April in Tuscany
Dear rapz,
April is a nice month to visit Tuscany. The weather is mild and generally sunny. The countryside is in bloom and is colored with different nuances of pink, orange, white and green.
In April there are events. At the moment it's hard to find more information about festivals since there is no official calendar. We try to update our own
events calender as we learn of events going on. But there is a nice
antiques market on the fourth weekend of every month in
Montevarchi, close to your accommodation, as well as in
Castiglion Fiorentino.
I think moving by
train to reach
Florence,
Pisa and
Lucca is the best choice. Parking in big cities is always difficult and expensive. You'll save money and headaches by using the train
As for
Siena, I suggest you take the
bus SITA SI91 from Montevarchi to Siena directly. It's faster than the train.
Since you'll be staying in Terranuova Bracciolini I also recommend you visit
Arezzo which is not far. It's the birth place of many famous artists, such as
Giorgio Vasari and Pietro Aretino. Inside the
Basilica of St Francis you can admire the masterpiece of Renaissance artist
Piero della Francesca, a fresco cycle depicting the
History of the True Cross. A quick note: the movie
Life is Beautiful (La Vita è Bella) by Roberto Benigni was shot in Arezzo so if you've seen it you'll recognize some of the squares.
You can also visit the beautiful Etruscan city of
Cortona. The center is nice and has beautiful Renaissance churches and buildings, where you find good restaurants and shops.
Certainly the
Chianti region deserves a visit. It's world renowned for its beauty and wine. The landscape is designed by its vineyards and olive groves. There are many wineries, farms and restaurants where you can have good food and taste Chianti wine. See our article "
Discovering Chianti" to find more information on what to see in Chianti.
Regarding
Cinque Terre, I think it can be a "tour de force". Driving from Florence to Cinque Terre takes
no less than 2 hours and half. Then the time for visiting the area, eating and then back. It can be hard. I also have to say that the highway to Cinque Terre is not a nice one. It's pretty narrow (as highway) and windy.
I also suggest you visit the southern area of Siena called the
Val D'Orcia. As Chianti, it's famous for its wine and landscape. The most beautiful towns are
Montepulciano,
Montalcino and
Pienza. All towns are picturesque and have good wineries.
I hope it helps. Don't hesitate to come back and ask more questions if you have any!