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Advice for Florence Trip - Chianti or Southern Tuscany day trip

Posted by on

We will be in Florence for 5 days in June as part of a longer Italy/Paris trip. Family of 5 kids ages 17, 15, 11. I am the only one who drinks wine. So far here is my general itinerary - would welcome recommendations.

Day 1 - arrive in Florence via train mid morning from Rome, walking tour
Day 2 - Art history - Uffizi, Accademia Museums
Day 3 - Day trip to either Chianti or Southern Tuscany towns
Day 4 - day time free to see other Florence sites, evening in home cooking class
Day 5 - Cinque Terre day trip

I am wondering if you have thoughts on which the family would enjoy more - a day trip to Chianti or to Southern Tuscany which is a bit more driving. I for sure want to do Cinque Terre which I know is also a long trip.

EDIT - we are staying in an apartment in Florence. Arriving from Rome on a train. Will not have a car but we figured on arranging a driver for day trips.

Thank you!

Posted by
2213 posts

You mention driving, will you have a car? That changes what you can do. Are you driving from Rome? Will you be staying in Florence proper? If you won't have a car, you'll have to take public transportation which will limit destinations and flexibility.

If you have a car, then I recommend a day driving the Chiantigiana Road (SR222). There are great little towns to explore. An alternative would be to drive over to San Gimignano and Volterra. That's 1 1/2 hours each way, about the same amount of time it would take to get to Montepulciano.

CT in June could be a day trip nightmare. June is slammed anyway. If you leave early from Florence, you'll arrive just as the cruise ship day trippers show up. Trails will be crowded, the towns will be packed and there's really nothing else to do.

Posted by
1586 posts

Hey Jessica,

Why not just enjoy Tuscany for 5 days. Going to Cinque Terre is such a long drive for a day's trip. Stay in a Tuscan Farmhouse or Villa and rent a car so you can drive to the other towns. Base yourself in either Sienna, Montepulciano or Lucca to explore Tuscany. You can take the train to visit Florence. On your itinerary you listed arriving mid morning in Rome, take a train immediately from Rome to Florence.

http://www.borgoivicelli.com/en/

https://www.florenceandtuscanytours.com/en/

http://www.limousineflorence.com/web/

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you! We have an apartment in Florence so that will need to be our home base. We can do day trips with a driver and/or tour. If we cut out Cinque Terre then that gives us 2 days to explore other areas in Tuscany.

Posted by
16193 posts

I would take the SR222 Via chiantigiana from Florence to Castellina. Then from Castellina I would descend down to the Alta Val D’Elsa (Upper Elsa Valley) and visit Monteriggioni then San Gimignano (and maybe even Colle Val D’Elsa between the two). If you have an early start you can do all with a car.

Or BETTER YET, do the above but in the exact reverse order. That way you will be doing the Chianti hills in the afternoon instead of the morning. Most wineries are closed for tasting in the morning, and besides, Italians frown upon those who drink alcohol before noon.

The loop above described is a 3.5 hour drive (without stopping). However to that you need to add the time necessary for visiting the places. A couple of hours each town is sufficient (even less for the Chianti villages). The Chianti road is just a drive, but allow a little time for at least one winery.

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