candj83

DH and I will be staying in Siena and wish to visit both Volterra and San Gimignano on Saturday before Easter, April 15. I'm thinking there could be two methods:

1. Day trip from Siena: visit Volterra in morning, leave around 8 arrive around 9. Explore Volterra until around 3:00-4:00 in the afternoon. Arrive SG around 4:00-5:00 and explore for a few hours. Depart around 7:00pm to get back into Siena before nightfall. (I suppose if we are feeling rushed in Volterra we could be flexible and go how we feel and drop SG and save for another trip to give us more time in Volterra???)

2. Overnight Volterra or SG: we could visit one or the other in the morning and then stay overnight in town of choice. I hate to pick up and move for a single night as that would give us two back-to-back single nights (one Siena, one Volterra or SG) which I'm not a fan of. But, would allow more sight-seeing time and opportunity for seeing the "magical" evening time...

After this we'd be moving on to Montepulciano for a 3 night stay.

Which option do you think is more feasible? Or is it too much to try to see in one day?

NYCFoodSnob

No matter what anybody says on the internet, it's very difficult to visit two cities in one day and have an experience worth remembering, especially on a weekend. Most tourist planners forget they have to eat, visit a bathroom, and allow for traffic/parking/finding-your-way issues.

Two cities certainly can "be done," but a lot depends on their size, historical significance, and proximity. Even so, I sincerely doubt you'll remember anything about a two-city visit once you get home, even with photographs. But you will be able to say, "I was there!"

Assuming you'll be traveling by car - your post is absent that information. You also don't say where you'll be staying in Siena or where you plan to park your car in Volterra and San Gimignano. No matter. I can promise you, you'll need more than an hour, parking space to parking space. It very well could take two hours.

A lot depends on what kind of tourist you are. I find Volterra and San Gimignano fascinating places to explore. The thought of spending only four hours in each would not make me happy at all. Getting in and out of these cities quickly requires a steep learning curve. Even with that, you can never predict traffic issues. Luck plays a role as well.

I have friends who recently did a two-city visit: Siena and San Gimignano, on a Saturday. They were staying in Chianti and hired a driver for the day, even though they had their own car. They made both cities, but barely had two hours in each. Very poor planning, heavy traffic, and totally unrealistic expectations. It cost them a pretty penny, and the excursion ended up worth about that.

candj83

Thanks NYC! We do plan to rent a car. The more I've thought about it, the more I think the only realistic (and enjoyable) approach would be to rent the car in the morning after our night in Siena and hit the road to Volterra and spend the night there. That way we have a full day to explore. The next morning we could depart and visit San Gimignano on our way down to Montepulciano.

You are absolutely correct that there is always time lost in transit and shuffling around. We've traveled enough to realize the truth of that. That's why I was wondering if this was truly doable. We do like to spend some time and enjoy ourselves...so perhaps we should scrap this altogether and just spend more time in Montepulciano and surrounding area and save Volterra/SG for another trip.

RonZ

If seeking a hotel near San Gimignano, I can highly recommend the Relais Santa Chiara, right outside the walls. Check ratings on booking.com. One thing to consider for a car trip is whether or not you are comfortable leaving luggage unattended in the vehicle.

sundriedtopepo

What we enjoyed most about Volterra was the drive there. In my opinion, some of the most beautiful landscapes we saw in Tuscany were on that drive.

We did not enjoy being overcharged for a cappuccino at Lo Sdrucciolo Bar in Volterra. Being charged Eur 3 each for a cappuccino leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. I pointed out to the owner that the person before us paid eur 1,20, but he just said ours were "special". Even the barista was uncomfortable with her boss's dishonesty.

There are two points of view about day trips vs staying overnight. Daytrips allow you to just have a quick breakfast and get on the road to your destination, without having to pack up and hoist your luggage into the car, which can get tiring if you are changing locations often.

The other consideration is if the place you are visiting is special after dark, or less crowded when the tour buses have left. In April, I don't think that would be a consideration in San Gim, and definitely not in Volterra.

If it was me, I would pick one or the other, and just do a day trip, coming back to enjoy Sienna in the evening.

zoecat

<<perhaps we should scrap this altogether and just spend more time in Montepulciano and surrounding area and save Volterra/SG for another trip.>>

With only 3 nights in Montepulciano, I think this would be a good idea. There is so much to explore and with your limited time you will barely scratch the surface in the area.

How many nights are you planning in Siena?

StCirq

I wouldn't attempt both in a single day, but I am very much a "nook and cranny" traveler who likes to take in as many details as I can, which is not the way everyone travels. I also like to sit down and linger and look around at what's going on around me, when I have the time.

sundriedtopepo: I understand some indignation that previous customers paid only 1,20€ for a capuccino (which is pretty much unheard of IME), but 3€ seems exceedingly normal, if not inexpensive, to me.

sundriedtopepo

St Cirq the euro 1,20 price was posted, and a very normal price for small town Tuscany.
I understand that 3 euro is normal in say the Campo in Siena, or Rome or Venice.

