Ok Tuscany experts, First trip to area, (have visited Venice, LC and Rome) Traveling in late April 2018, have 9 nights.
Will arrive in Florence by air late afternoon.
Plan now: 4 nights Florence, gives us 3 full days
Options being considered: (1) Day 5 Take bus to Siena 2 nights . Take day tour from Siena to southern Tuscany. Then rent car in Siena and journey to Chianti Stay nights in area 3 nights. Next day return car to Florence airport travel home. Noon Flight.
This alternative limits driving, give us evenings in Siena.
(2) Or Day 5 rent car at Florence airport, drive to southern Tuscany stay ??? for 2 nights. See Siena on day trip, Then stay 3
nights in Chianti area as in Plan 1.
A few facts: we love history, good food and wine and meeting people, most of our European travel has been in cities, so walking and trains rather than driving. I want this to to be more relaxing trip- especially after Florence. Am thinking late April will be less crowded than May.
Any opinions??? Thanks in advance
Posted by
22 posts
We like to stay in each location at least 3 nights if possible, so what we did last time was 3 nights in Florence, then pick up rental car at FLR and stay near Siena for 5 nights. During that time we did day trips everywhere. Then we drove to the coast for 3 nights, then back to FLR to drop off the car and one last night in Florence.
This spring, we'll pick up the car at FLR, spend 3 nights near Lucca, 4 nights near Panzano, 5 nights near Siena (to cover what we missed to the south and revisit some favorites) and two last nights in Florence.
We initially considered taking the bus to Siena on our first trip, prior to picking up the rental car, but thought it would be easier just picking up the car at FLR. The place we stayed near Siena was close enough to take a cab to Siena for dinner if we wanted to rather than driving ourselves, but we actually ended up staying close to home after touring all day.
Of your two options, and if you don't mind moving so much, I'd probably opt for the first option if you don't want to drive too much. With your second option, I'd probably pick one spot that is rather centrally located to what you want to target around Siena/Chianti and stay 5 nights (vs. 2 nights and 3 nights).
Just my 2 cents ... Really depends on your own personal preferences.
Posted by
Upstate NY
99 posts
We are headed home tomorrow from a similar trip to what you described. We flew into Florence, spent 3 nights right in the city center. Hired a driver for a day trip to Chianti (Greve, Panzano, lovely lunch at a vineyard, San Gimignano). Driver dropped us at the Hertz rental in Siena, we picked up the car and headed to Montalcino for the night, next day toured Montalcino, the drove to Pienza and other stops, ended up in Montepulciano for 2 nights. Then drove through the beautiful Val D’Orcia to Siena where we stayed 2 nights. Drove back through the Chianti towns, stopped at Castellina in Chianti as well as lunch at Antinori (but no tour). Dropped off car in Florence, had a wonderful last dinner and early flight in the am.
Posted by
Boston, MA, USA
262 posts
Lostinspace did you like Castellina? We stayed there one year and really loved it, it's a very underrated town
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Lost in space:
Could you share where you hired the driver?
Thanks