What Tuscan towns am I missing?
 

We have put together a tentative itinerary from what we have read in guidebooks and here.<BR><BR>I am open to - and would welcome - suggestions. We wanted to see some of Umbria - Todi, Orvieto, Spoleto - but I am not sure that we will have time.<BR><BR>Day 1 - Fly In - Pienza - Stay in Pienza<BR>Day 2 - Montepulciano, Montefollonio, Montichiello<BR>Day 3 - Montalcino<BR>Day 4 - Cortona, Assisi<BR>Day 5 - Siena - Stay in San Gimignano<BR>Day 6 - Chianti -Radda, Greve and Castellina<BR>Day 7 - San Gimignano, Monteriggioni<BR>Day 8 - Florence<BR>Day 9 - Home<BR><BR>We would also like to know where the best places are for wine tasting near any of these towns. We are not museum people, so won't be spending much time in museums, etc. Would rather be outside and see countryside, churces, etc.<BR><BR>Thanks.

Honestly, it sounds like you're trying to see too much. At this pace, every town will blur into the next.<BR>I too took a 9 day trip about a year and a half ago, stayed 3 nights in each of three areas (Florence, Siena and Saturnia). Obviously in Florence we spent all of out time in the city, but in the other two places we drove around. Siena is certainly not a go for an hour or two kind of place. The beauty of most of these places is the slow pace, which, IMHO, you don't really get by zipping from one place to another.<BR>Perhaps I'm misunderstanding your itinerary, but I found that though I didn't "get to" all the places I would like to see some day, I enjoyed the trip on the whole more knowing that I could mingle with (or avoid) the bus loads of people in S Giminiagno or Siena<BR>during the day, then see the locals come out for the passagiato"(sp?--stroll) at night, then wake up to the same beautiful place the next morning.

topping

What town are you staying in for days 2-5? Some of the towns you mantioned are very small (like Montepulciano, Montalcino and Cortona) so the time alloted would at least give you a feel of the place. But nothing beats staying there overnight and seeign the city empty out and you can stroll around and enjoy the quiet beauty of it. Ahhh, can't wait to go back...

Hi Debbie..hope you're not planning to stay overnite at each of these places! Way too much travelling in my opinion. We stayed in one place outside Florence for 2 weeks and say almost all of what you want to see except your Day 2 and Day 4. We daytripped and then came home to the same place every night. No worries, no packing, unpacking etc. My advice would be to "park" yourself in one spot for a week and do day trips. If you want to see all these places I can't see how in the world you could possibly squeeze in Umbria too!

PANZANO: great butcher and a place that makes cutom made shoes. The little osteria on the right when facing the church-great outside terrace overlooking Tuscany. Porcini, pear and parmagiano salad.

Debbie, I see nothing wrong with that schedule, assuming you are staying at only 2 locations---Pienza and San Gim.<BR>I also assume you will be including the various abbeys et al in these regions.<BR>You will have a blast. Good luck !

Debbie,<BR> Since you will be in Umbria, what about Perugia? Cool place, beautiful views, the chocolate is great too!

Hi. thanks for all the responses...<BR><BR>Just to clarify - we are planning on staying in Pienza for Days 1 through 4 to see the lower part of Southern Tuscany, and then in San G. for days 6 through 9 to see the upper part of the region.<BR><BR>We will not see Umbria. Someone at work suggested renting a villa in Chianti region, and doing day trips from there. The price seems very reasonable - $950 for the week. Does this make sense, or does this put us too far from Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Pienza to see? We don't want to spend 1/2 of our vacation driving back and forth.<BR><BR>

Debbie,<BR><BR>Your plan sounds like a good one. I'd stick with it.

Lucca is a noteworthy Tuscan town, as is Pisa, missing from your list.<BR><BR>Note: Assisi is in Umbria..but well worth a day itself.

Someone at work also mentioned Lucca, and said if we went there we would be close to Portofino and should see that.<BR><BR>Could anyone tell me how far away (driving distance/time) Portofino is from Lucca?

I think you are doing too much. We spent one day in Assisi alone and had a lovely lunch at an old stable outside of town that was one of the highlights or our trip. It would be ashame not to get the feel of each town. Have fun. Pat