StCirq

Well, I would have left 2,40€ then

Sassafrass

It is a very good point that in April, unless it is unusually warm, evenings may not be the highlight and fun that they are in Summer. No point worrying so much about spending a night in a small town for the evening ambience.

bvlenci

Another thing to keep in mind is that San Gimignano is very crowded on spring weekends. We visited once in April, and the police were turning cars back on the road into town. We parked well outside the town and walked the rest of the way.

I've never visited Volterra, so I don't know how crowded it might be.

I agree that it would be better to spend three nights in Montepulciano. There is a great deal to see in that area.

bvlenci

The normal price for a cappuccino in Italy is <b> not </b> €3! We pay €1.20 where we live, and they're even cheaper in Rome. The most expensive I've ever seen in Italy is €2. St. Cirq must be thinking of cappuccino prices in France, where they're very expensive, and not, on average, very good.

StCirq

Yes, I must be. Capuccino is rare around here, but it's always expensive, and not very good at all, if you can even find it. OTOH, our coffees are cheap and very good.

StuDudley

We've visited both places many times on the same day. Once while staying in Siena and another from San Quirico. However, start in San Gimignano - by noon it is WWAAAAAYYY too crowded for me. Then head over to Volterra and park in the "automated" garage close to the entrance.

This is what the Val d'Orcia looks like in late March & early April in the Val d'Orcia (we've visited it twice in this period for 2 weeks each - our favorite time of year there).

https://stududley.shutterfly.com/39

Click on Full Screen

Because of Shutterfly software problems, many titles or captions are missing or truncated. The first part of the book is Verona, then Bologna. Then the Val d'Orcia & surrounds. Followed by Milan.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

>>This is what the Val d'Orcia looks like in late March & early April in the Val d'Orcia<<

Oops - didn't proof read

StuDudley

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-171368-2.cfm

Stu Dudley

candj83

Zoecat, we will have one night in Siena. Our main interests are visiting the Duomo, going up the Torre de Mangia, and enjoying the Piazza del Campo in the evening. And a good dinner, of course!

If we move on to Montepulciano the next day, that allows us to move slower in the morning after our night in Siena and then add another night in the Montepulciano area. I think this would be more relaxed for us overall and gives us more time to catch anything that we may not have been able to do previously. I've just had a classic case of my eyes were bigger than my stomach...which is easy to do when the meal is Italy!!

Thanks sundriedtopepo, bvlenci, sassafrass, for the tips that that the towns are better at night in the summer. That makes me feel better about the decision to slow down and focus more on the Montepulciano area.

By staying Saturday night in Montepulciano, that means we'll be waking up Easter morning in Montepulciano...does anyone know of particular Easter-themed activities to join in? Or will this be a case of needing to check the local webpages a few weeks out to see what we can find?

candj83

Thanks Stu! I've already been using your itinerary to do some driving itinerary planning! Love the pictures.

sundriedtopepo

St Cirq, looking forward to some good coffee in France!

candj83 Watch for the opening hours of the Duomo. You wouldn't want to miss seeing the interior, with limited time there.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"in April, unless it is unusually warm, evenings may not be the highlight and fun that they are in Summer."</font></i>

If the sun is shining, April can offer some glorious jacket-weather days and fun strolling nights. If its cold, rainy, and windy, which it often is in April, you better be prepared with some winter outerwear and know how to drive in fog with no street lights.

I love April in Italy, but it's not for everybody. One of my early trips to Tuscany was in April, and it rained every day of the 7-day visit.

<i><font color=#555555>"We've visited both places many times on the same day."</font></i>

Experienced visitors to Italy would have little problem visiting Volterra and San Gimignano on the same day. We know the roads. Many of us have our favorite places to park, eat, and go to the bathroom. If you plan this trip properly, it is possible to achieve success. The downside always is: your time exploring each city will be extremely limited.

Personally, I would get to San Gimignano very early, to capture sunrise and eat at my favorite breakfast place. The parking lots are free before 8 AM. You just have to make sure to get a ticket when the gates do close so you're not charged for a full day. Explore San G until 12 noon. Then, head over to Volterra for a 1 PM lunch at another favorite place, and then explore Volterra until 6 PM. Then head back to Siena for a light dinner or evening cocktail somewhere special. It'll be a packed, exhausting day, but if the weather cooperates, it could be a ton of fun.

I would never do 1-night visits anywhere. You often can't check-in until 3-5 PM, and check-out is usually 10-12. What a waste of money and time. Sure, you might be able to drop your luggage somewhere, but I don't travel like that.

The area around Montepulciano is SO RICH. 3-nights there will fly by so fast, you'll be lucky to remember anything. Many places there rent for 1-week minimums, and there's good reason for this.

IMO, you can't go wrong letting go of San G and Volterra if you get to add more nights to Montepulciano. The bottom line question to ask: How hard do you want to work to find enjoyment and satisfaction?