My husband and I will be renting a car at the Leonardo Di Vinci airport in Rome and driving to our lodging in Castellina in Chianti on July 4th. We'd like at least a part of the drive south of Siena to be scenic and off the highway, making a stop in either Montepulciano or Montalcino and maybe a winery as well. I have your Tuscany guide book that outlines your Brunello wine country drive and your Heart of Tuscany drive, but I don't know which to do. We plan to be on the road by 10am and hope to be at our B&B by 7pm with stops along the way. This is our first trip to Europe. What driving route and which town stops do you suggest for us?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16203 posts
Take the Via Cassia (SR2).
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Roberto has given you a very pretty route to travel. We did this drive last year.
Towns along the way. Viterbo, Bolsena, (good stop for lunch)Bangi San Filippo and Montalcino.
What I worry about, is if you're coming off an international flight,
It's like driving under the influence.
Something you should read before driving in Italy. Do download their PDF. By doing so could save you from receiving tickets in the mail after you return home.
Make sure you have an IDP (translation of your drivers license)
Available at AAA $24.00
Save your winery visits for the remainder of your days in Tuscany,
The limit in Italy, .05, is much lower than here.
https://www.italybeyondtheobvious.com/dont-mess-with-ztl-zones
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We do have the drivers license from AAA and we will already have spent 4 days in Rome before the drive. So Montalcino is the better town to visit instead of Montelpulciano? And should we drive along SR2 right out of Rome or start on the highway? Where is the scenic part of the Val D'Orcia drive, before or after Montalcino? Once we get to our B&B in Castellina, we have 2 more days. We plan to visit wineries and towns North of there but not too far of a drive away one day and then Siena the next day.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Just a note, since you say "your" guide book and "your" drives - Rick Steves himself does not frequent this forum (although his staff does). We are all just "members of the traveling public," like yourself.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
The SR2 is the scenic drive thru the Val d'Orcia. It takes you west of Montepulciano by about 40 minutes.
Other villages you will pass thru are Bango Vignoni, and San Ouirico d'Orcia and close to Pienza. All of these villages are south of Montalcino. Which if you want to visit on the way you'd turn off on the SP14. It's about an 1 hr 25 min from Castellina.
Two great wineries in Greve are Vignamaggio and Verrazzano.
In Radda, Castello di Volpaia.
You'll pick up the SR2 heading NE out of the airport on I think it's the A90. Edit, should say head NW out of the airport.
Posted by
Seattel, Washington, USA
125 posts
It will be a long day. Drive to your hotel and then wander around the town. take a tour of a winery around the town the next day. Ask the hotel for recommendations. there are a lot of wonderful wineries in the area.
enjoy
John