3 Days in Tuscany...HELP!

[tmosqueda]

Need to decide what our best options are as we only have 3 days in Tuscany. The first day will be in Florence. What are our best options for the next two days? My thoughts were to go through Chianti and stay in San Gimignano. The next day explore Sienna. We need to end in Florence as we have a flight to Paris.

The second thought was to go from Florence to Pisa and Lucca the first day and stay in San Gimignano. The next day explore Sienna & Chianti and maybe stay there that evening. Looking at a map it looks like it is about an hour and 15 minutes between most of the destinations so not sure if this is too much?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Chiara]

Well, it's actually difficult to choose among all destinations to visit in Tuscany, even for me and I live in Tuscany!!

Both options are doable if you rent a car: from Florence to Pisa (via highway called FI-PI-LI) it's not a long trip, then you could go to Lucca passing through San Giuliano Terme (thermal city): it's less than 30 minutes driving distance.
I'd leave San Gimignano out completely if you choose this option, it's a bit distant from Lucca. I'd rather prefer San Gimignano in a Chianti/Siena itinerary, but obviously it's up to you, nothing is impossible!!

From Florence, you could go towards Siena via the Chiantigiana route and visit all the most popular Chianti destinations (Castellina, Greve, ...): I suggest you stop and enjoy some wine-and-food tasting. You could then find an accommodation in Siena (have a look here if you appreciate some help) and the next day visit the city before moving towards San Gimignano, finally ending your journey in Florence for flying back to Paris.

Enjoy your trip

 

[Lourdes]

If you want to do the second option, I'd rent a car from Florence and head to Lucca and then on Pisa just so you're heading south and closer to Chianti.... You could seek accommodation somewhere closer to Florence so that you can still enjoy most of the evening in Pisa and then be somewhere closer to Chianti for the next day. How about staying at Villa Dianella? It is a small B&B in a wine estate near Vinci so you are heading back in the direction you want to be in the next day....

So the next day you head down toward San Gimignano and then on to Siena, driving through Castellina in Chianti. This route won't take you through all of Chianti but you still will get some great views! Spend the rest of the day in Siena, sleeping there. See some options here. Then drive up to Florence for your flight... depending on what time it is, you could drive up the Via Chiantigiana for a leisurely drive back up or take the Siena-Firenze road for a faster trip.