Hi - I had posted on 'Europe' instead of 'Italy' so I am trying again (newbie!).

My mom and I will be in Tuscany for 7 nights; we are staying in a farmhouse in Chiusi. We arrive on a Saturday after a few days in Rome and we will have a rental car - providing I manage to get us out of Rome in one piece!!

I am looking for opinions on which towns have the most open on a Sunday and/or Monday in Tuscany. I have read much is shut down so if possible I would like to know what our best bets are. I have read much about Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano...or even the part of Umbria seemingly close to Chiusi (on mappy) such as Orvieto or Civita.

We are overnighting in San Gimignano at La Cisterna so we can see some of it and Siena at that time. We are also spending one night later in the week at Palazzo Bocci to see Spello and some of Assisi.

One last question, please : Is Florence a worthwhile option on a Sunday? We will not be going to the Uffizi on this trip as my mom is not too keen and has seen it before.

Thanks for your help - I love this board! We are staying at La Calcina while in Venice, and Palazzo Bocci in Spello, based on the great reviews on this board. This site has been an invaluable resource for me and I am so excited!

Hello flurry, first of all, just to help you. Any post on the Europe Board goes onto the Europe Board. Your thread should show up for those that click on Italy as you showed Tuscan..Tuscany actually..in otherwords all post regarding anywhere in Europe show up on the Europe Board but for anyone searching for a specific country will see only those post that mention "something" about Italy if they click on Italy. Hope I am explaining this so it makes sense.

Regarding Sunday or Monday's. Many museums in Florence are not open on Monday. So going to Florence on Sunday is a good idea. I cannot answer your other questions as I don't remember.

About getting you and your mom out of Rome in one piece, LOL, you will..but I understand your comment. Wishing you two a beautiful time in Italy!

Museums are usually closed on a Monday everywhere in Italy so that is one factor you might consider, as LoveItaly says for Florence. Another is the local market - if you want to go or want to avoid it - here is a link giving details for lots of towns
http://www.cortonaweb.net/eng/mercati/index.php

Assisi is an example of one place to avoid on a Sunday if you can, very crowded with Italians as well as the foreign visitors - this applies to most religious centres.

One other factor is that a lot of restaurants are closed on a Monday (but not all by any means) so if you are interested in one particular restaurant when you visit somewhere, check in advance.

I am interested in this question also. We will be in Southern Tuscany/Umbria on a Sunday and Monday. I am wondering which towns do not close up as much. I think Stu Dudley said Pienza caters a little more to the tourist trade and does not close up on Sundays. Anywhere else?

Pienza is a good place to visit on Sundays - most shops will be open. I even think the tourist office is open. Most shops in other towns will be open on Monday afternoon (3pm) - but not all. We were in Cortona on a Monday morning once and it was pretty dead - just a lot of Americans there wondering why stores were not open. We were in Perugia on a Monday morning also, and most of the stores my wife wanted to poke her nose into were closed.

We usually take drives or walks in the countryside on Sundays - the Italians like to do that also. Sant Antimo Abbey is a nice place to visit on Sun or Mon. I've posted my Val d'Orcia drive here many times - I assume you have a copy. That's what I would do on a Sunday or a Monday - coupled with a visit to Pienza & Sant Antimo. One of my favorite towns is Monticchiello - just southwest of Montepulciano. It doesn't have any shops - so it's a good spot to visit on a Sunday or Monday - my Val d'Orcia drive "works" that area quite a bit.

Stu Dudley

I don't know what you mean by "close up." Stores? They close. Churches and museums stay open. Restaurants? Some close, some don't. You will certainly be able to find a lunch and a dinner.

If you are worried about driving out of Roma, why not take the train to Chiusi or Orvieto and rent there?

Thanks for the replies, and yes Loveitaly, that makes perfect sense!

Thanks for your help on this one too, HelenDonegan, great link!

I do have your drive, Stu, and it looks like that will be a good bet for Monday. I will try for Florence Sunday.

nessundorma - we are leaving Rome later on Saturday to maximize our time there. Car rental is closed Saturday after 12 and on Sunday in Chiusi and Orvieto (according to autoeurope) and we need a car for where we are staying.

Thanks for the help!

Stu--From your response, it sounds like Montepulciano and Montalcino may not be good to visit on Sunday or Monday. Is that right? Also, we are driving up to Tuscany from Rome on a Sunday. We planned to visit Orvieto and Civita on the way. Will shops be shuttered there? We also have your driving itinerary and plan to drive it on Monday. Thank you!

If you want to visit Montepulciano & Montalcino at their best - don't visit on a Sunday or Monday morning. The very touristy shops are often open, but the ones my wife likes the most are usually closed.

We've been in Orvieto several times on a Sunday, and it's worth visiting then. Again, many of the non-touristy shops will be closed, but my wife has managed to purchase lots of pottery from the ones that are open.

Stu Dudley

I totally agree with the others.We were in Pienza for lunch on a Sunday last year and were surprised that most stores were open. We were staying in Montalcino and it was dead. We visited Montepulciano on a Monday-dead in the morning.Most shops open up after 2:30.
Interestingly, we found more open places in all of Tuscany on Sundays than in Rome.

We were recently in Montalcino on a Sunday night and Monday day and we had a ball. Lots of cute stores and awesome food and wine!!!

I gather that stores in Montepulciano and Montalcino are open on Monday afternoons. Is that right? Stu- I remember you have said that when stores are closed, they are often shuttered and look ugly. I can't remember whether you were talking about Tuscany or Provence or both. I won't be doing lots of shopping with 3 boys in tow, but I would like to see the towns at their prettiest.

I've seen more of the "shuttered up" in France than in Italy. The most depressing city, however, was in Lucca abouy 10 years ago. It looked like they were bracing for an envasion by the Huns.

Stu Dudley

I'll be in Tuscany in 30 days, Greve to be exact- this info is very useful. thanks!