I am traveling to Greve in Chianti for a wedding in October and want to stay in a smaller town for a few days before heading to the wedding. I've visited Italy a few years and visited Siena, Cinque Terre, Lucca, Orvieto and Florence. I'd like to stay somewhere that can serve as a home base for day trips as well. The options I've found so far are Cortona, Montepulciano and Pienza. We will be renting a car so train convenience isn't an issue. Are any of these locations preferred for a central location and for a few nights stay?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15165 posts
Cortona, Montepulciano and Pienza may or may not be good choice depending on where you want to visit while you are in those home bases.
Cortona is decentralized in Eastern Tuscany. It's an ok location to visit the province of Arezzo (incl. Arezzo), Eastern Siena Province and the province of Perugia in Umbria
Montepulciano and Pienza are near each other. They are good choices to visit the Eastern/southern portion of the province of Siena (Siena, Val d'Orcia) and the provinces of Arezzo and Perugia.
Montepulciano and Pienza aren't however very close to the freeway, therefore if you can find accommodations in the area, but closer to the freeway, you will have more locations within easy reach.
Another good very central location is along the Siena-Florence freeway in the Alta Val D'Elsa (Upper Elsa Valley). That's the area near Monteriggioni/Colle Val'Elsa/Poggibonsi/Barberino.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
I will throw Arezzo into the pool of attractive hill towns as well. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?
Posted by
OP
2 posts
I'd like to check out a few wineries and maybe drive to some of the smaller towns I missed on my last trip. The person I'm traveling with has never been to Italy so I'd like to show him a Tuscan hill town but I don't necessarily want to repeat the same locations I've visited previously. After the wedding we are headed to Florence for a few days before flying to Munich, so a nice relaxing start to the trip may be nice.
Posted by
Coronado
6 posts
I'd stay in an agriturisimo in the Montalcino area of Tuscany. The towns you mention are the possible day trips from your home base.