My wife and I will be in Italy for 2.5 weeks next month. We are already staying in Venice and will be heading south for the next 2 weeks. We wanted to stay in Florence, rent a car and travel through Tuscany, go to Pisa, etc.
Should we stay somewhere around Tuscany & take day trips to Florence and Pisa ? or where should we stay ? Tuscany is in there slow season but I am sure there are tons of beautiful countryside to see. I need advice.
James - with a car my advice would be to stay somewhere outside of Florence. We have been in Tuscany twice now, both times with a car and really enjoyed driving around. Our first trip we stayed for a week in an agriturismo that was about 1/2 hour from Florence. We drove to Florence one day and parked in the lots outside the city, no problem. Another day we drove to the local train station and took the train into Florence for another 1/2 day visit. This was during the summer so Florence was very crowded and people tell me I didn't really get to see it at it's nicest. But for us, at the time, 2 short day trips into the city were enough for us and we were glad to be staying outside. We spent the other 5 days driving around, went to Siena, Assisi, small towns, wineries, etc.
Our second trip we stayed in Pienza, or really, outside the city at a little B&B. From there we did day trips to Pienza, Montepulciano, & San Quirico. We also stayed 2 nights in Lucca, seeing San Giminano on the way. We really enjoyed Lucca and it was a very short trip to Pisa.
Bottom line - when you look at a map of "Tuscany", it is quite a large area. If you have 2 full weeks in the area, you could pick 2-4 different towns to stay in (including Florence if you like, though make it at the beginning or end so you don't need your car). Use those towns as your base and drive around to see the different things. If you really are open, then don't miss the Val d'orcia area which is where Pienza, Montalcina, Montepulciano are. We thought that was a very special, very beautiful area. I highly recommend the B&B we stayed at, which was Le Traverse, but I'm sure there are many other wonderful little places all over the Tuscany region. You will have a great trip no matter where you stay.
James, we stayed in an agroturismo (farm house) near Montespertoli. We took day trips to Pisa, Vinci, Lucca, and San Gimignano we had a car. We took a day trip to Florence by train. Driving in Florence is not advisable. You could also stay in Florence and take day trips from there, you can take the train to Pisa, Lucca, Sienna, all under 2 hours. We prefer the countryside that is why we did not stay in Florence, and we are not art buff, so one full day was enough for us. Good luck!
Either Rick Steves' Italy guidebook or his book that is specific for "Florence and Tuscany" will be invaluable for helping you plan your trip. There is also lots of info on this site for specific questions (hotel, etc.)
For our trip to Tuscany last fall we picked up a rental car in Bologna and stayed in Lucca and Montepulciano. We took day trips around Tuscany from Montepulciano visiting Cortona, Pienza, Volterra, and other smaller towns in the region. We dropped the car off in Perugia and took the train to Orvieto--then on to Rome.
Tuscany is beautiful--you'll have a wonderful trip!
james,
This may help http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm
Lucca is an astonishing place, be possible to stay a few days there.Pisa and Florence could be done by train then, easy connection
There is a natural spa , just north and the Apuane Alps are close by very differnet scenery before heading to the more typical rolling argicultural areas .
You should do a tour of the Dolomites the most stunning mountains in europe.Belluno is a nice town right on the edge of the mountains
james,
As the others have suggested, the Italy Guidebook (or others that cover that area) will provide lots of answers to your questions. However, a few comments.....
As you've only got two weeks, my preference would be to use trains primarily as they're a much quicker and more efficient means to get around. Minimizing your travel times will allow more time for sightseeing. Use car rentals "strategically" to get to locations that are perhaps a bit distant or not well served by public transport.
I'd highly recommend staying in Florence a few days, but having a rental car parked during that time would be a waste of money. Also, you'd need to watch for the ZTL areas to avoid expensive tickets. Note that you'll need the compulsory IDP for driving in Italy.
If you're just going to see the Tower in Pisa, then a day trip would be good. My preference would be to spend more time in Lucca, Siena or other places in that area.
Happy travels!
THANK YOU EVERYONE. YOU HAVE BEEN A GREAT HELP.I know it is not the prime season but can anyone recommend a itenarary ? Are any of the wineries open ? Is Pisa worth it ? where are the memories ? I think the weather will be getting better (50's to 60's ) during the day, so I think the days may be nice. We don't fly to Athens until the last day or two in March. Should we go further south ?
