Ugh--need your help! Please...so in three and a half days...trying to do some Truffle Hunting (San Miniato), Visit to Florence to see key highlights, visit to San Gigmanano, and take in some of the county side. Where is a good place to stay to be able to explore and make the best of this visit? Really don't want to stay IN Florence due to the traffic. Found a B and B in either Chianti (Panzano) or San Gigmanano. Suggestions?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16140 posts
I presume you have a car for all of this.
Given what you want to visit, I would try to find a place in the Alta Val d'Elsa (Upper Elsa river valley). The Elsa river is a tributary of the Arno river which flows from more or less south of Colle Val d'Elsa and Monteriggioni, and after going through Poggibonsi, Certaldo, Castel Fiorentino, ends up in the river Arno between Empoli and San Miniato.
Since you intend to visit Florence, San Gimignano, San Miniato, and maybe Siena and the Chianti, you should stay in the upper Elsa Valley close enough to the freeway which connects Florence to Siena.
Poggibonsi area would be logistically perfect, but I've never liked Poggibonsi much. Too big, flat and industrial to be considered a bucolic Tuscan village although a perfect spot for your grocery shopping needs, since it has a sizeable shopping center and is also the transportation hub, in case you decide to visit Florence by bus or even by train (the railway Siena-Florence goes along the Elsa Valley and passes through Poggibonsi-Certaldo-Castel Fiorentino-Empoli).
I would look for the towns close to Poggibonsi, which are more 'bucolic' looking and quaint. Such as (from South to North):
Monteriggioni
Colle Val d'Elsa
San Gimignano,
Barberino Val d'Elsa
Certaldo
You can also consider the Chianti area, but Panzano is kind of too far to the East, and it will make it longer to get to San Miniato or even Florence. If you want to stay in the Chianti try to stay closer to San Donato. If you have a decent place near San Gimignano that'd be great.
Posted by
OP
29 posts
https://www.poderefelceto.com/en/home-2/
This is the location we currently have on hold...other options getting back to me are:
https://www.lapresura.it (Greve in Chianti)
Agriturismo Momoraia (San Gigmanano)http://www.mormoraia.it/
All beautiful ...comes down to key location to maximize visit
Posted by
OP
29 posts
https://www.poderefelceto.com/en/home-2/
This is the location we currently have on hold...other options getting back to me are:
https://www.lapresura.it (Greve in Chianti)
Agriturismo Momoraia (San Gigmanano)
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16140 posts
I will give you the driving times so you get an idea. All locations are good and not much different.
La Presura is obviously best to drive to Florence (and if you like golfing). It's the start of the Chianti Area. Actually a friend of mine used to live walking distance from it at Ugolino. From my house in Florence it would be just minutes.
La Mormoraia is more central to the places you mentioned but a bit of extra drive to Florence, although you could also drive to nearby Certaldo and take the train to Florence from there.
Il Podere Felceto is great for the Chianti and Siena isn't far. It's a bit of extra drive to all other destinations you mention.
See what is the best balance for you between driving times and amenities.
Note that all roads of Tuscany will be well paved (except for maybe the driveway to the farmhouse) but for the most part very curvy (hopefully nobody suffers car sickness) and not that wide (barely two lanes with no shoulder), so keep and eye on the road and drive with caution.
Driving times:
from PODERE FELCETO:
Florence 1+ hour
Siena 1+ hour
San Gimignano 1+ hour
San Miniato 1h30m
from LA PRESURA
Florence up to 30 min
Siena 1h20m
San Gimignano 1 hour
San Miniato 1 h (via Florence then freeway from Firenze Sud A1 entrance in Ponte a Ema)
From LA MORMORAIA
Florence 1h20min
Siena 50 min
San Gimignano 15 min
San Miniato 45 min