Looking at some coaching for our trip. Traveling for wife's 50th and with 2 older teenage girls. Current thought is arrive in Rome and train up to Florence for 2 nights, rent a car and base in Montepulciano and relax and tour around Tuscany(Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Bal d'Orcia etc) eat & drink and enjoy the countryside. Thinking this would be for 4 nights and then go back to Florence and drop off the rental car and head to Rome for 3 nights and fly out the next day. Struggling that we will be in Florence Christmas Eve and the unknown of dinner availability that day and currently traveling on Christmas Day to Montepulciano and dinner availability there. I could add a day in Florence and subtract from Rome so Christmas Eve/Day would be in Florence. Holiday travel adds a bit of ambiguity for me. Thoughts? Also, anyone know if any wineries would be open?
Posted by
Rural Georgia
2143 posts
We were in Tuscany near Christmas in 2015. It is a wonderful time to be there.
Your plan is basically sound, but I have a few suggestions. I'd base closer to the center of Tuscany if you want to visit the places you listed. Montepulciano is in southern Tuscany. I suggest you stay at an agriturismo near Siena. You could reach Lucca much more easily and could make Montepulciano a day trip. You'll also find you won't have nearly as much time as you think. 4 nights is three days, you can't pack all that in.
Check Castillo di Verrazano near Greve for their holiday schedule. You could have a wonderful wine tour followed by a terrific food and wine tasting for lunch. Be aware this will take up the better part of a day, though.
Driving in Tuscany is easy. Just observe speed limits. I found ZTLs well marked and easily avoided. The rule of thumb is anywhere within the walls of hill towns is ZTL.
Posted by
New York, NY
1585 posts
Obrien - Are you open to stay in an Agriturismo during your time in Tuscany ? You would enjoy the country side better.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
We are open for adjustment - have read some advice about staying near Montepulciano as a good central spot but i will take a look at Agruturismo and Airbnb's. One of my main concerns is Christmas eve/day and making sure it is still a special day for the family.
Posted by
New York, NY
1585 posts
Obrien - These Agriturismos are very close to Montepulciano. Take a look if they peeked your interest. They make great lodging for families. You wouldn't have to worry about finding a place for dinner on Christmas. You can base yourself there to tour the other Tuscan towns.
https://www.agriturismonobile.it/
Wineries in Montepulciano:
Gattavecchi Winery
$$Tuscan restaurant
Address: Via di Collazzi, 74, 53045 Montepulciano SI, Italy
Reservations: cantinagattavecchi.com
Phone: +39 0578 757110
Posted by
3122 posts
I'm curious whether the restaurants in the smaller towns that are open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are popular with locals, or mainly with people from outside Tuscany who are spending the holidays there. It must have been 25-30 years ago, but a friend who lived in Tuscany told me that Christmas was observed as a very quiet, family holiday. There was even a Tuscan proverb that translated something like "Christmas with your own; Easter with whomever you like." Evidently that tradition has undergone some change?