Palazzo Malaspina and Podere Cunina

I am planning a trip to Tuscany next June with my husband. We are Australian so driving in Europe is a challenge but we are happy to do it in the countryside. I have a bit of time to explore but my husband and I don't want to move around too much by changing accommodation. I was looking at Palazzo Malaspina for about 5 nights to do Florence etc and other towns nearby and then moving to Podere Cunina to do the area south of Sienna . What would be the best way to break this up? 5 nights at each? Or are they too close to each other? Would we have enough variety to see different things based in both places. I like the idea of staying in a small village and also an agriturismo experience with a pool. We would be coming from Cinque Terre to Palazzo Malaspina after picking up a rented car in Florence. we would keep the car for the next place, drop it back somewhere and then catch a train to Rome, have a few nights there before flying out. We have done Rome several times so our focus this time is Tuscany. I have several weeks to spend In Tuscany in June as am on long service leave. I would appreciate any advice as to whether these are two good options to split the Chianti region with the Val D'Orica as I want to visit towns like Pienza, Multipulciano and the place where they filmed The English Patient - where is that?
thanks Jane
 
Dear Jane,
Chianti and Valdorcia offer such a variety of locations and attractions to see (and eat!!) that I think one can never fed up with visiting them!
This is a suggestion of a 7 days itineray in Tuscany,
http://www.discovertuscany.com/itineraries-in-tuscany/one-week-in-tuscany.html
if I've well understood you're planning to stay 10 days around Chianti and Valdorcia, am I right? You could inspire to this itinerary and adjust it on your needs and preferences.
For example, you could spend a whole day in Pisa and a whole day in Lucca, enjoying calmly and peacefully both places, as well as Chianti and San Gimignano (I would visit both locations while staying near Florence).

5 days each is a good option, you'll have plenty of things to do on both your stays and car is strongly recommended here, so don't drop it back until you've visited all places you want to!
Close to Pienza, there's the Monastery of Sant'Anna in Camprena where the English Patient was filmed; it's about 7 kms to the north of Pienza, so an easy drive if you are planning to visit the Renaissance city as well (anyhow, it's about 30 minutes far from Buonconvento, where Podere Cunina is located).

Hope this may help planning your Tuscan vacation!

Chiara
 
We've visited both Palazzo Malaspina and Podere Cunina, and they are both great choices in great areas, and as you've said, there's the difference between the medieval town and the countryside.
I would do at least he 5 days at each place, because while they aren't that apart (Tuscany isn't that big in the end), they do permit you to explore two completely different areas taking your time to enjoy each place without driving too much every single day.

As you're planning to come in June, the farmhouse might require a week's stay. If you can prolong the 10 days, I would ;-) and do the whole week in one place, then the 5 days in the other. There is a lot to see in Tuscany, you will not regret any minute of it!
 
Top