We will be traveling to Tuscany in January 2011 for a week with our two sons, ages 22 and 20. We will be staying about 15 miles south of Florence. Our plans at this point are to travel to Rome for two days and spend one day in Florence. I would like to balance this with some visits to some smaller towns in Tuscany. I'm leaning towards Sienna, Volterra and San Gimignano, based on Rick Steves' Italy Guide,but I'm open to suggestions. Thank you!
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1449 posts
You can get all kinds of opinions on this, so here's mine. With only a week time is pretty short. I'd suggest spending 3 days visiting Rome and 2 visiting Florence, with visits to hilltowns on the time that is left. But my preference is to see more at an unhurried pace that allows time to relax and enjoy coffee in a cafe, people-watching, resting the feet (standing for 12 hours is more tiring than you might think!), etc. The day you have planned right now in Florence, for example, might be shorter than you think [INVALID] ask yourself what time it is by the time you all have breakfast and drive to Florence (beware of the traffic limitation zones, BTW, or you can get a hefty fine). It's probably 10:30am or later, add in some time for a panini at lunch and gelato and your actual sightseeing time that day may be less than you've expected.
Also with limited time (and I'd call 2 or 3 days in a city limited) then you might want to look into the public tours RS mentions in his book. You meet at some landmark and get a guide to point out what you're seeing, the significance of it in place/time, etc. I've always enjoyed the walking tours I've done in various cities and recommend them.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11780 posts
Kathy: I think one day going to three or four hill towns would satisfy your curiosity and give you a feel for the countryside. You can do this on your own or with a tour. There are some nice ideas for drives on Slow Travel. Some towns we likes that are easy to string together are Montalcino, San Quirico D'Orcia, and Pienza. San Quirico D'Orcia has a pretty significant riposo (break/siesta) so nothing is doing there from 1:00-3:00, but at 3:00 everyone comes out and it is quite charming. We did not think Montepulciano was worth our time, but it was very foggy the day we went there, so no vistas. You can easily sidetrip to Bagno Vignoni, and might enjoy a dip in the not springs there. Google it -- it's pretty cool. Also loved Volterra, but it's a little off the path of the "heart" of Tuscany. Roberto Bechi of Tours by Roberto can put together an itinerary that might make the most of your time. You cannot really "do" Siena and other towns in one day IMHO. And although we enjoyed seeing Siena, we didn't love it as much as we thought we would. It was very busy and business-like in many respects, not the "Tuscan experience" we were seeking. That was in the smaller towns.
In Rome, we had a private tour with Francesca Caruso. Since she charges by the hour not by the person, for 4 people she would be a value. And she will customize to your interests. We met at the Colosseo, then toured the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Her tour laid a wonderful backdrop for the religious and historical sites we saw later. Consider booking her for four hours. You will be thrilled!
Posted by
Dallas, TX, USA
1170 posts
Tuscany--Volterra, San Gimgnano, Siena, Monteriggioni, Montepulciano, Pienza.
Umbria--Orvieto, Assisi, Cortona, Norcia
Posted by
Boston, MA, USA
262 posts
We really enjoyed the SR222 corridor with Greve, Castellina and Siena all on one road. Great places and lots to do.
Posted by
Auburn, Washington, USA
515 posts
Lucca, Pisa, San Gimingano, Siena, Orveito, Volterra, Spoleto, San Marino, Chiani Region, Assisi. There are so many places to see.
Posted by
Lake Forest, CA, USA
1633 posts
Kathy, I'm assuming you are driving. Volterra and San Gimignano are the easiest to drive into/out of and easiest to park. However, Volterra takes a while to get to[INVALID]furthest from the autostrada. We just recently spent a day in Volterra. You might be able to combine Volterra and San G in one day. Sienna is the most difficult to drive to and park. If you go to Sienna, follow Rick Steves' directions to the soccer stadium parking.
Sienna is, to me, a small city. Lots to see, the piazza, Duomo & Baptistry, and lots of shops. It takes a full day to visit. My next choice would be Volterra. Some interesting sites and a few shops. San G was too touristy for me.
My favorite, after two trips to Italy, is Orvieto. It's right off the autostrada, and has plenty of easy parking. It is quaint (lovely streets) with a beautiful Duomo and shops.
Have fun making lifetime memories with your family.