tuscany itinerary help please!

Hi

i would so appreciate some help! i am travelling in Tuscany for 8 or 9 days and am completely overwhelmed about where to stay and where to visit!

My challenges are as follows:

i am a single girl traveliing alone (i am going on a week yoga holiday in le Marche first)

i dont have a car and i am travelling from South Africa where the exchange rate is very bad but i wan to stay in nice places and not isolated on a farm.

i do not know which towns to stay in and which a re best for a day trip or the prder to go in! after tons of reserch i seem to have narrowed it down to florence, siena, pienza and montepulciano although many others have been mentioned.

Please can someone advise me with an itinerary?

Thank you SO much!
Sam
 
9 days Itinerary in Tuscany

Hello Sam!
I'm happy to give some help:)
All of Tuscany is so beautiful that it can be really difficult to decide where to stay and what to visit. But 9 days are definitely enough to visit the best of it!

First of all, considering that you won't have a car, I suggest you base yourself in Florence for about the first 6 days and then move on to Siena for the rest of your stay.
Florence is the best central option, as you can easily make days trips using public transport from here. Florence itself is a beautiful city that cannot be missing from any Tuscan itinerary. Starting from Florence, you can reach the most beautiful villages of Tuscany, including the medieval villages of San Gimignano and Volterra and the art cities of Pisa and Lucca.

The wonderful Chianti region is also at hand and a must-see. World renowned for its superb wines and its charming landscapes dotted with tiny villages such as Greve in Chianti and Castellina in Chianti, this area of Tuscany will literally enchant you. Here is a useful link to Chianti itineraries: http://www.chianti.com/itineraries-in-chianti/
Once in Siena you can easily explore all the wonderful hilltop towns in the Val d'Orcia region south of Tuscany: Montalcino and its Brunello wine, Pienza and its "pecorino" cheese", Montepulciano and its vast panoramic views.

You might find this article about a 7 day itinerary in Tuscany very helpful, and this one also can give you some itinerary tips for your vacation.

As to accommodation in Florence and Siena, you might find a list of good properties at these links:
Florence Accommodation.com
Siena on TuscanyAccommodation.com

If you need further suggestions for your trip, just post again!
I'm sure you'll have a great time in Tuscany - its beauty will impress upon your memory forever:)
 
thank you

Dear Elena

Thank you so much for your detailed email. My yoga holiday finishes in le marche- the closest train stations are Pesaro or Ancona. It looks like Siena is closer than florence. would it be ok to try to make my way to Siena and base myself there and then i can visit Pienze and Montepuliciano from there on the bus. Should i soend a noght or 2 in either of these places?

From Siena i can make my way by a train or bus i think to florence and be based there, see florence and maybe take a day trip or two. 8 days will add up quickly

what does this sound like? does it make any sense? is it a good plan or what do you suggest?

Thank you SO much!
 
Holiday in Florence and Siena

Ciao Sam,
Thanks a lot for your words and for coming back on the forum:)
Since you are moving by train, Florence is actually closer than Siena. In order to reach Siena from Ancona, in fact, you need to get to Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station and from there switch a train heading to Siena.
You may check train timetables at this link:
www.trenitalia.com

Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, and all the other villages of the Valdorcia region are close to Siena, however, I suggest you stay for 2 or 3 nights in Montepulciano to fully appreciate the charm and particular atmosphere of these lovely villages. In this way, you won't have to move all days back and forth Siena.
In order to reach Montepulciano from Siena, you have to take a train from Siena to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme train station, and then from there take the bus right in front of the station to Montepulciano center.

Here is the link to check SITA bus schedules to move around the province of Siena:
http://www.busfox.com/timetable/

Hope this helps!
Enjoy your holiday and your yoga as well:)
 
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