploring the hill towns- any advice on how to best take advantage of the time we have would be great- Thanks! (we arrive the day before the farmhouse stay and leave a week later)

Grasshopper

Barb, personally I'm very interested in Etruscan ruins and would love to explore some of those in Tuscany and Umbria. <BR><BR>If you haven't read Bella Tuscany, Francis Mayes' second book, I would recommend it. She and her husband take some day and overnight trips that sound really interesting.<BR><BR>Good luck!

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Buon giorno Barb, That sounds like fun !<BR>Let me direct you to a great web site for renters like you-- www.slowtrav.com<BR>You will have many good options for day trips from that location. The details can get a bit complex---feel free to contact me directly if you want.

sandi

Rome in a day? I'd leave that for another trip and concentrate on Tuscany and Umbria.

canuck

Hi Barb..we were a group of 10 adults and 7 kids in Italy last year - we stayed in a villa about 15km s. of Florence for 2 weeks. My husband and I had been to Tuscany before but no one else had. Each couple (family) had their own car and planned their time separately. On occassion one family would join another for a day excursion but usually we would all meet around the pool in the morning and talk about what we were doing that day or meet there in the evening and talk about our day. We sometimes would have impromptu dinners together if we were all there. It really did take the pressure off all of us-no one felt they had to do what someone else did. A couple of the group had every intention of going to Rome for a couple of days but when we got there and they saw how much there was do do in our own area, they nixed the idea (and we were there for 2 weeks!). The only thing we did as a group was to do on an olive oil making tour/lecture in Chianti and then all had dinner at the famed Cane e Gatto restaurant in Siena. My favourite places? Volterra, Pienza/Montepulciano (long day trip for us), Chianti drive, San Gimignano, Siena,Val d'Elsa. One couple in our group went to Lucca one Sunday and biked around the wall of the town - loved it. And another of our group went to Gubbio and raved about it.<BR>We also enjoyed a day at the beach in Forte de Marmi but with only a week, I'd pass on that. You will have a great time! <BR>

Rima

Our May trip to Tuscany and Umbria proved to be far more stressful than enjoyable. Please learn from our mistakes:<BR><BR>1)Don't be too ambitious about the number of Hill towns you'll visit each day. The distances can be daunting because of the very winding roads. <BR>Visit those towns with lots of sights vs. wasting 3 hours driving to an out-of the-way church.<BR><BR>2)Be sure to discuss in advance different traveling styles ( waking times, sightseeing preferences, etc.) and agree to be honest about bringing up "pet peeves" re:companions, if needed. Also, agree that no one will be hurt if members of the group sometimes want to do things on their own.<BR>3) The approach, by car, to the towns of Siena, Perugia and Gubbio can be very confusing. Plan in advance which gate you'll be entering through.<BR>4) the scenery in southwestern Tuscany - Sovrano, Sorano, Pitigliano and Saturnia- is much more dramatic and amazing than the more touristed parts of Tuscany.<BR>2) .

Barb

Thank you all for the info.... As we will have three cars between the nine of us, I am hoping people will venture out and explore on their own- My husband and I are actually going to be in Italy for 3 weeks and I am hoping that we don't have to play tour guide for all of the first week- and I realize a day trip to Rome is crazy- I spent a week there and still didn't see everything! It is difficult to try to please everyone and I think just giving them options and good maps maybe we can all just get along. Bob- I will check out Slowtrav- I have heard great things about that site- thanks for your valuable insight on Italy- I have read many of your replys on various topics!<BR>This is our first attempt to do a group travel trip and it is a little scary...Anyway thanks again!<BR>

Rima

Our May trip to Tuscany and Umbria proved to be far more stressful than enjoyable. Please learn from our mistakes:<BR><BR>1)Don't be too ambitious about the number of Hill towns you'll visit each day. The distances can be daunting because of the very winding roads. <BR>Visit those towns with lots of sights vs. wasting 3 hours driving to an out-of the-way church.<BR><BR>2)Be sure to discuss in advance different traveling styles ( waking times, sightseeing preferences, etc.) and agree to be honest about bringing up "pet peeves" re:companions, if needed. Also, agree that no one will be hurt if members of the group sometimes want to do things on their own.<BR>3) The approach, by car, to the towns of Siena, Perugia and Gubbio can be very confusing. Plan in advance which gate you'll be entering through.<BR>4) the scenery in southwestern Tuscany - Sovrano, Sorano, Pitigliano and Saturnia- is much more dramatic and amazing than the more touristed parts of Tuscany.<BR>2) .

