Tuscany

With car or no car?

No car… willing to find drivers or oublic transportation

The little town of Radda in Chianti is a great base for visiting castle & abbey wineries in the Chianti area, but in my opinion, you really need a car. Here'a a map showing proximity of several relative to Radda in Chianti...

https://maps.app.goo.gl/UqKGavj1nst4FVD39

Radda in Chianti hotel recommendation: Palazzo Leopoldo

We spent a wonderful week a Castello di Verrazzano which is near Greve. It was a great home base. Greve is a nice town, a little bigger than Radda. It is not a hill town and does not have a ZTL.

We had a car and I can't figure out how you could visit the region without one. Bus service is limited and I'm thinking a private driver would get expensive in a hurry.

Thank you both for your information.
It is helpful.
What are your thoughts of Siena as base?

Is side trip to Cinque Terra a possibility?
Or thoughts on splitting time 4 days in Tuscany
& 3/4 days on Adriatic Italy?
Suggestions please…
Thank you!

Anyone spend time in Lucca in Tuscany??

Last year our daughter spent 3 weeks in Lucca with her husband and their two young children. They love Lucca!!! They loved walking along the walls, riding bikes on the walls, and just relaxing in Lucca, and "living like locals". They got to know some cafe and restaurant owners quite well. Some of the owners gave our grandchildren gifts when they left. We plan on spending about 4 nights in Lucca next year.

They had a rental car and also did daytrips from Lucca, such as to Pisa, Volterra, San Gimignano, etc.

Thank you so much!
Because we are w/o children… we are interesting in wine tour or cooking class.
Did they stay in walked city or outside?

Without a car, since you've been to Florence before, the only option I'd consider is Siena. Not a small village, but a small city, but cute it is and it is also the transportation hub of the Province of Siena, which has plenty of cute villages, reachable by bus. Make sure you travel by bus on weekdays, because on weekends bus service is scant to non existent.

Airline travel from Cleveland, Ohio to Florence.
We like Business Class.
Checked United pricing was way too much!

Any suggestions to reduce our air cost?
Anyone hear of Le Compaigna Airlines to Paris?
( paris to Florence can be European Airlines)
Thanks!

Malpensa (the airport near Milan) is usually much cheaper for your arrival. It’s about three hours by train from the airport to Florence.

Try United Economy Plus.

Our daughter and her family stayed inside the walls. They rented an apartment. They had a rental car which they parked just outside the walls.

Thanks!
Which city did your daughter stay?

To the OP, they stayed in Lucca.

rcohn36188, you can pretty much overlook any location suggestion above which involves having to have a car. The smaller the village, the more difficult it will be to get around. As well, if you're looking at tours to wineries and rambles 'round the rural Tuscan countryside, you'll want to be in a location large enough to offer those services.

Personally, I wouldn't want to locate anywhere that doesn't have rail service for the reason Roberto gave you: bus services can be sketchy on weekends/holidays. If you prefer not to stay in Florence - an excellent transport hub for the Tuscan region - I'd go with his suggestion for Siena. I wouldn't try to day-trip the CT from there though; too far.

My daughter studied abroad in Sienna for 4 weeks last summer and absolutely loved it!

They did several day trips...San Giamigano, Pisa, Cinque Terre along with wineries and a cooking class.