seven-day road trip in Tuscany

Hi there!
My boyfriend and I are planning a seven-day trip to Tuscany. We are travelling in April and we want to rent a car from Rome and make a road trip into Tuscany. There are a lot of cities and towns that we want to visit and we want your advice for the best itinerary. We are going to arrive in Rome and depart from Rome as well. So, can you suggest the best way to visit by car the following cities : Florence,Siena,Piza, Pienza, Arezzo, Cortona, Montalcino, Montepulciano, San Gimignano, Lucca, Voltera, Chianti area and maybe VInci.
We want to spent at least two days in Florence because we know that there's a lot to see. Which of these cities are worth staying there and which are better for just a visit.
Thank you in advance
 
Tuscany in 7 days....only

Buongiorno

It's not a lot of time - but at least you know what you want to do. My suggestion is to try and divide your time taking into consideration how much time you would spend and how close the places are. I have visited all the towns you talk about - and they are all beautiful - but some merit a little more time than others. You could try to do this:

first stop staying in the south of Tuscany, make your base near Arezzo - Siena

1 day Montepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino

1 day Arezzo, Cortona

1 day Siena and do Chianti area then Siena then move to Florence

2 days Florence

1 day leave Florence and visit first Vinci, then Pisa and end with Lucca

1 day San Gimignano, Voltera

Buon Viaggio
 
accomodation in Tuscany

Thanks for the information!
According to this itinerary we are planning to spent two nights in the area near Montepulciano or Pienza, then two nights in Siena, two nights in Florence, one night in Lucca and finally a night in (near) Monteriggioni. Can you suggest any good hotels in these areas? We are looking something about 60 euros per night. We would really like if we could find something in the countryside quite and romantic during our staying in the villages.
Thanks again
 
hotels and such

Do you really want to more around so much - sometimes it is nice to have a base. You could probably work the intin to include 4 days in the area of Castlenuovo Berardenga which would give you easy access to the Montepulciano and the Arezzo and the day in Siena and you could even throw in San Gimignano before going to stay in Florence - I also suggest you look at some apartments there, in this season many will let you rent out for less than a week and then you could do some of your own cooking with the local products (you also can save a bit by preparing you own meals!)

http://www.tuscanyaccommodation.com/castelnuovo-berardenga/

and then do a B&B in Florence (and if you wanted you can get rid of the car for the two last days you spend in Florence and train it back to Rome - the money you save can be used for a nice dinner out :) )

http://www.florenceaccommodation.com/al-duomo-firenze.html
http://www.florenceaccommodation.com/hotel-perseo.html

Lucca and Pisa are accessible via train - or you can keep the car for one last day.

Buon Viaggio
 
1st May in Italy

Help me out!
Our trip in Italy is from 24th April to 3rd May 2015. According to our itinerary we are planning to visit Vinci, Lucca and Piza on the 1st of May. Are the tourist attractions - and restaurants of the city open on that day? or we have to change that day and visit the providence such as Chianti? and generally what is hard to find that day in Italy?
Thanks again.
 
Ciao Eva,

May 1st is a national holiday, Labor Day, so many workers will be off. Many restaurants will remain open though so don't worry about not finding a place to eat at....
But that's about it: museums will be closed for sure. You can still do Pisa, Lucca and Vinci on that day, but plan to spend most of it outdoors admiring the cities and their sights by walking around. Churches should be open, unless they are run like a museum (with entry fee) so in that case they will likely be closed.
 
1st May in Italy

If I stick to my plan and visit Piza on Labor Day then I won't visit the Piazza dei Miracoli which is the main reason for my visit. So, what do you suggest? What shall I leave for this day?Stay in Florence and do the walking part, go to Chianti? Can you take a look on my plan and make a suggestion?

My itinerary (24th April- 3rd May) is the following :
Day 1 Sat 25th: Siena
Day 2 Sun 26th:Montalcino-Montepulciano-Pienza
Day 3 Mon 27th:Monterizzioni-San Gimignano-Voltera
Day 4 Tue 28th:Arezzo-Cortona
Day 5 Wed 29th:Siena- Florence (through Chianti)
Day 6 Thu 30th :Florence
Day 7 1st : Vinci- Lucca- Piza

Thanks in advance
 
As Donna proposed, I'd move around less for each night, have 2 bases while in Tuscany - the first 5 nights near Siena, the last 2 in Florence dropping off the car when you arrive and then take train down to Rome. That way no car nor parking to worry about while in Florence.

I'd move it around like this:

Day 1 Sat 25th: Siena - this is also a national holiday but most sights will be open
Day 2 Sun 26th: Montalcino-Montepulciano-Pienza
Day 3 Mon 27th: Monteriggioni-San Gimignano-Volterra
Day 4 28th: drive to Vinci - Pisa - Lucca
Day 5 29th: Arezzo-Cortona
Day 6 30th: Siena- Florence (through Chianti) - end up in Florence late afternoon, for dinner
Day 7 1st May: Florence - this way you can spend the day walking around Florence, there is plenty to see without having to necessarily visit museums. If you really want to do a museum, then try to arrive in Florence earlier the previous day to fit something in... any you really want to visit? the uffizi and accademia close around 7pm but better if you enter by 6pm at the latest.
 
To-visit list in Florence

I totally agree and we finally decided to have two basis with Siena in the South and Florence in the North.
My to-visit list in Florence includes: Piazza del Duomo,Piazza della Signoria,Ponte Vecchio,Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, Piazzale Michelangelo,Santa Maria Novella,The Uffizi Gallery,Santo Spirito and maybe Accademia Gallery. Is it too much for two days? Have I left anything good?

I'll consider the option of leaving the car in Florence than driving back from Florence to Rome.
How much does it cost a ticket train from Florence to Rome?and how long?

thanks Lourdes
 
What is the Firenze Pass?

Lourdes, I have one more question.
What is the Firenze Pass? How much does it cost?what includes?and where can i find it? Does it worth?
Are the tourist attractions in Italy expensive?
 
I recommend you read this article on the Firenze Card for all of the details:
www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/is-firenze-card-worth-it.html

Read this itinerary for 2 days in Florence:
http://www.visitflorence.com/itineraries-in-florence/two-days-in-florence.html

If you want to visit either the Uffizi or Accademia, you'll have to do those on the 30th as they both will be closed on May 1st. I think you can see a lot of things in the 1.5-2 days you'll have in Florence, just follow one or two of these "self guided" tours through downtown to help you organize your route through the city: http://www.visitflorence.com/itineraries-in-florence/three-walking-itineraries.html

You can check train timetables and cost for trains on www.trenitalia.com to see how much it would cost from Florence to Rome.
 
A day in Chianti

Hello!
Everything is almost set up for my trip. But I have not arrange yet my visit in Chianti. I surely want to visit Greve. There are so many marvelous villages and town and I don't know which ones to put on my list for this day apart from Greve.
Can you suggest me your favourite ones or more worth visiting?
 
Aside from Greve, I particularly really enjoy Radda and Castellina so I'd add those for sure. If you have time, also make your way to San Donato in Poggio, a very small but charming walled medieval town just to the west of Panzano.
 
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