Tuscany with a 10 month old baby

Jeena

Member
Hi Lourdes,

We are visiting Tuscany at the end of September with our 10 month old baby. This is our first international trip with my baby so want to take it slow and enjoy the lovely place.

We will be arriving in Florence from Venice by train. Honestly we want to live in the countryside away from Florence. We would love to experience the beautiful countryside, the food, wine and lovely scenery. However we unfortunately have only 3.5 days to spend in Tuscany. I know its too short but we would love to see the below -

Day 1 - Pisa (half day)

Day 2 - The Chianti Region or Val d'Orcia

Day 3 - Florence

Day 4 - Siena and San Gimignano

Is this doable? Day 2 and Day 3 is a Sunday and Monday respectively, is that going to be an issue with places being closed?

Also could you please suggest a good B&B somewhere quiet and easily accessible by bus and car.

Thank you

Jeena
 
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Ciao Jeena,

You can spend the time outside of Florence even with just 3.5 days... but moving around will be made much easier with your own car, rather than depending on just public transportation. Is that doable?

The only day you have to switch around is Day 3 in Florence since it will be a Monday but only if you were planning to visit the Uffizi or Accademia Gallery. If with the baby you weren't planning on spending time in museums, then it won't matter and you can do as planned. Those two main museums are closed on Mondays, but open Sundays so you could move those two days around.

As far as the B&B, if you're going to have your own car I'd recommend:
Poggio al Sole
La Paggeria
Poderino - an apartment, if you want to consider that as an option

Take a look, if they don't seem quite what you wanted, you can browse through here and see if you find something appealing.
 
Thank you Lourdes.

Yes we are planning to get a car for our stay in Tuscany.

I have booked the lovely Candida's Chianti House recommended on your website.

A couple more questions please -

- We have an Australian license, is it possible for us to drive in Italy or do we need an International license?
- I have heard quite a lot about the leather markets in Florence, are they open on Sundays? Do you have recommendations for shopping in Tuscany?

Thanks again

Jeena
 
You're welcome! And you'll love staying at Candida's house - great views, large garden and Candida is a very gentle, welcoming person.

As far as the license, I do believe you should get the international license - the name is misleading, it isn't a separate license, but a translation of your own in many languages that accompanies your own. The rental companies don't always ask for it, but if you were to be stopped I can assure you that the police themselves would ask for it.

And yes, you're right about leather in Florence - there are two main outdoor ones: the San Lorenzo Market and the one under the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, about two blocks south of Piazza della Repubblica and one block west of Palazzo Vecchio. These have lots of stalls with leather products and are open on Sundays.... but there are also other stalls along the way on the streets of the center as you walk around as well as stores specializing in leather products. Many of the stores are concentrated in and around Piazza Santa Croce but you find those also around the San Lorenzo Market as well. Don't buy at the first one - take a look, take a look at prices, and look around as you walk around.... that way you can decide which ones you like more and see where you find it for less. Many are similar but not generally identical, particularly if you're looking for purses/bags. It will be hard to decide, there are also many colors!

Don't buy from the street vendors selling fake purses on the ground that you'll see all around the center. Unfortunately, they are hard to dissuade but police is cracking down on them... they get arrested but if YOU are caught with counterfeit merchandise bought off of them, YOU pay a big FINE as well! So look but don't buy, no matter how persuasive they get.

As for shopping in Tuscany - in general, if you see something you like, such as ceramics, wine, souvenir, specialty food of some kind such as oil with truffles and such - do buy when you see it and stop. There are no large chain markets, all are small businesses, most family-owned. You won't find something else that is the same elsewhere or if you go back later find the shop closed.
You'll find ample shopping opportunities at all of the stops planned on your itinerary :)
 
Baby Car Seat

Hi Again Lourdes

I have been looking for baby car seats and the car rental companies seem to charge a lot per day. Do you know of any other place where I can rent it for cheap.

Thank you

Regards
Jeena




You're welcome! And you'll love staying at Candida's house - great views, large garden and Candida is a very gentle, welcoming person.

As far as the license, I do believe you should get the international license - the name is misleading, it isn't a separate license, but a translation of your own in many languages that accompanies your own. The rental companies don't always ask for it, but if you were to be stopped I can assure you that the police themselves would ask for it.

And yes, you're right about leather in Florence - there are two main outdoor ones: the San Lorenzo Market and the one under the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, about two blocks south of Piazza della Repubblica and one block west of Palazzo Vecchio. These have lots of stalls with leather products and are open on Sundays.... but there are also other stalls along the way on the streets of the center as you walk around as well as stores specializing in leather products. Many of the stores are concentrated in and around Piazza Santa Croce but you find those also around the San Lorenzo Market as well. Don't buy at the first one - take a look, take a look at prices, and look around as you walk around.... that way you can decide which ones you like more and see where you find it for less. Many are similar but not generally identical, particularly if you're looking for purses/bags. It will be hard to decide, there are also many colors!

Don't buy from the street vendors selling fake purses on the ground that you'll see all around the center. Unfortunately, they are hard to dissuade but police is cracking down on them... they get arrested but if YOU are caught with counterfeit merchandise bought off of them, YOU pay a big FINE as well! So look but don't buy, no matter how persuasive they get.

As for shopping in Tuscany - in general, if you see something you like, such as ceramics, wine, souvenir, specialty food of some kind such as oil with truffles and such - do buy when you see it and stop. There are no large chain markets, all are small businesses, most family-owned. You won't find something else that is the same elsewhere or if you go back later find the shop closed.
You'll find ample shopping opportunities at all of the stops planned on your itinerary :)
 
Ciao Jeena,

How did everything turn out? The car seats from the car rental companies do tend to be steep but they are the easiest to get access to. There really aren't many "baby items rental" places yet here.
 
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