Tuscany/Arezzo Province Itinerary - Week in early July

Dan Anderson

New member
We are staying in a Villa near Bucine (Badia Agnano) for a week and have a rental car. Here is our general outline - mixing smaller towns with tourist areas. Have already seen Florence and the Umbria/Lake Trasimemo area our last trip (Montepulciano/Montelcino/Perugio/Deruta). We are having dinner made several nights in as well as a cooking class at the villa and a guided Chianti wine tour. We like walking/hiking and wandering the towns rather than lots of churches/museums and art (seeing a bunch in Rome and planning on the Della Francesca's in Arezzo).

Thanks for any feedback.

Tuscany / Arezzo Day Trip Itinerary -
Sat. July 8th –
Rome train (11 a.m.? / 1.5 hr. ride) to Florence/bus to airport
Meet Friends (1 pm?) / Rent cars – drive to Villa (45 miles / 1.5 hrs / 2.6 tolls), Check-in at 4 pm
Explore villa / town (Badia Agnano) - Dinner IN

Sun., July 9th –
Up early, drive to Cinque Terre (130 miles / 2.5 hrs. / tolls 16.80)
Drop bags at hotel in La Spezia by 11? Get hike/train pass (2 day, 29 euro)
Train to Riomaggiore/Manarola (Lovers Walk may be closed), hang out at Monterosso beach?
Sunset Boat Cruise (6:30-10 out of La Spezia) ???

Mon., July 10th –
Early start (train to Monterosso) - hike from Monterosso to Vernazza (start with 500 steps up, 2.7 miles, 2 hrs.) and Vernazza to Corniglia (2.5 miles, 90 min.) – get lunch somewhere (take lots of water/mosquito repellent).
Leave for Villa by 4 pm - Dinner IN

Tues., July 11th –
Relaxing Day Trip – early morning drive to Cortona (30 miles), possibly visit Castiglion Fiorentino.
Relaxo back at villa, read, sit by pool.
Cooking Class – Dinner IN

Wed., July 12th –
Chianti wine tour (8 hours)
Dinner IN

Thurs., July 13th –
Day trip – Explore Arezzo (17 miles, 1/2 day?), possibly see small towns Anghiari (17 miles ) -Sansepolcro/Citta di Castello (14 miles from Anghiari)/Monterchi
Dinner OUT (La Chiave Dei Sapori in Badia Agnano)

Fri., July 14th –
Tourist Trip – drive to Sienna (25 miles, 1/2 day?), drive to Volterra (34 miles) for lunch
Drive by San Gimignano on way home thru Chianti region (63 miles)
Dinner IN

Sat. July 15th – Leave at 8 am - drive 1.5 hr. to Florence airport / drop off car
11:30 am flight home
 
Arezzo & Tuscany

Buongiorno,

I am exhausted just reading your itinerary!

Everything looks great - I am a long time resident in the province of Arezzo and you have a great itinerary set up for those areas, the small towns selected are fabulous.

The only thing that really concerns me is even though you have lots of evenings set-up at the villa you will still be out an about a lot, and that gets tiring. I understand that CT has its attraction, but that is a bit of a drive (even if Google Maps say two and a half hours.)

If you were going to cut anything then just do Arezzo - those other towns are fabulous...but it makes for a long day and believe me Arezzo has enough to tease your imagination plus lots of great restaurants and little bars to relax and enjoy the local scenery.

And personally I think it is a bit much to mix Siena with Volterra. Both are great but Siena alone can fill a good day of sight seeing...maybe something bit closer to Siena like Monteriggioni?

Buon Viaggio,

Donna Denise
 
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