Honeymoon in Tuscany

jmh

New member
Hello,

My fiancee and I are planning our honeymoon in Oct of this year. We are spending a few days in Rome and then heading into Tuscany. We're looking for the best route via train and bus that would allow us to see Siena, Arezza, Montalcino, and the areas around. We will then be leaving from Rome again, so an easy return trip would be great. We both have been to Florence and the Cinque Terra areas already. We're interested in wine, great food and beautiful scenery so I'm sure we'll be happy anywhere in Tuscany.
We're open to other areas too that would be convienent.

Any suggestions would be great!
Thanks!
 
Ciao jmh!

A honeymoon in Tuscany sounds very romantic! I am sure you'll have a great time, with great food and scenery - fall in Tuscany has some great colors!

How many days exactly do you think you'll have to spend in Tuscany? And do you want to completely avoid driving? Just would like to get a better idea of how much time you'll have so that we can propose a more specific itinerary.
Overall, it seems you are interested in spending time in southern Tuscany and while Arezzo is easy to reach by train from Rome, Siena, Montepulciano, Montalcino and Pienza (found in the Valdorcia to the south of Siena) would be easier to visit by car. Bus might work out, but depending on the time you have, you might consider a car rental. It will be easier to offer more suggestions is you tell us how many days total you think you'll have. :)
 
Thank you for responding. We will have about 7 days to spend in Tuscany. We are not opposed to a car, but are looking forward to some lazy days of wine tasting and would prefer not to have to worry about driving. I know there is a lot to see and I we do not have to hit all the towns on our list. We would be fine with enjoying ourselves in a few key places and seeing the rest on another trip. We love Italy and plan on several return trips throughout our married life. Thanks again for your help!!
 
Southern Tuscany on Honeymoon

Sounds like you have the perfect mind frame for enjoying Italy and Tuscany - SLOW! :)

7 days in Tuscany is a good amount of time, seeing as you've already been to Florence and Cinque Terre also makes it possible to focus on getting to see other areas in Tuscany.

As you're arriving and leaving from Rome, it makes good sense to focus on seeing the area between Siena and Arezzo and southern Tuscany in general (which is the area around Montalcino).

There are some great suggestions for winery tours by Mathieu here:
http://www.discovertuscany.com/forum/general-tourist-info/277-our-trip-italy.html
as well as here:
http://www.discovertuscany.com/forum/general-tourist-info/83-wineries-ourselves-rented-car.html

Most wineries that offer tastings do so together with some light snack or tastings of local products such as sliced meats or cheeses. This helps so that you can get behind the wheel afterward. But if you don't feel comfortable with that, the area of Chianti and Valdorcia are not that easy to visit by train or bus. Chianti is a bit easier - you can read our recommendations here for moving around in Chianti:
http://www.chianti.com/moving-around-chianti/tips-getting-around-chianti.html
as well as this one about doing some wine tastings from Florence by bus:
http://www.discovertuscany.com/forum/moving-around-tuscany/205-getting-around-chianti.html

I highly recommend looking into doing wine tasting with a group where you don't do any driving. Every Thursday Florence Chamber of Commerce organizes a wine tasting tour in Chianti by bus, including visits to artisans' workshops. We did the wine tasting tour in October and it was nice.
In Montalcino Vinarium organizes Brunello cellar visit and wine tasting. Brunello, as well as Chianti, is the most famous wine in Tuscany and is produced in the area of Montalcino.

Not too far from Montalcino (about 25 miles) stands Chianciano Terme. It is a famous thermal city in southern Tuscany. Etruscans and Romans used to relax here. There are 5 different types of thermal water, each one with unique characteristics. I think it can be nice having a fully relaxing day in a SPA in Chianciano. :D

Even though you don't intend to rent a car, I strongly suggest you considering doing so. Moving around Tuscany without a car can be a challenge even though it is possible to move around just by bus and train. The thing is you risk spending a lot of your time waiting according to their schedules. Consider that some of the most beautiful towns and villages, as well as a good number of wineries, aren't easily reachable with public transportation and therefore renting a car makes practical sense.
On the other hand, I can understand your worries about driving in Italy. Italians drive fast and roads often wind a lot in Tuscany, but that's Italy and its beauty, don't you think? ;)

I hope my suggestions help you plan your honeymoon trip. Don't hesitate to ask any other questions.
 
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