Advice sought: In and around Tuscany and environs....where to stay, eat and what to see in early November?

It depends what you think is important (and not a guide book, or randos on the internet).

Every transfer is holiday time wasted: Packing bags; lugging them down to reception; checking out; getting to the transport (in this case the car hire firm, filling out their forms etc); the journey from A to B; navigating to the next base (including issues with ZTLs if central); checking in; unpacking bags; getting your bearings in the new place.

That’s not to say I don’t do transfers, but on a 5 day holiday, they’re not a great option unless it’s planned as a ‘road trip’ from arrival to the airport, to departure from the airport. Day trips may end up with similar or longer distances covered, but without the luggage and hassle, the day trip journey itself can be a pleasure (e.g. we love the fast modern Freccia trains).

Given it’s November, the weather can still be decent, but you have less daylight hours, so we tend to lean towards a town or city stay, rather than being in the middle of the countryside. i.e. it’s not as good for exploring the region as (say) May or October. That said, a sunny early November walk through vineyards remains a joy.

Barry’s comment about Firenze is worth noting. Staying outside with a car leaves you the flexibility of easy (maybe using the bus or a pre-researched easy to access car park) day trip into the city. The beauty of the buses are they typically drop passengers right in the centre, whereas the train stations in Toscana tend to be outside the centre. It also gives you a peaceful retreat away from the city and other tourists, plus if planned well, has you avoiding having to head towards the city on day trips out and about.

I like Bologna as a day trip suggestion in November, as whilst it’s busy, it’s big city busy more than tourist busy, so will give a nice contrast. The trains (trenitalia.com) are fast and reliable, with trading up to 1st often v. cheap when booking in advance. Bologna has extensive porticoed streets, so even if it’s raining, you’ll often be protected. The food shopping is exceptionally good, and that allows for a picnic to be procured for the return journey. Note however that the train station is a 30 minute walk from the centre (or cramped bus ride or taxi).

Lucca certainly in reach of Firenze and it makes for a lovely compact day trip, plus its train station is reasonably close (just outside the city walls, so 5 mins to get inside). Both Lucca (Enoteca Vanni) and Firenze (Enoteca Pitti Gola) allow a wine geek to indulge, without venturing near a winery, plus there will be other enoteche (for drinking or buying).

Pisa also an option, but avoid the obvious tourist routes to the field of miracles and do make good time for the city itself (see more on this above)

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Hi again, all, and thanks. Finally booked flights!

After four nights in Barcelona, we will fly into Florence, spend two nights there just to see Florence. Then, train it to Siena to stay there four nights, both to see Siena and then (renting a car) to do day trips, before heading to Rome (train??) one one night before flying home.

Now … quick onto hotels and restaurants now that it’s a definite “go.”

Still looking at hotels, but does anyone have any thoughts on (or alternative recommendations to) the following?:

Florence:
https://www.palazzoguadagni.com

Siena:
https://palazzoravizza.it/en/

Rome?? One night to enjoy Rome but then early to airport. What would you do?

What day trips from Siena home base?

Thanks!

What is the best website to find internal Euro flights? This time, Barcelona to Florence?

Any airlines to avoid or favor?

I use Expedia.com, compare with the airlines.
Personally I never fly Ryanair, otherwise most are ok. Make sure to see if luggage is included in the prices or not.

Sorry there’s not much I can offer on those locations, except for some minor logistical comments on Siena.

  • Note the train station is a fair distance from the city - for some it’s too far to walk, for most it’s too far to walk with luggage. Linked to this, depending on where you are staying in Firenze and Siena, it might be faster and more convenient to tale the autobus (or rather these inter-city buses are quaintly referred to as ‘Pullman’). The advantage of the bus is it goes from centre of city to centre of city, with often a small few additional options for stops. It’s listed as around 90 minutes. Travel Planner | Autolinee Toscane

  • Have good walking shoes in Siena, as the centre is surprisingly hilly, including facilitating the use of outdoor escalators!

