Which tuscan towns to visit?
 

My husband and I are returning to Italy in two months for a few days and are going to be in Tuscany for 3 days and Rome for 2 Days (We missed much of Rome due to a bad flight experience and wanted to revisit). We are staying at Palazzo Squarcialupi in Castellina in Chianti for the three days. Flight is into Rome and taking a car to Castellina. We have been to Florence (2 days) and Siena as well as San Gim and various towns in the chianti area. We were thinking of Lucca this trip and maybe Orvieto on the way to Castellina. Where else would you recommend? We plan on returning again many times, but are interested in hearing what towns are your favorite for this trip.

Oh, I have looked things up on slowtrav and the site, so please don't yell at me for asking. I'm looking for small towns that we can explore in a half day or so and my husband and I really love wine tasting-we loved Verrazzano in Greve, for instance. We are fans of very small towns, for example we did not really enjoy the size of Florence (thought the art was fabulous) or the atmosphere in San Gim-too crowded with tourists I guess.

Montepulciano, Monticchiello, Pienza, San Quirico, Montalcino - don't miss these towns - none better in Tuscany, IMHO.

Castelmunzo, Petroio, Montisi, just north of Pienza.

Sorano, Sovana, and Pitigliano in very southern Tuscany. Orvieto, of course.

Stu Dudley

Hi Gree,

If you like REALLY small and very unique, visit Civita di Bagnoreggio, near to Orvieto. This is a town often seen in photos of Italian countryside. You have to walk there. No other options.

Nothing to do there except enjoy the view and stroll around. Good for a 3 hour visit.

Buon viaggio!

Thanks for your recomendations! We are going to try to get to Montalcino, Pienza and montepulciano and to Orvieto and civita Bagnoregio. Should we try to go up to Lucca one day? Any other towns there, except Pisa that are good to visit and small?
Also, Dayle, for Civita do you park ouside somewhere and walk into the town? It looks like it is still a pretty good distance from Orvieto. (maybe a stupid question-sorry)
thanks!

There's parking right at the foot of the bridge. I think I had to pay a couple of Euros. As I can recall, it's not more than around 15-20 minutes from Orvieto, maybe 30 at the most. It's a must see in my opinion.

Up in the town there is an old olive oil press that was converted into a small cafe. Stop in and have a glass of wine -- it's nothing fancy. ((b))

Thanks Budman. Do you think we'll have enough time to see Civita and Orvieto on the way to Castellina? I think it's about an hour into the trip if I remember correctly. I know Orviteo is right off the A1. We arrive into rome at 10am from Cincinnati and both sleep very well on airplanes, so we'd be ok and not too tired. Or would you save one for the way back into Rome three days later? I thought Orvieto might be a good stop on the way and hoped to be in Castellina in time for an 8 pm dinner (we are going in april, by the way)

I would visit Orvieto on the way up, have lunch, and visit Civita on the way back. I don't think you'll have time to do both. ((b))

If you arrive in Rome at 10:00, by the time you go through immigration, retrieve your bags, and rent a car, it will be about 11:30 or so. Orvieto is 1 1/2 hrs away, so that will get you there at 1:00 - just in time for the 2 1/2 hr lunch closing for most shops. The touristy ones (but still nice) around the Duomo will be open, but most others will be closed.

Perhaps visit Ostia Antica near the airport first. Then drive up & try to get to Orvieto at 2:30. Visit the Duomo first, the open shops near the Duomo, and the other stores/sites later. It's probably 2+ hrs to Castellina from there.

To whet your appetite, take the very beautiful N146 from the Chianciano/Chiusi exit, west to San Quirico, then up the N2 to Castellina. The scenery on the N146 doesn't get pretty until you get near Montepulciano - and then it gets spectacular. I'm betting you will scrap your Lucca plans & return to explore this area more thoroughly. We've spent weeks just driving around aimlessly, enjoying all the small villages, and the beautiful countryside.

Stu Dudley

When you go to Orvieto, stop first at the tourist information office across the piazza from the Duomo. Get tickets there to see the recently restored Signorelli frescoes inside the cathedral -- they are stunning. Bring binoculars so you can get good closeup views, as many of them are high up.

I think it would be packing in a lot to get off the plane, see Ostia Antica, then Orvieto, and then drive to Castellina. Personally, I would rather try to get to Orvieto in time for lunch (lots of good restaurants there) and relax a bit before jumping in to sight seeing.

For more information about Civita di Bagnoregio, here is a good web site:

http://www.borghitalia.it/borgo_en.php?codice_borgo=445

Inasmuch as this thread has mentioned Orvietoover and over, and in light of the title of this thread, this town is actually NOT in Tuscany. It's in Umbria.

One thing I've learned from traveling to Europe for over 30 years (2-3 trips per year since '99) is that I try to stay VERY active the day I arrive. Also, I never have a big sit-down lunch on the first day - if I do, I'm usually asleep within 2 hours. I also try not to immediatly get off the plane & drive for any lenght of time. That's why I recommended a walking tour of Ostia Antica immediatly after landing in Rome, and trying to avoid Orvieto at lunch time. This works for me, but perhaps not for everyone.

BTW, I'm not a big fan of Civita - I think there are dozens of towns in Tuscany & Umbria that are more interesting, and it's a little hard to find too - we got lost once.

Stu Dudley

I know Orvieto is in Umbria, I'm sure we all do-not the point of the discussion. Do you have any advice billy boy, on the towns in the area that I will be in?

Thanks for the advice Stu and nonnafelice. I was wondering the same thing about Ostia Antica, but will we have time to see it as nonnofelice pointed out? I will take the advice in the N146. I think you are right about not getting to Lucca. I keep meaning to get there because a friend studied there and loved it, but there seems to be more in the southern part of the area-both Tuscany and Umbria.
Thanks again!

Stu, I posted before I saw your response. Thanks and I agree-having a big lunch is a bad idea for us as well. We will likely try Civita on the way back to Rome. We will need a little break before tackling driving in Rome again.

Two good books to read if you haven't already are "Vanilla Beans & Brodo : Real Life in the Hills of Tuscany" by Isabella Dusi (about Montalcino) and "The Hills of Tuscany" by Ferenc Mate (Montepulciano). The Dusi book is especially good for giving you a good understanding of the history of the region, from the viewpoint of present everyday life in the small town.

Thanks-I have read "The Hills of Tuscany", but will look for the other!

Gree65: No advice here that's not already given - just making sure that stray readers do not mistake Oriveto to be in Tuscany. However, I'll just mention that we found Civita to be one heck of a unique town to view and to visit.

We stayed at the most wonderful hotel/B&B near Montepulciano, La Saracina http://www.lasaracina.it/tour/eng_tour1.htm I don't know you budget, but it was my favorite place I ever stayed in Italy and I have been there 7 times.

Panucci thanks for the hotel recommendation. We'll try to stay there in the future. this time we have booked in Castellina because they were so good to us last time (our luggage was lost for days and they finally were able to get it for us!) and we loved the town! Billy boy, sorry if I can across sharp-people can be really harsh sometimes on the board and it's hard to tell the meaning sometimes. Sorry :)

thanks to evryone for your advice! I think I'll have plenty to keep us busy!