1st visit to Italy - 4 nights in Tuscany - Navigation/Itinerary Help Please!

M

Mack

Member
Hi Everyone,

Thanks in advance for your help and guidance.

My girlfriend and I will be taking a 10 day vacation to Italy (Tuscany, Rome, Venice) 1st week of October and I'm mainly looking for itinerary ideas for the Tuscany portion of the trip.

Based on my reading here, I think we'd enjoy spending 4 nights in Florence and doing several day trips. I'd like for us to experience Florence, the Chianti region, Siena, and possibly a town like Montepulciano (...So much to see, so little time).

What is the most logical way of accomplishing this? Should we base ourselves in Florence and see the city's attractions on day 1. Then day 2, spend all day driving through the Chianti region. Day 3 drive out and see Siena's attractions. Day 4, drive down to Montepulciano?

Should some of these be combined day-trips? Would we better off stationing in Siena for a portion of the stay, or in Montepulciano itself?

Thanks again for all of your help and time. :)
 
I would recommend 2 nights in Florence, the city offers a lot! Take a look at our 2 day itinerary to make sure you get the top spots covered: https://www.visitflorence.com/itineraries-in-florence/two-days-in-florence.html

Then rent a car and head down to Siena for the next two nights -- as you drive down to Siena, stop and visit Greve, Panzano and Castellina in Chianti and this way you do your drive through Chiantiìs top hilltop towns. You can choose to stay in Siena or in its outskirts, that is up to you, but if you stay in the city, you would find it easier to enjoy the rest of the day and evening there and next morning be up and running to see the main sights. Visit the Duomo in Siena and the Palazzo Pubblico, those are definite must-sees! You'll see the Piazza del Campo and Piazza del Duomo along the way ;).

Then drive out to Montepulciano for the afternoon and evening out on this 4th day, returning to Siena for the night.

I think you will enjoy the itinerary better this way, with less driving to do back and forth, without moving every night the last 2. You can return car in Chiusi and take train to your next destination (Venice or Rome).
 
Hi Lourdes,

Thank you so much for your help with the itinerary. We very much appreciate it.

Just a quick update:

We have booked non-refundable hotels in Florence for nights 1, 2, and 4. I was unaware of the train station in Tuscany, so we had booked our train ride out of Florence on day 5.

We took your suggestion and decided to book the first 2 nights in Florence to see all the sights. For day 3 I love the suggestion to rent a car and drive to Sienna, and stop at Greve, Panzano and Castellina in Chianti. We very much wanted to spend the night in Montepulciano city, at a beautiful hotel that I had in mind (Palazzo Carletti). Given the situation it is Ok if we cant stay there.

Instead of staying the night in Sienna, would it be Ok to:

Option A: drive through Sienna as you suggested, but then from there drive to Montepulciano and spend the night in the city? Could we drive through Sienna on day 3 without spending time in Sienna, and then on day 4, after leaving Montepulciano, visit Sienna and spend time there, on the way back to Florence?

Option B: do exactly as you suggested, drive through Chianti, visit Sienna, spend the night , and take a day trip to Montepulciano on day 4, and then return to Florence by night?

Option C: do exactly as you suggested, drive throught Chianti, visit Sienna, spend the night in Sienna, and completely skip Montepulciano, and instead on day 4, drive back to Florence and visit towns we didn't see on the way there? This way we avoid the extra "out of the way" drive to Montepulciano and back to Florence.

Which itinerary do you prefer/suggest? I really appreciate it. My amateur traveler move to book nonrefundable "cheaper" rates is causing the issue. We pretty much have to spend night 4 in Florence, and leave from Florence on day 5. Other than that I am flexible.

Thank you again so much for all of your help. I hope this situation that I have put myself in is not too terrible!!
 
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Driving Tuscany

Buongiorno,

When you pick up the car, head towards Siena using the "backroads" (the Chiantigiana or the 222). The scenery between Florence and Castellina in Chianti will have you stopping several times to enjoy the show! If I were planning the itinerary, I would consider several photo stops, but perhaps only one small town stop - Castellina in Chianti. This town still maintains its medieval charm, several great views and surprises and a fabulous museum.

From Castellina, you can enter into Siena mid-afternoon, and still have time to visit the major sites. Personally, I would spend the night in Siena. Just relax and enjoy the romance of the atmosphere: Piazza del Campo and the Duomo under the stars.

The next morning, after a delicious breakfast:p, head towards Pienza, and Montepulciano. From here you can take the Autostrada del Sole back to Florence (about and hour and a half) - it is a quick and fast drive after your last visit to Montepulciano. It is true these places are a little further south - but that shouldn't preclude them from your itinerary :cool:


Buon Viaggio,

Donna Denise
 
Stay in Sienna

Hi Donna,

Thanks so much for the response. That actually sounds like a great idea, and I think that is exactly what we will do!

