Considering home base in Tuscany
Mar 15th, 2018, 12:01 PM
#1
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Considering home base in Tuscany
A few days ago I was given great advice on here about length of time to spend in various areas...thank you!
We would like to spend 5 full days in Tuscany. Starting in the morning in Rome we'll train it to Florence...spend that afternoon and 2 full days in Florence. Then considering a day trip via train to Pisa and Lucca...back that night to Florence. From there, we are thinking about renting a car and seeing several towns around Siena for 2 fulls days. The places that look most interesting right now are San Gimignano, Volterra, Monteriggioni, and Siena. We realize we may not be able to get to all of these in 2 fulls days...these are just what look good right now. So here's my question. Of those 4 towns, where would you suggest we stay for 1 night? We would have 2 fulls days...the third day drive back to Florence and hop a train to Venice.
We'll be in several large cities...Rome, Florence and Venice. So we like the idea of something smaller and more low key for a few days.
We would like to spend 5 full days in Tuscany. Starting in the morning in Rome we'll train it to Florence...spend that afternoon and 2 full days in Florence. Then considering a day trip via train to Pisa and Lucca...back that night to Florence. From there, we are thinking about renting a car and seeing several towns around Siena for 2 fulls days. The places that look most interesting right now are San Gimignano, Volterra, Monteriggioni, and Siena. We realize we may not be able to get to all of these in 2 fulls days...these are just what look good right now. So here's my question. Of those 4 towns, where would you suggest we stay for 1 night? We would have 2 fulls days...the third day drive back to Florence and hop a train to Venice.
We'll be in several large cities...Rome, Florence and Venice. So we like the idea of something smaller and more low key for a few days.
Mar 15th, 2018, 02:21 PM
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For two days I might suggest forgetting car and taking bus to Siena from Florence - base there and take buses to one of those other places - buses go over the same roads as you would driving- yeh you can't stop off en route but IME there is not all that much to stop off between hill towns. And parking in such towns often means down the hill from the town centers crowning the hill. If you had longer a car trip would be much more advantageous but for two days driving may sound more romantic than it would be in just two days.
Just a note about trains in case you have no researched that yet.
Florence-Lucca-Pisa-Florence is all on regional trains and those it is best just to buy tickets at stations on day of travel - butlong-distance trains book ASAP for sizable discounts - www.seat61.com has tons of advice on doing that; general info BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.
Just a note about trains in case you have no researched that yet.
Florence-Lucca-Pisa-Florence is all on regional trains and those it is best just to buy tickets at stations on day of travel - butlong-distance trains book ASAP for sizable discounts - www.seat61.com has tons of advice on doing that; general info BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.
Mar 15th, 2018, 06:15 PM
#3
>>>5 full days<<<
>> 2 full days in Florence.<<
>>>day trip via train to Pisa and Lucc<<<
>>>Siena for 2 fulls days<<<
>>> where would you suggest we stay for 1 night<<<
Do you really have 5 full days? It appears some of your "full" days are actually partial days.
>>> The places that look most interesting right now are San Gimignano, Volterra, Monteriggioni, and Siena.<<<
Look at Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino and other southern Tuscan towns too. IMO Siena deserves a couple of days, not a few hours. I find all those towns (and the four you listed) more interesting than Lucca.
I would start in Tuscany (picking up the car in southern Tuscany) and end in Florence making it easier for your departure to Venice. Take the train from Rome to Chiusi to pick up a car or take the Sena bus from Rome to Siena and pick up a car. It's often as cheap to rent for three days as for one or two days. After Tuscany, you could drop the car in Pisa (airport), see Pisa and take the train onto Florence for the last couple of days.
>> 2 full days in Florence.<<
>>>day trip via train to Pisa and Lucc<<<
>>>Siena for 2 fulls days<<<
>>> where would you suggest we stay for 1 night<<<
Do you really have 5 full days? It appears some of your "full" days are actually partial days.
>>> The places that look most interesting right now are San Gimignano, Volterra, Monteriggioni, and Siena.<<<
Look at Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino and other southern Tuscan towns too. IMO Siena deserves a couple of days, not a few hours. I find all those towns (and the four you listed) more interesting than Lucca.
I would start in Tuscany (picking up the car in southern Tuscany) and end in Florence making it easier for your departure to Venice. Take the train from Rome to Chiusi to pick up a car or take the Sena bus from Rome to Siena and pick up a car. It's often as cheap to rent for three days as for one or two days. After Tuscany, you could drop the car in Pisa (airport), see Pisa and take the train onto Florence for the last couple of days.
Mar 15th, 2018, 08:29 PM
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Another vote for Montepulciano, a gorgeous hill top town with wonderfull views and a good central location. By all means visit the towns you have suggested, but the Montepulciano ,Pienza, Montalcino area is special. It's like driving through every Tuscan postcard or calendar you have ever seen.. Cortona is another town worth considering. The hilltop town made famous by "Under the Tuscan Sun " is also within easy driving distance to all the towns mentioned. You need a car in Tuscany and although the off Autostrada roads are a bit windy they offer the most rewards. A tip, the windy roads are not so busy during siesta time in the afternoon.
