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Tuscany & Lake Como Itinerary Review Pls - leaving soon

Tuscany & Lake Como Itinerary Review Pls - leaving soon

Old Mar 28th, 2012, 04:00 AM
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Tuscany & Lake Como Itinerary Review Pls - leaving soon

Hello!

Two adults, two kids 9 and 6. With a car. First time to these parts of Italy.
Would love advice!
Here's the plan, order is adjustable:

Day 1
Arrive Pisa airport 11am (no jet lag, we live in Europe so off we go)
Explore Pisa
Drive to agriturismo rental near Volterra and settle in

Day 2
Volterra, Monteriggioni, Siena

Day 3
Montepulciano (La Foce?), Pienza, San Quirico

Day 4
Bagno Vignono, Abbey Sant' Antimo, Montalcino

Day 5
San Gimignano, Greve, more this day?

Out of time in Tuscany, would love to see Elba Island and Cortona but not sure how to prioritize.

Day 6
Drive to Varenna via Tellaro or Parma or ???
Settle into apartment near Varenna

Day 7 - 10:
-Bellagio, Menaggio, Varenna, Lenno.
-Vezio Castle, Villa Balbianello.
-Lunch at Rifugio Martina in San Primo above Bellagio
-Is Isola Comacina worth the visit if you don't eat at the restaurant (I could just see my kids faced with 65 euros worth of fish and veggies!)
-Possible alpine driving tour from Menaggio?
-Possibly kayak out of Menaggio?
-Boat tour of the lake?
-Considering trip into Switzerland but not sure it's worth the time away from Lake Como.

Depart Bergamo airport on day 11.

Thank you so much for your opions/advice!
sundancebee is offline  
Old Mar 28th, 2012, 04:56 AM
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With kids, I think your day 2 is too ambitious. I would pair San Gimignano and Volterra and and make Day 5 Siena and Monteriggioni. I tend to see the days split in two: a morning spot with lunch and an afternoon with gelato or dinner if you stay late. No need to rush through sites with young kids.
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Old Mar 28th, 2012, 05:32 AM
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Tellaro is way out of your way, so Parma would be better, but better still might be a stop at Torrechiara castle, which is 15 km outside of Parma. The place is closed on Monday, so don't go if that you is your travel day.

Otherwise, it is worth visiting and you can have lunch there.

http://www.festivalditorrechiara.it/ENGCastello.htm

Parma is of course a beautiful small city, so if you want to go there and tour it, fine. It will only take you about 90 minutes to see the highlights. But be sure you have mapped out a public parking lot before you drive in. Be aware, too, that the bapistery closes during the lunch hour.

You might not to scale down some of your ambitions if it turns out that your kids can't handle too much being-in-the-back-seat on Tuscany's winding roads. Even adult passengers can get car sick In Tuscany. There are interesting farms and activities around San Gimignano and Volterra (saffron farms in particular, or farms with horses and other animals). If the weather is beautiful, you might enjoy some walks instead of so much driving.

Also, if you are leaving soon, you need to be prepared from some occasional very chilly winds around the lakes. There has been lovely warm days of sunshine this early Spring, but the minute you step into the shade, it is drafty, and the lakes in particular can get temperature drops. So maybe the girls can have fun picking out pretty scarves to wear with their down vests!
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Old Mar 28th, 2012, 01:49 PM
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I don't think Days 2-5 work well, especially with young kids. Too much driving and not enough time to see what you drove to see. Part of the problem is your base near Volterra when what you seem to want to see more of (2 of 4 days) is the Val d'Orcia.

IMO, Siena requires a full, longish day, and Volterra and San Gimignano at least a half-day each. I would spend one day in Siena and one day split between Volterra and SanGim.

Then, I would have a day dedicated to the Val d'Orcia (prioritize Montepulciano, Pienza, SanQ, Montalcino, Abbey Sant'Antimo) and just see what you can see before everyone drops.

Lastly, a day dedicated to Chianti. I wouldn't go as far as Greve but head to the nearer Castellina and then Radda if time permits.

FWIW, we enjoyed Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore more than Sant'Antimo. Note that both abbeys are closed in the middle of the day. I rather doubt either abbey will be of much interest to your kids, although the setting of Monte Oliveto is more kid-friendly and there is a restaurant with a terrace just outside the main gate.

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/monte_oliveto.htm

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/sant_antimo.htm

Cortona and Elba don't work in this trip.

In Days 7-10, you need to factor in travel times (both driving, waiting for and riding the ferries and the limits (esp. at the end of the day) of the ferry back to Varenna. You've listed more than you could do in 4 days, so you'll need to prioritize.

I hope your kids have boundless energy because you'll be pushing them all the way. I see no down time anywhere.
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Old Mar 29th, 2012, 12:35 AM
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Thank you all for your input! I will research all of your suggestions.

Yes, time will always be a limiting factor and things will be adjusted while we're there. My list around Lake Como is what I was interested in hearing opinions about before I make decisions.

Lucky for me my kids are amazing travelers. 11 countries in less than two years and I think the only complaining I heard was on top of Dubrovnik's old town wall in July - it WAS hot!

Museums are rarely part of our plan in areas where there is just too much to EXPERIENCE. That frees up A LOT of time, and works very well for us.
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Old Mar 29th, 2012, 01:48 AM
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Wow - you know your family better than the responders - imagine that.

Except for some of the more esoteric potential excursions, like kayaking (!!!) you don't need advice. You should probably be giving it.

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Old Mar 29th, 2012, 02:04 AM
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Ah, Aramis, you give me too much credit! As I am the lone planner of our trips I need all the help I can get!
So if you have something to add, I'm all ears!
Interesting profile "location" by the way.
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Old Mar 29th, 2012, 10:17 AM
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Yes, you do know your family best. As far as Lake Como activities are concerned, everything on your list is worth considering, but you're the one who will have to prioritize based on your family.

IMO, if you're "leaving soon," it will be too early/cold for kayaking, but there again you know your family best.

You can do an "alpine drive" out of Varenna. No need to ferry across the lake to Menaggio. Go north to Bellano, take the road to Barzio/Moggio, continue to Lecco and then back north Varenna. Or north to Colico, east to Sondrio and backtrack to Colico and Varenna.

I haven't eaten on Isola Comacina in several years. We now usually travel in October, and at one time the island's restaurant was only open in the summer months. I don't know if that's still the case. What I remember most (other than the lovely setting) is that it was too much food (for me anyway) and very expensive (IMO). One more time, you know your family best.

You should have a very good road map or precise directions to Rifugio Martina. We've done some driving in the hills south of Bellagio and gotten lost many times. Hopefully, the road to the rifugio will be well marked. If anyone in your family is interested in pro cycling, you could go to Madonna del Ghisallo in Magreglio which is also a few kilometers south of Bellagio. There is a chapel dedicated to the patron saint of cyclists and a museum on the history of cycling and racing, both skewed toward Italian cyclists. Nice views of the Lecco 'leg' of the lake. Then again, you say your family isn't much interested in museums...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...int-of-cycling
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