Driving from Rome to Castelflorentino

[Mbtravel]

Hello,
My friends and I will be in Tuscany at the end of May staying in the Castelflorentino area. I was wondering if it will make sense to make a stop on the way there from Rome and if so what would be a good spot. I am thinking about Pienze and a drive through Val D'Orcia but can't quite figure out whether its too out of the way. Thank you!

[Lourdes]

Since you are driving up from Rome and passing through southern Tuscany to get to Castelfiorentino, it makes perfect sense to see the Val d'Orcia as you drive up. I'd leave the A1 in Chiusi and take the road to Chianciano Terme, then on to Montepulciano and on to Pienza. You can stop for a break in Montepulciano and depending on time, have lunch there or in Pienza. You want to have lunch between 12-2pm, as restaurants then close. From then, you can pass through San Quirico and keep on moving toward Siena, stopping for the views when you get a chance. If you feel you want to come back, you can make a day trip back from Castelfiorentino on another day, if you get the chance!

[Mbtravel]

Since you are driving up from Rome and passing through southern Tuscany to get to Castelfiorentino, it makes perfect sense to see the Val d'Orcia as you drive up. I'd leave the A1 in Chiusi and take the road to Chianciano Terme, then on to Montepulciano and on to Pienza. You can stop for a break in Montepulciano and depending on time, have lunch there or in Pienza. You want to have lunch between 12-2pm, as restaurants then close. From then, you can pass through San Quirico and keep on moving toward Siena, stopping for the views when you get a chance. If you feel you want to come back, you can make a day trip back from Castelfiorentino on another day, if you get the chance!

Thank you! I am so glad you confirmed that it is feasible! We will have time to visit Siena as we will have 7 full days in Tuscany and Siena is on top of our list, well maybe right after doing the "wine trail" if our designated driver is not incapacitated.

What do you think of staying in the Castelfiorentino area in general?
Thanks!

[Lourdes]

Castelfiorentino is a great central area from which to see most of Tuscany so will be perfect for your week.... and if you feel you want to head back to Val d'Orcia, then you'll have the chance to do it!

Enjoy all of the wine - make sure the designated driver spits more than drinks

[Mbtravel]

Castelfiorentino is a great central area from which to see most of Tuscany so will be perfect for your week.... and if you feel you want to head back to Val d'Orcia, then you'll have the chance to do it!

Enjoy all of the wine - make sure the designated driver spits more than drinks

Dear Lourdes,
Thanks a million for your response and for keeping up this Forum. It provides such a wealth of information! Staying in the location central to all the places we are planning to visit is important, but i was wondering whether Castelfiorenino and the surrounding area are worth exploring as well. Also, we are planning a day trip to Lucca. Will this take a whole day or can it be combined with something else, for example a few hours on the beach? Thanks!

[Lourdes]

You're very welcome! Some days there are lots of posts, some days less and eventually I hope to catch up and answer everyone's questions. I enjoy helping out and helping plan out trips by answering doubts and questions, often makes me realize I need to myself get out to explore more to offer even more suggestions ;-) As weather warms up, that will be easier on the weekends!

Yes, you should definitely ALSO always explore the areas you stay in - I say it for everyone staying anywhere in Tuscany, not just for Castelfiorentino.
While the big, popular destinations always come up - Florence, Siena, Chianti, Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, Montepulciano to name some of the more popular ones - every single area in Tuscany has its own smaller gems. These include small, parish churches and the small, hilltop towns spread throughout the Tuscan countryside. They usually are not often named as a top destination in itself because of their SIZE - maybe because there are just a few attractions there, such as the castle and village around it but if you're in the area, definitely stop by and take a look!
There are many of these delightful towns all across Tuscany - from Poppi in Casentino to San Donato in Poggio near Castellina in Chianti to Massa Marittima in the Upper Maremma - that hardly are ever mentioned in the "top itineraries" since those are aimed at visiting the top sights if 1. you're here for the very first time, 2. have limited time, 3. think this is your only chance to visit Italy and want to see the main sights. But if you've already been to the top cities, have more time, or love Italy and plan on returning, then we highly recommend spending more time exploring the rest of Tuscany ;-).

Having said all that, I've just visited Castelfiorentino once and it was just as a stop for lunch and quick walk as we headed to Volterra so I really need to go back and see what's there and in the area. There are various churches with important works of art - see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelfiorentino but likely the most interesting is the BEGO museum with two major frescoed tabernacles by Benozzo Gozzoli from the late 15th century. Walk into practically any church, they all have frescoes and paintings by more or less important painters. Many of the most important works are actually no longer in the very small churches as they cannot be safely protected so are often in museums of "sacred art" in the larger towns in the area. If you stop by the tourism office in Castelfiorentino ( via Ridolfi 1, right next to the train station), they will give you maps, brochures and more info on all there is to see in the area and nearby. I'd recommend visiting Certaldo, Montaione and San Miniato for sure - the views of the countryside as you drive around will be worthy of your time as well.

If you're in Lucca, you could end up spending the entire day there - see this itinerary - but if you're also interested in some beach time, head to Viareggio. It is the closest, with sandy beaches and a very nice boardwalk to just enjoy some time at the sea. Keep in mind the beaches there are mostly with paid establishments that provide sun chairs and umbrellas so if you want to lay down your stuff and go in the water, look for the areas where there are no rows beach chairs/umbrellas but where people have planted their own from home. That is the best indication of the "free" stretches of beach - just find a spot in between and make yourself comfortable! In late May, expect weekdays to be better for beach time than the weekends, that's when all the locals are there too ;-)