We are planning a 2-week trip to Italy. We have 3 days in Tuscan wine/hill country. Yes, I know that's not much time, hence my question. I would love to hear your recommendations for the "best of" given our time crunch. By the way, we love wine and are certified foodies. Thanks in advance!
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
These are the recommendations of the person here who has the most experience in that area:http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/tuscany.htmhttp://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/ctlitaly_hilltowns.htmhttp://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/hilltowns.htmThese are all the posts made here on Tuscany hill towns:click hereThese are all the posts using the words Tuscany wine country:click here
Posted by
PNW
194 posts
We loved Montalcino. Tons of wineries with wine tours (every hotel has the map of all wineries and will make recommendations and reservations), the famous Brunello, along with excellent restaurants. Keep in mind that Montalcino is very small, but very close to Pienza and Montepulciano (other good hill towns to base out of). We stayed at the Hotel Vecchia Oliviera, at the gate of Montalcino, with an excellent breakfast. Check it out on Trip Advisor. You'll love the area.
Posted by
Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
606 posts
I'm in Tuscany right now. Will you have a car? If you do, my recommendation is to avoid the larger hill towns as they are PACKED. We tried to go to Cortona and couldn't find a parking place within miles of the city gates. We tried to go to Montepulciano, finally found a great free parking place, then were told we couldn't go into the city...it was "closed" because they're filming some vampire movie there this month.
So we ended up spending a few days doing the smaller towns in the area: Pienza, Monticchiello, and Bagno Vignoni. We LOVED these towns. Few tourists, easy access, easy walking. Beautiful old stone buildings. Pienza is on a high hill but is pretty much flat once you get up there. Not much climbing. Monticchiello is a bit more hilly, but small enough to walk every street in a couple of hours, though we stayed longer because we just loved the place. Bagno Vignoni is pedestrian only, but we parked just 50 meters from town and walked in on level ground. The center of the town is a large thermal spring. Nice little place.
Yes, Montalcino was great too. I did a wine tasting in the Fortezza there, 3 tastes for 12 Euros. It was fun, though I must say the Brunello was only good, not great. I'd take a Spanish Rioja any time, but that's another subject.
My bottom line is to avoid the touristy, crowded, hectic larger towns and discover the easy pleasures of the smaller, less crowded places.