Capo

Hi Barb. Based on our five days in Tuscany this past April, our favorite places were Siena, Cortona, and Volterra. Our favorite drives were the road to Volterra (along a ridge with great views to either side), and south of Siena to Montalcino/Pienza/Montelpuciano (classic Tuscan scenes with stone buildings and dramatic rows of cypress trees.) While we liked driving around the Chianti area, it was more heavily-wooded so the views from the roads -- at least the roads we took -- weren't as extensive.

hess

A few years ago my husband and I (and then three-month old son) spent a month at a farmhouse in San Giovanni Valdarno, which is just a few miles from Loro Ciuffenna. We LOVED Loro! You didn't say if you know the town or not, but if you don't, rest assured that you've chosen a terrific location--almost untouched by tourism but really a gem. We ate there often (I'll have to check my journal for names, which means finding the journal of course). One place that was in the center of the town, on the main drag, I think was called La Torre, and it was a hotel as well. Really exceptional food for reasonable prices. Then there was an Osteria nearby, on a courtyard, down in a stone basement that we and relatives also enjoyed a lot. <BR><BR>I'll also look for the day trips--some are very doable, others are much harder drives even though they don't look bad on the maps. We did do one almost every day out of the 30. Florence is relatively easy, since you'll be so close to the autostrada. I'd be happy to answer any questions about the area, and hope you'll report back after. What kind of house did you find, and is it right in Loro? I know my husband would love to go back there sometime.

Barb

Capo and hess:<BR>Thank you for the information! I was a little nervous selecting the area because it is less travelled- my husband and I prefer it but I wasn't sure about everyone else. We are staying in a tiny hamlet called Odina- consists of a farmhouse that has 4 apartments and also a private villa/farmhouse that we have rented Very beautiful, has a great kitchen with a commercial stove and outdoor pizza oven- I am a chef so am excited to try it out! If you do a search on the word Odina you can see it. We rented directly through the owners and they have been great. We are renewing our vows while we are there (we were married on 9/11 and just don't want to celebrate on that date) and they have been terrific in helping we with contacting the mayor of Loro C. to do the ceremony. Would love any info regarding area and restaurants, trip notes. Feel free to send them directly to me if you want. <BR>Grazie mille.<BR>

Wayne

Barb---I envy you and would like to be in your place right now. But if I may cite my own experience in travel with a group, do as others have advised and be sure that everyone understands they can go out on their own at any time. If you have several autos, you shouldn't have a problem. I think you had posted earlier and said you were planning to rent 3 cars. Certainly there couldn't be more than 3 groups wanting to go on different day drives !!!<BR><BR>The comment by someone else about southwestern Tuscany is also right on target. It just seems to be prettier and less touristy than the areas around Florence and Siena. But no matter where you go, you'll enjoy it.<BR><BR>I'd also echo the concern about taking a day trip to Rome. For those who've never been there, it's probably worth at least one night in a hotel to be able to see and feel just a little bit of Rome. I'd encourage them to do that.

Barb

I am determined not to overplan this vacation and have decided that I will give maps, day trip plans from the very generous people that are kind enough to offer advice and send them on their way- If they want to do Rome in a day- so be it! my goal is to slow down and enjoy!

Dean

I iwll top my email toscana sugggestions. But very briefly I would suggest you go to Montalcino to drink Brunello, St Antimo for the Abbey and the Gregorian chants. See Monte Oliveto Maggiore for the Il Sodoma and Signorelli freschi. Go to La Chiusa in Montefollonico for the insanely good and expensive food, its worth it. See Castellina for its charm and for Antica Delezia, possibly Toscana's best gelato. San Gim at sunset. San Gim for Andrea della Piazza playing his harp next to the Collegiata. Florence for Santa Maria Maddalena degli Pazzi, Santa Croce, Brancacci Chappel, Bruneleschi's dome, Museo della Opera. Voltera for the etruscan ruins and the Roman theater and baths. San Donato is incredible and untouched by tourists. San Galgano.