Thanks to all whom give advice. RS has a great guide throughout all Europe but sometimes you get a little different perspective from someone who has possibly just been there.
Hi James,
Visit the Karen Brown website and purchase the inexpensive PDF of her Tuscany itineraries. No hotel recommendations or restaurant reviews. Just 20 pages of maps and suggested driving itineraries through Tuscany. She provides descriptions of the small towns (most not mentioned in other guides) so you can get an idea of which ones you want to visit.
In short, this guide is cheap and contains valuable info you will not find in RS guides -- or many others I've perused for that matter-- with no extraneous, duplicative accomodation info. I recommend it.
James: I must say that I thought Pisa was entirely worthwhile. We made a day trip of it out from Florence and didn't regret a moment. Is the Tower a tourist magnet? Absolutely. On the other hand, you need to walk through the town to get to it. And maybe it's just me, but I do take pleasure in seeing firsthand these European sites I've seen all my life in movies and on television. As for Tuscany, Siena was wonderful and serves as a good jumping off point to explore the entire region.
James, i totally agree with Brian about the tower of Pisa, we really enjoyed climbing all the way to the top, sure the area seems like a tourist trap, but still worth it to us!
I've never been to Pisa at a time the tower was open to climb - but it is still a worthwhile destination if it fits in your plans.
If you do go, don't ignore the baptistry! So many people go, stand to look at the tower with their back to the baptistry, and don't go in... shame... freaky amazing acoustics in there.
...and for a good hole-in-the-wall gastronomic adventure... as if walking back from the tower to the train station, when you enter the square approaching the station veer left, and walk past the station -- ~2-3 blocks down on the right is a place whose sign says in big letters "Mangi" (meaning 'eat'). Fast food Italian as interpreted by Italians... love it.
Please, please , please remember that while the Tower may be most recognizable structure in the Campo dei Miracoli, take the time to actually go inside the Duomo and the Baptistry. they are very beautiful.
Pisa is being discussed in the last few posts. Here's a prior discussion of why, in the opinion of some, Pisa is much more than just the Tower:
YOU GUYS ARE GREAT. This is what I am looking for. This is how you learn the real trip experience. What about other areas of Tuscany. Should we rent a villa or drive around and wait for a B&B to jump out at us. It sounds like this is part of the true aspect of traveling. What is a good area to focus on between March 19 - March 25 ? We love wine and countryside viewing, we will have a car with a GPS (just to keep us in the right direction). We are taking a train from Venice to Florence for a night then rent a car and travel thru Tuscany then later to Rome.
THANKS THANKS THANKS
James,
One of my favorite places in Tuscany
http://www.agriturismo.net/ambra-545/
The accomodations are wonderful, the couple who own
it, Fortunato and Gesselle, are warm and welcoming,
full of useful information
It has been in his family for over 400 years.
The location is perfect for exploring the Tuscan
Hills...1h Florence 45min Siena 1h20m San
Gimignano, all beautiful drives.
From here, you have access to several "Tuscan Wine
Roads". Most of the larger Vinters should be opened
this time of year...most of the small roadside ones
will be closed.
from here, head toward Montalcino,Pienza and Montepulciano. Explore this area and its' great wines before heading to Rome. Don't forget to stop
at Orvieto on your way to Rome.
Have a wonderful time!
Hi James, We rented an apartment in a farmhouse in Val d'Arno, about 30km south of Florence. This was the best of both worlds; a quiet apartment with a pool and other travelers to visit with, and a short drive or train ride into Florence. Small towns are nearby for farmer's market, supermarket, and the train station. If you drive into Florence, there is parking under the main train station. Have fun.
James, a few years ago my family stayed for a week in an apartment in Montepulciano. It was within the walled part of the town, high on the hill, with a drop dead view over the countryside. It was a great base for day trips, and within the town itself there are many wineries that you can walk to (you don't use your car once inside the walls of the town). I would recommend visiting Montepulciano at least as a day trip.
I liked Pisa a lot, though not due to the tower. It's a great town to walk around in, little discoveries everywhere.
Florence should be manageable this time of year. It can get really crowded, hot, and dirty in the height of the tourist season, but off-season it can be great.
You'll love Tuscany. Have a great trip.
In 2007 we stayed in Florence at the Palazzo Gamba...an amazing apartment hotel a stone's throw from the Duomo.We stayed in the Michelangelo suite and our windows opened right onto the iconic red dome.I've been to Florence many times but this was our best location and an apatment to boot!
Mary,Ontario,Canada.
