2 Nights and 1 1/2 Days to Discover Tuscany...HELP!

[tmosqueda]

I am planning a trip to Tuscany the end of March and would like to know the best route given such little time! I will be coming from Florence and will have my own car. I also need to end in Florence as I then will be flying to Paris. I would love to capture the countryside, museums/art and enjoy some great food and wine. My thoughts were to travel from Florence to Chianti and end in San Gimignano? Will I be missing a lot of I do not go to Siena? The next day travel to Pisa and Lucca and back to Florence...

I would love any suggestions as I'm not sure this is very realistic given the time.

Thank you in advance

 

[Lourdes]

I am assuming that you have more days to see Florence prior to the 1.5 days you plan for Tuscany, is that correct? or that you've already seen Florence and not interested in it...

You could definitely drive down through Chianti, passing through Greve, Panzano and Castellina to end up in San Gimignano by late afternoon. You get a nice scenic drive and you get to see a lot of the Tuscan countryside. Then continue on to Pisa the next day (in the morning) and Lucca (afternoon) before returning to Florence by the end of the next day.

If you've never been to Siena before and don't think you'll be back in Tuscany soon, I would suggest ending the first night in Siena, with morning spent there as well. Then drive to Pisa (passing by San Gimignano thus taking the regional scenic roads over the autostrada) and skipping Lucca altogether.

I don't think you'll have time to see many museums other than in Siena, if you do spend the morning there. But with nice, unhurried dinners you will enjoy great food and wine... and lots of countryside on the drives! So a taste of various things.

If you decide to stay the night in San Gimignano, I'd recommend staying at Casolare di Libbiano or in Siena at these really central B&Bs (have parking available at extra cost):
Palazzo Fanimignanelli Residence or Paradiso B&B.