Val d'Orcia help (BOB THE NAVIGATOR, STU, EXPERTS PLEASE HELP!)
 

Looking for the perfect hill town south of Florence to stay for 2 nights. Our #1 choice right now is La Laconda di San Francesco in Montepulciano but are up for recommendations.

- We'd also like to do a private wine tour in the region so looking for recommendations there as well. Is Castello Banfi a tourist trap?

- Can you please rank the towns of Val d'Orcia in terms of food/wine/overall, is Montalcino a better choice than Montepulciano, etc.?

- Our other option is to stay in Chianti but I hear that is too civilized vs. Val d'Orcia.

I think Montepulciano has more going on than Montalcino, which is heavily tipped toward the wine experience. I have an apartment between Pienza and Radicofani and when I go there we spend much of our time in Pienza, San Quirico d'Orcia and Montepulciano. As far as restaurants are concerned, we love Antico Forno and Il Pozzo in San Q, Osteria La Porta in Montecchiello (tiny little town), Latte di Luna and Il Rossolino in Pienza. Our favorite wine tour is at Avignonesi, which is between Montepulciano and Cortona. They do a tour followed by a family-style luncheon with different wines served at each course. We were in a group of about 15 very interesting people from all over the world--all good friends by the end of the day. The Banfi property is gorgeous, but I still prefer Avignonesi.

Donna - any restaurant recs for Montepulciano?

Also Donna - have you ever done a private wine tour? I have heard from friends that this is the way to go!

In Montepulciano, we like Diva e Maceo for a nice, casual lunch. They have excellent ribollita and their game dishes (like the pheasant arrabiata) are very good. Also, there is a restaurant in the main piazza at the top of the hill, just to the left of the Bar if you are looking at it. I can't think of the name, but we've always enjoyed our meals there. It might be Quattro Venti.
We have not done a private wine tour--can't help with that.

KC2NYC: I think you might find that people have all different kinds of choices for which town they like the most.

We first stayed right near San Quirico, so we got to know that, and now they have Antico Forno (another good restaurant,) but I think it is a quieter town that Pienza, which we have come to love, although that is small too.

The best wines in the region are either: Brunello de Montalcino, or the Vino Nobile de Montepulciano.

We love going to Montalcino, and I slightly prefer the Brunello wine over the Montepulciano.

BUT I also love the town of Montepulciano, where we have also gone a lot.

I hope Bob the Navigator gives you some good ideas for winery tours, since we are going again to stay at La Foce in June, and that is one thing we've never done.

I do like the sound of the Avignonese wine tour though.

So,my favorites, slightly in order are: Pienza (flat, great Piccolomini palace, superb cheese, good restaurants) Montepulciano (hilly, lovely views, nice basilica, good restaurants, sorry I can't remember names, good shopping) and San Quirico (lovely gardens in town, simple town square, a couple of good restaurants,the ones Donna mentioned are good.)

www.slowtrav.com A favorite web site for many people. You may find wine tours on Slow Travel.

We are staying here for 2 nights (may add on a third) in beginning of June. Looks like a nice spot and pretty reasonably priced. It got some very good recommendations from posters. It is located in Montepulciano (will I ever be able to spell that without looking it up?)

http://www.ilriccio.net/english/index.html

You can't go wrong with Locanda di San Francesco! Choose the orange room, if it is available. The view from the windows is to die for! We visited the Banfi estate and ate there and thought it was beyond gorgeous, but we are not wine people, so what do we know?

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Castello Banfi isn't a tourist trap. Their wines are well known, and it is an upscale hotel/dining experience.

What do you think your friends were referring to by "private wine tour?" Maybe they had a driver that took them to more than one winery? I've heard of that, as well as booking a visit to one winery. I'm not really good at those kind of recs, because I don't drink, and haven't looked into winery ops lately for work. Do your friends have a recommendation for a specific private wine tour?

