Hello,
My husband and I are planning a 15 day trip to Tuscany in June.
So far I have booked places in Florence, Chianti and Siena.
When we depart from Siena we will have 4 more days until we get back in Florence to fly back home.
I would like some suggestions from where to go and spend a little more time before getting back in Florence.
Thank you in advance for any kind of help.
Silvia Bohlke
Where in Chianti?
You’ll need to be in Florence night before departure so you might want to save that stay for last and eliminate that 1 night stay at end
What time is your departure flight?
Lucca is a good choice or further south Pienza or Montepulciano
Will you have a car?
Thank you.
In Chiati we are staying at Castello Vicchiomaggio. We will have a car and our flight is at noon.
Silvia
Ok- so outside Greve in Chianti.
I am curious as to why you are staying in 3 locations all about 30 min drive from each other. You could easily visit Siena from Greve, Greve from Florence, Siena from Florence, etc.
I'd branch out a bit more and see more of the Tuscany area. Somewhere in Val D'Orcia like Pienza or Montepulciano.
I hope you are not planning to have a car in Florence- you won't want or need. Will just be a big headache.
Flight at noon is not going to US so arriving at FLR by 10 should be fine- I'd still want to be staying pretty close by. Stuff happens.
Are any of your lodgings changeable?
If so
Fly into Florence
Pick up car
Drive to furthest south location- Pienza or Montepulciano 4 nights
Then to Siena I guess or just day trip Siena from Greve
Greve 4
Lucca? 4
Drop car in Lucca- train to Florence 4 nights
Fly home
You might consider some time in Umbria rather than more Tuscany- Assisi, Spello, etc. As long as you have the car!
I would still plan to leave Florence for last. Although it’s a small airport with only European flights and all you need is to arrive 75 min prior to departure, however I don’t like to drive to the airport from afar on the day of departure. Stuff happens on the road (accidents, unusual traffic snarls, mechanical problems, etc.). I would stay in Florence the last few nights and return the car when you arrive to the city as you don’t need (or want) a car while in Florence.
We loved Lucca!
Ok- so outside Greve in Chianti.
I am curious as to why you are staying in 3 locations all about 30 min drive from each other. You could easily visit Siena from Greve, Greve from Florence, Siena from Florence, etc.
Me too. We stayed at Castello Vicchiomaggio's neighbor, Castello di Verrazzano. We used it as our base for Tuscany. From there we visited Siena and Florence. You can either use the free parking in Greve and take the bus to Florence or drive to Florence and park outside the city and take the tram into town. We loved having one home base where we unpacked once.
You are probably locked in by now with your reservations. I would look into Lucca for those extra days. Either that or Montepulciano.
When you are in Tuscany, make sure to visit the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. One of the highlights of our trip was to visit the abbey in the afternoon, have dinner at the nearby restaurant, the return to the abbey for the 7:30 vespers celebrated in Gregorian chant. We were there the week before Christmas and there was just a lady from a nearby village, the monks and us at the service. We were encouraged to join in the responses. It was a very moving service for us Episcopalians.
Thank you all for the replies, I am changing our hotels.
Do you have any recommendation of hotels in Pienza or Montepulciano?
Thanks again,
Silvia
We enjoyed our stay at Hotel Piccolo la Valle in Pienza
Small, simple clean comfortable hotel
Right on edge of wall. Easy in/out and onsite parking. Very affordable
Just steps into town
The views from our balcony were to die for
https://www.piccolohotellavalle.net/en/
Several years ago we stayed in Montepulciano at Palazzo Carletti
Really lovely, parking just outside the wall down the hill
Steps from Piazza Grande
https://www.palazzocarletti.it/en
We chose to stay in Pienza next trip because it’s flat.
(Love Montepulciano but it is very steep)
Thank you all for the replies, I am changing our hotels.
I hope you are still planning on staying at the winery. Staying in the countryside has a completely different vibe. As much as I love Siena, of the three places you listed, that's the one I'd change.
I hope you are still planning on staying at the winery.
Agree.
15 nights a lot of time for just Tuscany.
I'd probably do something like this:
Pienza 3 nights- day trip Montepulciano, San Quirico, Montecchiello, Bagno Vignoni
Assisi 3 nights- day trip Spello, Gubbio
Chianti 4 nights- day trip Siena, SG, Volterra, etc
Lucca 2 nights- drop car here
Train to Florence- 3 nights
