Travel Pratovecchio area to . . .

[JIT1217]

Hi, and thanx, as always, for your valuable info you provide.

We are staying in a villa in Pratovecchio. I'm considering a route from Pratovecchio to Arezzo (1 day), down to Cortona (1 day) and then on to Montelpuciano, Montelcino and up to Siena. From Siena up through Chianti country. We'll be there for three weeks, but would like to visit Umbria and Bologna area as well and, of course, spend some time in Florence.

Is that too tight a schedule? Easily traveled in a car or would you suggest bus/train?

Thanx!

[DonnaDenise]

Buongiorno,

From Pratovecchio to Arezzo, it will take less than 40 min. And Cortona is just another 30 minutes beyond Arezzo. So these are two places you can visit even while you are staying in Pratovecchio.

One or two days in Umbria (I suggest that you do this before heading over to Montepulciano and Siena)

Montepulciano (Chiusi, Cetona, Pienza) is a great day trip

Montalcino (Buonconvento, San Quirico, Bagno Vignoni) is another great road trip

Siena is a great day trip - and if you choose to stay here you can make Montalcino & area a day trip from this base.
Ideas for Siena: https://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/
Day trips from Siena: https://www.discovertuscany.com/sien...rom-siena.html

I also suggest that you visit Bologna via train from Florence.

Buon Viaggio,
Donna Denise

[JIT1217]

Thank you so much for the informative response. You people are so very helpful!!!

Buongiorno,

From Pratovecchio to Arezzo, it will take less than 40 min. And Cortona is just another 30 minutes beyond Arezzo. So these are two places you can visit even while you are staying in Pratovecchio.

One or two days in Umbria (I suggest that you do this before heading over to Montepulciano and Siena)

Montepulciano (Chiusi, Cetona, Pienza) is a great day trip

Montalcino (Buonconvento, San Quirico, Bagno Vignoni) is another great road trip

Siena is a great day trip - and if you choose to stay here you can make Montalcino & area a day trip from this base.
Ideas for Siena: https://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/
Day trips from Siena: https://www.discovertuscany.com/sien...rom-siena.html

I also suggest that you visit Bologna via train from Florence.

Buon Viaggio,
Donna Denise

[JIT1217]

Thank you so much for the informative response. You people are so very helpful!!!

Bologna (3 nights)
Forli (2 nights)
Arezzo/Cortona (2 nights)
Perugia (3 nights)
Montelpuciano et al on way to Siena (2 nights)
Siena (3 nights)
Chianti Country/San Gimignano (2 nights)
Florence (2 nights)

Too tight? Too much in one place? Fun things to do/eat? Although we will visit some historical sites and some churches/castles, I'm also very interested in the people of Italy: their markets, their goods, just mingling with locals. And, gelato!!

Thanx.

[DonnaDenise]

3 nights in Bologna and only 2 in Florence...I would flip flop this around.

and if you are staying in a villa in Pratovecchio...I don't think you need a night in Arezzo and/or Cortona, they are both very very easy day trips from Pratovecchio (even with the train!)

Donna Denise

[JIT1217]

Donna, do we really need a car for this trip? Or, if so, at what point? I'm still uncertain about transportation. I do know there is a bus three minutes from our villa in Pratovecchio. I'm rethinking Forli, so wondering about the best way to get back to villa area from Bologna and yet have a scenic route. Are most of these cities easily reachable via train? What do you suggest for the best resource for finding info about trains/buses?

Thank you in advance!

Bologna (2 nights)
Forli (2 nights)
Arezzo/Cortona (2 nights)
Perugia (3 nights)
Montelpuciano et al on way to Siena (2 nights)
Siena (3 nights)
Chianti Country/San Gimignano (2 nights)
Florence (3 nights)

Too tight? Too much in one place? Fun things to do/eat? Although we will visit some historical sites and some churches/castles, I'm also very interested in the people of Italy: their markets, their goods, just mingling with locals. And, gelato!!

Thanx.

[DonnaDenise]

As beautiful as this area is - and even with the local train, you will be best served if you have a car for the longer trips.

Arezzo, Cortona - even the bus into Florence can be nice but the times end in the early evening so you are limited on your travel schedule and some places just take too long to get to with public transport. SO if you have the option of having a car at hand...do it.

Even just getting around Casentino will be easier with a car. Though you can check out the tourist office of the national park in the center of Pratovecchio, they have a summer bus service for a very convenient price that will shuttle you around the park.

Donna Denise