About favorite towns: I guess I'm alone here, but I prefer Montalcino to Montepulciano. I find Montalcino easier to get to know, and feel at home in.

San Quirico d'Orcia is charming and small. Pienza is very pretty and has more visitors. I love the way Pienza smells like cheese.

In any case, you have opinions and tips here from greater experts than I.

Val d'Orcia - hmmmmm, my favorite Italian experience. I have been many times and really I personally don't think you can go wrong with any small hilltown you pick to stay in. I have stayed in Montalcino (quite a small town and not "hopping" if that is what you are interested in) but one of my absolute favorites. I have stayed in an agriturismo just outside of Montepulciano which I can highly recommend (Sant' Antonio), and therefore spent time in Montepulciano and loved that as well.

Good restaurants - Montalcino :
Les Barriques


Montepulciano :
Gatte e Gambo
Aquacheta

Pienza is a lovely town and a great place to eat there is Latte di Luna.

I have stayed just outside of S. Quirico d'Orcia at a place which rents whole apartments in a large building called Il Poggiolo. Good restaurants there as well, can't remember their names just now.

I have taken private tours, not specifically wine tours, but with a private guide, who I can highly recommend : Luca Garrapa at www.hillsandroads.com

Enjoy.

Chianti is "too civilized vs Val d'Orcia"? Not sure what you are referring to but for a short 2 night visit, I agree Montepulciano gives you some of the best options. Montalcino is all about the wine--Brunello and its rosso (baby brunello). There are a couple of enotecas in the town which provide tastings for fees commensurate with the wines--the Fortezza is an interesting and historic venue. Lots of wine shops in town and great scenery--but it is really about the wine. The classic experience includes a visit to one of the many producers for tours and tasting--Banfi is well organized, a bit remote and can include a meal with wine pairings.

I have stayed in MP on several occasions and done many (too many) wine tastings in the Montalcino area. Its a solid 45-60 minute drive back to MP depending on where you leave from--nice scenery from a two lane highway through San Querico and Pienza. I have learned to account for this effort at the end of the day.

The La Locanda San Francesco is connected to Valdipiatta, a first rate Vino Nobile producer near MP--I'm certain you could arrange a visit--wines are available from the enoteca which is virtually underneath your accomodations. BTW-a fabulous location in the center of MP with grand vistas to the north. I second Aquachetta as a casual osteria in MP and will visit La Grotta near the base of MP's hill and San Biagio on our next visit. Don't miss Cafe Poliziano for a magnificent view and a coffee--on the south side of the town.

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Just starting research for a trip next year so...bookmarking. :)

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We prefer Montalcino. We like the emphasis on the wine. The main walking street is flat. More fun to watch the flow of people, especially the Italians on their nightly stroll thru town. The bar in the middle of town, Caffe Fiaschetteria is perfect for this. Restaurants are very good. We like Re Mecchia best. Enoteca Osticcio run by Tullio and his wife is great for view, wine knowledge and food. He can arranged wine tour at more esoteric wineries. Ones we like are Barbi--tour and great lunch in their restaurant. Banfi for the big wine picture and tasting. Ciacci Piccolomini has a great tour and large sampling as does Argiano. The granddaddy of them all, Biondi Santi, also has a tour. If you can also see the Sant Antimo monastery which is close to Biondi Santi, Barbi and Ciacci. Hotel dei Captani is place we have stayed for last 10 years. Get a valley view room and you might not want to leave it, the view is so nice. Several 5 star hotels out of town if you want to spend the bucks like Castello Velona. If wines and wine tours get tiring, there are the requisite churches, museums, etc in Montalcino but I think the churches in Montepulciano are better. There is plenty to shop for Montalcino besides wine. These folks make real money selling their wine and there are some stores there that my shopper in the family really likes.
Having said that, you really can't go wrong either way. What folks like Bob or Stu would say is expand this portion of your trip to do both! The two towns plus Pienza and San Q are all very close together.
Have fun.