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In-laws in Tuscany

Hi group! I could really use some help directing my in-laws to a place to coordinate group tours from Florence to see Tuscany (do wine tasting, cooking classes, etc).

We'll all be in the South of France for a wedding, and I (as a 40 year old who travels) told my mother-in-law and her partner that they'd only be a few hours from TUSCANY, and she lit up, and now I need to make that happen for her.

I'm a great planner, have been to Tuscany, but failed to consider that getting around with a rental car in a foreign country might not be as easy for a couple in their late-60s, mid-70s as it is for us. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about them trying to navigate their way from a hotel/rental to a cathedral. And how would they find a good place to eat without getting ripped off? I can't in good conscious just leave them to sort it out.

They're going to need to do guided tours, and they're perfectly fine with that. I'm seeking help to see if they should plant in Florence and do group day trips from there (with who?), or get a driver straight from the Florence airport and stay in Siena or a small town (would be my preference for them), and also do guided day trips from there (also, with who).

If you or anyone you know has toured a good bit of Tuscany as part of a group or groups, please reach out . Thanks in advance!

Posted by
16165 posts

Where in south France? Tuscany is not that close. From Provence to Tuscany it’s at least 7 hours by car. Like from Santa Fe to Phoenix. If you attempt the same by train, for example from Nice, it’s considerably longer.
And where are they going after Florence? To rent a car in France and drop it in Italy there are one way rental drop off fees of 500 to 600€. Going by train is cheaper if one doesn’t mind the multiple train changes and the many hours on the train.

Posted by
7965 posts

Month and year? Tuscany is very crowded and very hot in the summer. I mean exhaustingly hot, and drive-around-like-the-mall-at-Christmas to find a parking space in major hill towns. I would pay extra for American-style air conditioning. We don't even like pools, but we went in the pool every day to recover before a very light dinner at the hotel bar. (Current age 73)

I agree that Tuscany has nothing to do with Provence. A tour might be good, but are you talking about a multi-day custom tour for 2 people? That will run into some money. We don't use tours, but it seems unlikely to me that you're going to find a cheese tour for one day, a wine tour for the next day, and a church tour for the next day, all lined up. Having been to Florence (four nights, art only, no Tuscany) and Tuscany separately, I think daily runouts from Florence would be a drag (to the point of limiting coverage of Tuscany), but that's a personal travel style opinion, not a "fact."

Posted by
522 posts

I wish I had “in-laws in Toscana”. I would impose on them annually.