Looking to get some ideas on places to visit on our second trip to Tuscany. We are staying at Agriturismo Poggiacolle outside of San Gimignano. On our last visit we covered Florence, Sienna, Volterra, Pisa, Montepulciano and Monteriggioni. Hoping to find some "smaller" more quaint places to visit this time around. I have been doing a lot of reading but would like some personal opinions from folks who have been to some new places. We will be there this time for six days. Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
1615 posts
Last fall, we greatly enjoyed the Ceramics Museum in Montelupo, about an hour's drive north from you. We also loved Pistoia, especially the small Cappella del Tau. And the Duomo and Baptistery and other stripey churches.
Posted by
Boise, ID, USA
2333 posts
Of the places I've been to and you haven't, Pienza is really worth a visit (though definitely well-discovered).
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7175 posts
Not necessarily smaller more quaint places but all well worth visiting - Prato, Pistoia, Cortona, Arezzo, Lucca, San Miniato. A lot of people aren't particularly impressed with Lucca but it was one of my favorite towns in Tuscany (after Siena and Florence). I'm assuming you'll have a car, otherwise some of these would be a pretty long train/bus ride.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Yes, we will have a car. I was looking at Lucca. Glad to hear you enjoyed.
Posted by
278 posts
We enjoyed Arezzo and Anghiari last year, our second trip. Haven’t been to Lucca.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7175 posts
Arezzo and Cortona are both wonderful to explore and close enough together to be able to do 1/2 day in each on one trip. The same goes for Prato and Pistoia. All of these are particularly good if you enjoy art in situ as they all have nice churches/cathedrals with paintings and sculptures and the towns themselves have wonderful Renaissance architecture, if that is of any interest.
Posted by
Laval, Québec, Canada
336 posts
Montalcino, go on top of the fortress for superb views of the surroundings.
15 minutes away, Sant’Antimo abbey is superb.
Monte Oliveto maggiore Abbey is also great.
For amazing pictures, san galgano abbey is a delight. No roof, part ruin. Unique.
Also, take the sp146 road between san quirico d’orcia and montepulciano( the most tuscan road of tuscan roads), and 2miles after san quirico, stop for classic pictures of cappella di vitaleta and podere belvedere, 2 tuscan classics.
Posted by
11677 posts
On the hillside of Cortona, you will find the Le Celle of San Francisco where St. Francis of Assisi lived in this natural setting. Very worth the trip there.
While in Cortona, drive a little south to Lake Trasimeno too.