Hello! After a few days in Florence, we will be in the Tuscany area for a few days in November. We will be in the area of Terricola. We are interested in doing some day tours but most of what I see are leaving from big cities. Any recommendations on tours of San Gimignano, Volterra, Lucca, Chianti. Any suggestions of other towns are welcome. We would like to see as much as possible without killing ourselves. We will have a car during our stay.
Its all so overwhelming! Thank you in advance for any advice.
Posted by
5022 posts
Maybe consider driving to the towns on your own and arranging for local tour guides?
Are you staying in an agriturismo? Have you inquired with them?
I would group Volterra and SG together and Lucca a different day. Great area for driving!
Posted by
8255 posts
Check out day tours from Siena:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187902-Activities-c63-Siena_Tuscany.html
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7189 posts
I doubt you’ll find many from the small towns
Most leave from Siena or Florence
If you have a car -use it! You can drive to all those places and enjoy the Tuscan countryside along the way
RS guide book has all the info you’d need on SG, Volterra etc as well as road trip directions
If you have time-do try to get to Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino
That’s the Val D’Orcia with the classic Tuscan scenery
ToursbyRoberto.com gets high marks, most of his tours leave from Siena
He books up early
If you drive around be aware that you won’t be driving IN to any of these towns-parking is in lots outside the walls
Make sure all drivers have an IDP
Make sure no valuables left in car
If you plan to wine taste you will need a designated driver-alcohol limits are much lower than in the states and it is enforced
Posted by
11579 posts
We have been to Italy many times and never have taken a guided tour in the small towns. Get a good guide book at the most, and then drive to each town and walk in. Self touring is a joy. Read up before you leave home, take a few notes on each town and that’s all you need to do at most. Get lost in these towns as that is the joy!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16086 posts
Since you will have a rental car you should drive there yourself. What’s the point of renting a car if you don’t use it and instead spend hundreds of $$ in private guided tours? Just buy a guidebook of Tuscany. Rick Steve’s’ has a good one, but I also like the DK Eyewitness guides because of the visual pictorial displays.
https://www.dk.com/us/book/9780241358351-dk-eyewitness-florence-and-tuscany/
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thank you so much for the tips and advice. Can’t wait for Italy!