  • If the (friday morning?) farmers market is still going in the old market square below Piazza del Campo, then if it’s anywhere near still as good, it’s well worth going. Overall I’d say best across the board quality I’ve encountered in an Italian market. Conversely the huge (twice-weekly?) one that sprawls across the city is absolutely mahoosive, yet with just a few exceptions, rather average to poor.

  • The Piazza del Campo is touristy. If you’re happy in such an environment, it will be fine and a wonderful setting. For me it grated.

Hotels in Florence - Travel, Wine Tourism, and Restaurants Forum - WineBerserkers

Trip to Florence and Rome - Travel, Wine Tourism, and Restaurants Forum - WineBerserkers

Thanks again all. Getting ready!

Where in Siena should we dine???

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Also, can you take a train from Siena to Rome? Easy?

Le Logge
La Compagnia dei Vinattieri
Tre filari for drinks

As far as I know, there’s no direct train from Rome to Siena. Either direct train to Florence and train/bus back down to Siena, or there’s a stop at a town somewhere in between.

Compagnia dei Vinattieri

Great food, superb service and a wonderful wine list.

They didn’t seem to have much stuff of interest by the glass, but the bottle list goes on and on, from very modestly priced bottles to top-shelf stuff. Tons of terrific wines.

Thanks, all. OK, we have a driver taking us from Florence to Siena as we are planning one or two vineyard stops on the way for tours and lunch. I would really like any suggestions on where to stop for a tasting and tour (picturesque over favorite producer in this case).

Fiance suggesting Chianti Castello do Verrazano and Montefioralle. Worth it or super touristy? better suggestions?

I have no experience on either one of them, but at least Castello di Verrazzano seems quite uninteresting based on how the wines are made - they seem pretty generic and modern.

Any reason why these producers?

Not having visited that many producers in the region, it’s hard to really suggest good places to go if the winery appearance and its surroundings are the primary reasons for a visit. Furthermore, most producers just pour their wines, not set up a lunch table. It would make more sense to visit a winery first, then go to a restaurant for a lunch.

No reason to go to either of those except my fiancé saw them in a travel book. I’d rather go someplace less modern and good quality but still lovely enough to keep her happy!

If you actually want to have some food to go with the wines, I heartily recommend going to Montenidoli. They’re not located in the heart of Chianti but in the outskirts of the region, just a mile away from the picturesque city of San Gimignano.

They don’t offer lunch nor do they have a restaurant at the premises, but they brought us all kinds of snacks, charcuterie, pastries, cheeses etc. to keep a group of people satisfied - and we were just two people!

Also a bunch of wonderful people, the almost 90-yo matriarch of the winery, Signora Elisabetta, is a real force of nature and the wines are some of the best and most honest you can get.

However, if you want to visit places in the heartland of Chianti Classico, I suggest checking out Candialle in Panzano; Tenuta Carleone, Val delle Corti or Fattoria Poggerino in Radda; or Castell’in Villa or San Felice in Castelnuovo Berardenga.

And basically all these places require you to book a visit since most of them are relatively small operations, so they need to arrange somebody to actually take care of you!

Went to both of these last week. Wine lists are deep on both but very little good value to be found right now. Food was OK at both. That said they are basically the only two restaurants worth visiting in Siena.

Whilst we ended up not eating in many, instead having lighter meals at the apartment (as we often do), Siena did rather disappoint us for food, with the exception of the superb weekly farmer’s market, and a small place that was closer to the campo than I’d normally eat (being near a major tourist attraction is usually a recipe for overpriced rubbish), but was tucked away just enough. Nothing fancy, good food for lunch, plus some excellent beers that made a good food friendly alternative to wine. Prices high? Yes, banking is strong there, so I daresay it does elevate prices.

I guess we were browsing different parts of the wine list, because I had a hard time on deciding what to drink.

Went with Cantina Terlan’s Vorberg 2017, which normally sells at 30-35€ for the new vintage (2022) and it was something around 50€. There were lots of superb wines between the price point of 40-150€ at quite close to retail prices, often with older vintages.

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I think we just have different opinions on good value. I found tons of options at market plus 50%. The better value lists I found (outside Siena) were market or under.