I spent quite some time finding a hotel for Montepulciano that I am a bit tapped out now. Would you happen to have any recommendations for a hotel in Sienna? I would love a hotel in the city, with nice views preferably, a short walk away from the shops, and restaurants, etc., ideally between $100-$200 USD. Any hotels along those lines?

Again thank you and the rest of the posters and site members for your help.
 
Hadn't seen your post earlier Mack, but agree with the suggestions Donna has given you about staying in Siena (we stayed at Hotel Athena and highly recommend it!), going further south the day after and then returning to Florence via the A1 in the evening, it should be about 1.5hr drive back so you can do it right before dinner if you want to be back in town for late check-in/dinner.
 
Hotel in Siena

Lourdes, Donna:

Thank you both very much for your help. It seems like the rooms with a view at Hotel Athena are a little over what I would like to spend. I found another hotel nearby called Hotel Palazzo Ravizza, with rooms with a view for a bit closer to my budget. Any thoughts on that hotel?

Thanks.
 
Looks great too! It is super close to Hotel Athena and has parking so similar options. Will keep it in mind for when we go back to Siena ;-). Yeah, we didn't stay in a room with a view at Athena, we weren't at the hotel long but did enjoy the views from the terrace.
 
10 day trip biggining in Rome

Hello, my wife and I are actually doing pretty much the same trip in October! We have 10 days. We arrive in Rome and would like to spend a few days there, as well as Tuscan countryside, Florence and up to Venice.

Do we have enough time? Would it make sense to do Rome, then Sienna, then Florence and finish the trip in Venice? We are thinking of just renting a car near Sienna and then taking the train for the rest of our travels.

We haven’t booked any accommodations yet so are flexible.

Thanks so much for any advice and info!
 
Mack said:
Lourdes, Donna:

Thank you both very much for your help. It seems like the rooms with a view at Hotel Athena are a little over what I would like to spend. I found another hotel nearby called Hotel Palazzo Ravizza, with rooms with a view for a bit closer to my budget. Any thoughts on that hotel?

Thanks.
Click to expand...



Hey Mack, my wife and I are makin a pretty similar trip. Have you checked out Airbnb? Usually MUCH cheaper and unique experience.
 
10 days in Italy

Buongiorno,

Once you get here, 10 days will never seem like enough :p but there is a lot you can do in that time period.

Plan on 2 - 3 days Rome

5-6 days in Tuscany (divided into 2 in the city of Florence and 3 in the countryside) I won't even begin to tell you how much there is to see - it would just make your head spin! However, if you look through some of the itineraries at the link, they may help you plan out your time.

1-2 days in Venice

Rome in three days, catching a train later in the afternoon on the third day will max your time there and have you seeing most everything. Most hotels will hold your luggage, so you can plan on still doing stuff on the last day. Be sure to book if you want to see the Vatican. There is a fast train tht will have you in Florence super fast - just in time for a bistecca fiorentina :cool:

I would train it to Florence, stay there then pick up a car and move into the countryside for a few days, driving into Siena, Chianti, Val d'Orcia. You can then drop the car in Florence and catch a train to Venise (st. Lucia station)

Venice will probably be the most expensive part of the vacation, and you could do it with just one night if you wanted to. There is a train that leaves Florence early in the morning and has you in Venice before lunch.

Buon Viaggio,

Donna Denise
 
subscribed, this seems like a very interesting thread
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DonnaDenise said:
Buongiorno,

Once you get here, 10 days will never seem like enough :p but there is a lot you can do in that time period.

Plan on 2 - 3 days Rome

5-6 days in Tuscany (divided into 2 in the city of Florence and 3 in the countryside) I won't even begin to tell you how much there is to see - it would just make your head spin! However, if you look through some of the itineraries at the link, they may help you plan out your time.

1-2 days in Venice

Rome in three days, catching a train later in the afternoon on the third day will max your time there and have you seeing most everything. Most hotels will hold your luggage, so you can plan on still doing stuff on the last day. Be sure to book if you want to see the Vatican. There is a fast train tht will have you in Florence super fast - just in time for a bistecca fiorentina :cool:

I would train it to Florence, stay there then pick up a car and move into the countryside for a few days, driving into Siena, Chianti, Val d'Orcia. You can then drop the car in Florence and catch a train to Venise (st. Lucia station)

Venice will probably be the most expensive part of the vacation, and you could do it with just one night if you wanted to. There is a train that leaves Florence early in the morning and has you in Venice before lunch.

Buon Viaggio,

Donna Denise
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Donna Denise, thank you for this helpful information!!!
 
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