Last edited by DownUnder; Mar 15th, 2018 at 08:33 PM.
Mar 16th, 2018, 02:57 PM
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Lucca to me is just OK and the same for Pisa. Pisa of course has the "big" attraction of the Field of Miracles, which is worth your time, but Lucca is a little hard to know on the fly. Maybe plot out a walking tour before you go.
We all travel for different reasons, and wine isn't on my agenda, but art is. As much as I like the charm of the Val d'Orcia and the wine towns, I like art and churches better. The Duomo of San Gimignano is unforgettable with gorgeous frescoes and the Siena Duomo is about perfect to me. I like Piero delle Francesca and have made stays in and around Arezzo for his works, and then, of course, there are St Francis sites in Tuscany, the greatest being (IMO) the Sanctuary of La Verna.
You might do some google searches that concentrate on what you like: Abbeys and churches in Tuscany; Wine in Tuscany; Art in Tuscany; Landscapes in Tuscany; Famous Villas........... you get it. Otherwise you are asking us what we like and while I like the towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano, they aren't my favorites.
Anyway, I always give this advice, and I don't think it gets traction, but I'll keep trying.
Im going to add this, that since San Gimignano is best before and after the day trippers are gone, I was going to suggest that you stay there and experience it when it is less crowded and head out somewhere else during the day. Remember midday closings in Tuscany. They can be a pain.
We all travel for different reasons, and wine isn't on my agenda, but art is. As much as I like the charm of the Val d'Orcia and the wine towns, I like art and churches better. The Duomo of San Gimignano is unforgettable with gorgeous frescoes and the Siena Duomo is about perfect to me. I like Piero delle Francesca and have made stays in and around Arezzo for his works, and then, of course, there are St Francis sites in Tuscany, the greatest being (IMO) the Sanctuary of La Verna.
You might do some google searches that concentrate on what you like: Abbeys and churches in Tuscany; Wine in Tuscany; Art in Tuscany; Landscapes in Tuscany; Famous Villas........... you get it. Otherwise you are asking us what we like and while I like the towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano, they aren't my favorites.
Anyway, I always give this advice, and I don't think it gets traction, but I'll keep trying.
Im going to add this, that since San Gimignano is best before and after the day trippers are gone, I was going to suggest that you stay there and experience it when it is less crowded and head out somewhere else during the day. Remember midday closings in Tuscany. They can be a pain.
Last edited by tuscanlifeedit; Mar 16th, 2018 at 03:00 PM. Reason: Forgot something
Mar 16th, 2018, 03:33 PM
#6
If art and churches are priorities, visit Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore between Buonconvento and Asciano.
You don't say when this trip is, but if it's high season summer I'd be tempted to leave Florence, Lucca and Pisa (and perhaps Siena) for another trip in the" shoulder" or off season. Rome and Venice would be swarming with tourists, and rather than diving into more crowds, the small towns in Umbria and/or Tuscany (not necessarily the most popular ones already mentioned) could be a nice respite.... The Pitigliano area (Sorano, Sovana, Saturnia), towns on the shore of Lake Trasimeno and nearby Panicale, towns in central Chianti (Castellina, Radda, etc.), central Umbria (inside the circle Spoleto-Foligno-Perugia-Todi-Spoleto). In this scenario, I'd pick up the car in Orvieto (Hertz only I believe) or Chiusi and drop the car on arrival in Venice.
Make sure you know about ZTLs.
https://www.italybeyondtheobvious.co...with-ztl-zones
You don't say when this trip is, but if it's high season summer I'd be tempted to leave Florence, Lucca and Pisa (and perhaps Siena) for another trip in the" shoulder" or off season. Rome and Venice would be swarming with tourists, and rather than diving into more crowds, the small towns in Umbria and/or Tuscany (not necessarily the most popular ones already mentioned) could be a nice respite.... The Pitigliano area (Sorano, Sovana, Saturnia), towns on the shore of Lake Trasimeno and nearby Panicale, towns in central Chianti (Castellina, Radda, etc.), central Umbria (inside the circle Spoleto-Foligno-Perugia-Todi-Spoleto). In this scenario, I'd pick up the car in Orvieto (Hertz only I believe) or Chiusi and drop the car on arrival in Venice.
Make sure you know about ZTLs.
https://www.italybeyondtheobvious.co...with-ztl-zones
Mar 17th, 2018, 08:22 AM
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None of the places you have mentioned strike me as "low key," especially if you're traveling in high season. They may not be the big cities, but they will all be heaving with visitors.
Personally, from a fair bit of experience, I'd be tempted to follow Jean's recommendations for Umbria, especially the area around Lago Trasimeno, inland near Panicale, and inland and into the hills even more to the many forested old Roman spa towns. THAT to me would be "low key."
Personally, from a fair bit of experience, I'd be tempted to follow Jean's recommendations for Umbria, especially the area around Lago Trasimeno, inland near Panicale, and inland and into the hills even more to the many forested old Roman spa towns. THAT to me would be "low key."
