2.5 days in Tuscany

J

JohnRohnson

New member
Hi guys,

Me and my wife are planning to spend some days in Tuscany in June and we are a bit lost due to the size of it so we need a little bit your advice.

We are going to rent a car in Florence at first hour in the morning on Monday heading for Tuscany and we would need
to get back in Florence on Wednesday by noon (we will have to catch a plane at 19:00 from Pisa).

Do you think is doable to visit Greve, Panzano, Castellina, San Gimignano and Volterra in one day and sleep somewhere near Sienna in first day?
Would it be too much? I heard that the sunset is quite nice so I was wondering if we would have enough time to do all and still catch the sunset at the accommodation. Should we try to find an accommodation in Siena or in the villages around would be nicer (landscape and experience)?

On Tuesday we are planning to visit in the first part of the day Sienna and afterwards Buonconveto, Montalcino and maybe San Quirico, Pienza and Montepulciano. Do you have any recommendation for an accommodation around 100 Eur with a nice view?

My impression is that he landscape in Val d'Orcia looks way better than Chianti (or at least more close to what we are told in the movies about Tuscany). Is this correct? :)

How crazy this plan sounds?

Thanks a lot!
 
Ciao!

First of all, consider returning the car directly to Pisa instead of to Florence to catch a train to Pisa, I think you'll make better time that way.

You can do what you plan to do the first day, but spending very little time in each place -- basically driving through Panzano and Castellina might make it possible to then spend time in SG and Volterra.
But it is rushing through the places, to be honest. You want to drive but also have a chance to stop and wander or just stop and take photos along the way. I think you could plan to drive through Greve, Panzano and Castellina, and just enjoy the drive and take photos -- then a few hours in SG and the rest of the day in Volterra. I would recommend you spend the night there, that way you can arrive before sunset and be there at your accommodation by that time.

The same applies for the following day: make your way to Siena and spend all morning there and lunch. You need at least that to say you saw the main sights in Siena! The Piazza del Campo and Piazza Duomo, minimum -- go inside the Duomo for sure!
Then drive down into the Val d'Orcia to enjoy the scenery and towns, but you won't have time to really stop and enjoy all of them this way. Yes, movies and postcards of Tuscany actually most often portray Val d'Orcia and that is what you expect of Tuscany more than what the landscape looks like in Chianti. But you will enjoy both, including the drives between places!

In any case, if on the 3rd day you drive to Pisa instead of Florence, you have more time to drive back north, maybe taking a path back through San Gimignano area with a stop in SG again or either in San Miniato or Certaldo if you want to see something new - or head to Pisa straight and spend time there before your flight. I recommend you return the car at the airport first, use their baggage deposit service there (at the information desk, cost is 7€ per bag for a whole day) and then take bus to go see the Leaning tower. This way you avoid longer rental, the parking lot fees and the risk of your car being broken into if you leave luggage inside.
Being realistic here, lots of people do it so thieves are targeting tourists who leave luggage inside and LOTS of cars get broken into around the Leaning tower. It is an awful way to end your vacation in Italy so I hope you don't do it!

As for places to stay that meet a certain budget, check out http://tuscanyaccommodation.com/, there are daily prices for places that rent by the day but for many it is best to contact the owners and ask availability and cost.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top