Tuscany/Chianti

Posted by jgoldberg1510 on 10/13/24 06:37 PM

HI
can you please help me how to divide 6 nights leaving and returning to/from Florence and not spending any of these nights in Florence. We also do not want Rome or Venice as we have been here. We are interested in countryside, wine tasting, touring vineyards, walking around town, delicious food.

Leave Florence by train to Lucca
Spend 2 nights in Lucca (get rental car here even though so scared to drive abroad)
Spend 2 nights in Volterra or San Gimi
2 nights in Siena or chianti farmhouse or Montepulciano

return car in Siena and train back to florence. I am to afraid to drive in Florence.

Can you please help how to divide this up to get the most out of what we are looking to experience. we also are looking for 4 or 5 start accomadations too.
Thanks

Posted by hiredman

San Diego, California, USA

10/14/24 07:40 AM

1058 posts

Given your hesitancy to drive I would suggest staying Lucca and traveling to Siena by train and spending some time there before renting a car. Renting a car in Siena will both get you out more into the countryside and eliminate the drop off charge for renting in one place and dropping off in another.

The other thing I would suggest you look into is organized tours and/or a driver. If you are wine tasting you need to be very careful of driving as the tolerance for drinking and driving in Italy (and Europe in general is very low) and if you're already concerned about driving and exploring areas you have no idea where you are this seems like a poor mix. Guides also tend to have better local knowledge and can make reservations (often required to visit wineries) after discussing what you are interested in seeing.

If you still want to drive, or to keep that option open, be sure to get an International Drivers License here in the states before you head over to Italy. For years this requirement was ignored in Italy but it is increasingly being enforced even at the rental agencies themselves.

Have a great trip, rural Tuscany is as beautiful as advertised,
=Tod

Posted by jgoldberg1510 OP

10/15/24 02:59 AM

17 posts

thanks this is so helpful!

Posted by bethb

10/17/24 02:54 PM

119 posts

We just did a day tour wine tasting with Fabrizio at Ciao Fabry Tours. We were staying outside Montalcino, he picked us up at our accommodations and drove us around for the day, visiting 2 Brunello wineries and a sheep farm for lunch. He does all kinds of day tours for wine tasting, city sites, and even cooking classes, and picks up across a ride range of locations from Florence and throughout much of Tuscany. I would not hesitate to book him for one or more days if you are worried about driving. His English is great, he has fantastic local knowledge and connections, reasonable prices for what all we did, and he was super fun. I actually wish we had booked a cooking class with him as well!

https://www.ciaofabrytours.com