Spring or fall 2027. Trying to minimize crowds if that is even possible. Tuscany or Umbria and why?
Thanks.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17939 posts
Why not both, if you have the time and you have t been to either?
Crowds are overblown. They affect mainly Florence, Venice, and Rome, but everywhere else crowds are more than tolerable. Obviously Italy is a popular destination, so you won’t be the only one there.
Posted by
10140 posts
We did both in a great Road Scholar tour last year. It was called The Hidden Villages and Towns of Tuscany and Umbria.
There were crowds at both, but not heavy everywere. Siena was crowded but still nice. Assisi was crowded in Umbria, but not a problem.
Posted by
OP
20 posts
Thanks U2! Didn't occur to me to do both 🥴. Road Scholar has a couple of tours - one being a moderate walking/hiking trip. I only have 2 weeks but wondering it that's too short of a time for both.
Love this forum!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17939 posts
You can’t visit everything but two weeks is adequate to see several places in both regions, which are adjacent to each other. At the time of the year you go it will not be overwhelmingly crowded, except for certain occasions/events. Florence is crowded from April through October, but mainly near the famous sights. Any hill towns worth visiting will have above average visitors on weekends, since at that time you also have the local Italian day trippers in addition to people from afar. Be aware that besides Easter week, and weekends, in early spring there are a few holidays that bring a lot of tourists:
Easter Monday (National holiday)
Liberation Day on April 25 (National Holiday)
May 1st (Labor Day throughout Europe)
Some ideas below, but there are plenty of resources online. If you plan to concentrate on small hill towns a rental car is advised. A car is not necessary in Florence, Perugia (Tuscany’s and Umbria’s capitals) or in the provincial capitals of the two regions, like Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo, Pistoia, all of which are well served by trains and buses.
https://www.borghiditoscana.net/en/
https://www.umbriatourism.it/en/homepage
Posted by
OP
20 posts
Roberto - thanks for the links.
Now leaning towards combining Tuscany and Umbria in the fall of 2027.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17939 posts
The Tuscan Province of Siena and the Peovince of Arezzo are the closest to Umbria. So you can check some of those villages mentioned in the website. To maximize your visit time I suggest you rent a car.
https://www.borghiditoscana.net/en/category/province-of-siena/
https://www.borghiditoscana.net/en/category/province-of-arezzo/