Best Tuscany Hilltown for 2 nights stay with daughter

Posted by bellastar on 03/08/15 05:33 PM

Hello and thank you ahead for all your wonderful information here on this forum.
I have previously posted about my upcoming trip to visit my daughter who is studying abroad and now I have
most of my itinerary planned but I still would like to find out a suggestion on which Tuscan hilltown to stay for 2 nights that can be fairly easily reached by either train or bus from Rome. Here is our itinerary so far

Fri May 1 arrive Roma stay 2 nights
Sun May 3 leave for a 4day/3night tour (I know tours are frowned upon sometimes on this forum but we wanted to see a lot in a short time so I caved. We will be going to Siena, San G, Lucca, Pienza, Montpulciano, and Cinque Terre, Carrera.
Wed May 5 in pm arrive back in Roma
Thurs, and Fri May 6 and 7...this is where we would like to stay in a small Tuscan hill town, we want a nice relaxing 2 night stay..Orvieto is one possibility but we are open to all suggestions, we also need accommodation suggestions to go along with the Hill town in the mid-price range. Also although we love Lucca we prefer not to stay there for those 2 nights. So please suggest your favs!
Sat May 8-Mon May 10 back to Roma
Tue May 11 leave for us

Posted by Larry

Carmel, CA, USA

03/08/15 06:10 PM

2455 posts

bellastar, actually I think a good tour with a good guide can be a great way to see a lot of places in a short time, especially if you don't want to drive yourselves. Early May should be a lovely time to enjoy the Tuscan countryside and visit these towns. All the places listed are wonderful, so I'm sure you'll have a great few days. And, with a tour you won't have to plan all your own logistics, won't get lost, won't have to search for parking spots, and won't get traffic tickets! I hope you will have enough time in the Cinque Terre to visit several of the five towns and do a little hiking. You will likely encounter places you want to return to on a future trip.
As for a hilltown visit of a couple nights, I think Orvieto would be an excellent choice, for several reasons: (1) it is a beautiful ancient hilltown, with lots to see and do, including a gorgeous Duomo and facade, with the Signorelli Chapel; underground tours; good shopping and restaurants; and the possibility of also visiting the tiny nearby town of Civita di Bagnoregio, if the bus schedule blesses you; (2) it is actually in Umbria, not Tuscany, and you will visit several Tuscan towns on your tour; (3) it is just a direct 70 minute train ride from Roma Termini, plus a quick, fun funicular ride up to the old town. I enjoyed the affordable small but modernized Hotel Virgilio right on the Duomo square, friendly, helpful staff and a very nice breakfast. Try to get an early start to Orvieto, to maximize your time there.

Posted by Gretchen

Andover, MA, USA

03/08/15 07:59 PM

559 posts

Hi!

I agree that Orvieto would be a great spot!

Enjoy your trip.

Posted by Roberto da Firenze ⚜

San Francisco Bay Area (USA)

03/08/15 08:24 PM

15156 posts

Since you go to Tuscany with the Tour, you could go to Umbria. Orvieto or Assisi for example.

Posted by Robert

Tampa, FL, USA

03/08/15 08:27 PM

1054 posts

Since you'll be traveling from Rome, I would also go with Orvieto for your 2 nights. You can easily visit the town in a day. There are some winery nearby if that intrests you. You can also use the bus from Orvieto and visit the lake town of Bolsena on Lake Bolsena. Or if you try you can use the bus to get to Bagnoregio then to Civita.

Posted by bellastar OP

03/19/15 06:23 PM

18 posts

I am down to the last details of our trip and would like more advice: specifically if it is worth it to leave our tour and get off at the last stop before Rome which would be Lucca, we could only stay one or two nights before taking the train to Orvieto, we would then stay there for 1 or 2 nights depending on how many we choose to stay in Lucca before going back to Rome, so is it worth the extra train ride and expense to see more of Lucca or should we continue back to Rome where our tour ends and then go to Orvieto the next morning for 2 nights? We are also open to change from Orvieto to another location close to Rome for our last 2 days but we prefer to stay north of Rome.