The Auswine Forum

G'day

Last time I went to Tuscany, it was with my teenage daughters in 2014. We had a memorable trip - but this time I want to take my (Southern Italian heritage) partner. We've been talking about it for a couple of years, but she has just thrown in her job (at a Swan Valley operation that shall remain nameless) and we are therefore off in about 3 weeks.

Before we go, I'd like to make some informed (by you) decisions. We're looking at 2 weeks or more in the countryside in Tuscany, and probably spending a week or more in two locations each. We want the hilltop town experience, but also the campagna and a peaceful place for a few days.

May I have your suggestions please? Not just "Montalcino is great" but why and what your experiences have been .

Cheers
Allan

I strongly recommend 2-3 nights in Panzano, it is a small town which is a great base for visiting various nearby wineries however importantly it is also the location of Dario Cecchini's Officina della Bistecca which is a unique and wonderful experience (assuming your idea of a good time is eating large quantities of outstanding beef in a free corkage environment).

You may have already been but If I went back I would give Siena a miss. Maybe it was because I visited it towards the back end of recent Tuscany visit but I found it less charming than other smaller Italian towns like Montepulciano and less exciting than Florence. It’s still nice and probably only suffers because there are so many other great options but if I had to trim anything off my trip it would have been Siena.

Montepulciano sounds like a good bet for covering hilltop town, not too overcrowded and with easy access to countryside. We enjoyed our stay there and would recommend Politian apartments, where the only criticism is the owner's (justifiable) embarrassment about Italian TV meant we missed out on our daily early evening game of L'Eredità. The apartments are charming yet very well equipped and the owner well worth chatting to. Winetasting in Montepulciano is easy, though I would recommend still making appointments as the hospitality is at its best that way. Recommend - Daviddi and Avignonesi out near Stazione Montepulciano, plus Crociani and Dei in town, but there are plenty of good producers and the cellars have some amazing huge old barrels.

We also didn't take to Siena, but I'd suggest maybe a day trip there nonetheless - ideally getting the autobus / pullman (coach) rather than the train, as you'll be dropped in the centre of the city.

Colle val d'Elsa impressed us when we'd simply planned to go there as a side trip from going to the nearby Decathlon sports superstore. A charming place, not overtouristed, with good food where we ate, and a historic and still active glass production industry.

For the other base, I'd be tempted to scour agriturismo.it for somewhere in the countryside that just jumps out as 'wow!'. Somewhere where a day off form traveling would seem an attractive idea.

Assuming you'll be driving, Tuscany is generally very easy to drive, though plan routes to Parking areas if venturing into the cities.

Depending on arrival airport (Pisa is often an option, Florence less so), there may be other options worth exploring to the north, e.g. Carrara and the surrounding hills. Cinque Terre also in easy range, but the volume of tourists on the coastal paths can at times make it seem like a conveyor belt. Still there is charm in staying there, and the more energetic walks inland (and upwards!) are bizarrely bereft of tourists.

Hope this helps

Ian

Thanks for the comments so far. We have booked the flights, and around half the accommodation. We managed 5 nights in a house I have rented previously in Montepulciano after doing a deal with the owner, and this may well be the highlight of the trip.

We still need to fill in about a week and a half (in two lots) and we're torn between a place where we can walk to the nightlife (well, dinner, at least, and more importantly walk back) and a place where we can settle into the countryside. We have space for both. We're also using both of these as the basis for day trips to places like Greve, San Gimignano, Barberino, Gaiole and Castellina and I would appreciate any opinions on these as day trips. Further suggestions welcome.

Cheers and thanks

Allan

I really don't know the Chianti heartland, so will defer to others, except to say there should be plenty of good accomodation / countryside options. Always tempting to find a good winery doing accomodation (either direct or via agriturismo.it)

I will mention Pisa, which logistically might be useful. It's unfairly maligned as a shitty rip-off, by people who see it only as a half day visit. They go directly to the field of miracles by the direct roads from the two stations, wander around, buy some tat from the crappy stalls near the field of miracles, maybe eat at the crappy / expensive eateries nearby and then declare Pisa a shithole. The catch is Pisa itself is a 10-15 minute walk east and the vast majority of ignorant tourists completely ignore it, criticising Pisa, when it's their own blinkered behaviour that creates the overpriced tat surrounding it.

Remarkably the city itself is not especially weighed down by tourism, and there is charm (and some great and striking churches), food that for me easily eclipsed Siena, a moderately pleasant botanical gardens hidden away very close to the field of miracles and much more beside.

It might not be what you're looking for on this trip, but it's rather bizarrely a little bit 'under the radar'. 4 days here could be a very good 4 days.

Regards
Ian

Ian S wrote:I really don't know the Chianti heartland, so will defer to others, except to say there should be plenty of good accomodation / countryside options. Always tempting to find a good winery doing accomodation (either direct or via agriturismo.it)

I will mention Pisa, which logistically might be useful. It's unfairly maligned as a shitty rip-off, by people who see it only as a half day visit. They go directly to the field of miracles by the direct roads from the two stations, wander around, buy some tat from the crappy stalls near the field of miracles, maybe eat at the crappy / expensive eateries nearby and then declare Pisa a shithole. The catch is Pisa itself is a 10-15 minute walk east and the vast majority of ignorant tourists completely ignore it, criticising Pisa, when it's their own blinkered behaviour that creates the overpriced tat surrounding it.

Remarkably the city itself is not especially weighed down by tourism, and there is charm (and some great and striking churches), food that for me easily eclipsed Siena, a moderately pleasant botanical gardens hidden away very close to the field of miracles and much more beside.

It might not be what you're looking for on this trip, but it's rather bizarrely a little bit 'under the radar'. 4 days here could be a very good 4 days.

Regards
Ian

Hi Ian and thanks for the suggestion. I had lunch with friends yesterday who have very similar opinions on Pisa. We will investigate.

Cheers
Allan