Tuscany - which towns to explore from?
Aug 10th 2003, 9:29 am
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Tuscany - which towns to explore from?
On Fri, 8 Aug 2003 11:53:38 -0400, "Mark Fagan" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>We're planning a trip to Tuscany and looking for suggestions as to where to
>base ourselves. We were thinking of 10 days near Cortona, then a few days
>in Florence and or Venice and finally a week around Lucca. We plan to
>explore the region around by car.
>We are looking for smaller towns, say around 5,000 people, that are easy to
>drive into and out of. We'd like somewhere with enough activity,
>restaurants, etc. that we can spend a day or evening there without always
>having to go somewhere, preferably not too steep for walking (1 of us has
>knee problems) and a good central location for visiting the other sites and
>towns of the area.
>Hotel reccomendations in your suggestion would be welcome.
Your two criteria are pretty much contrary. A town of 5,000 people is
not going to have much in the way of evening activity.
Hmm, my personal suggestion would actually be Siena, which is a
moderate sized city. It's not bad (as far as Italy goes) for getting
in and out, it has ample parking which is a godsend, and it is a place
you can definitely hang out in. Also, lots of good hotels,
restaurants, and shopping for locally-produced items.
Cortona is very charming but difficult to get in and out of. Lucca is
not too bad on parking and getting in and out, but again it is quite a
bit larger than 5000 (although not as large as Siena, which must be
250,000 at least).
Well, okay, for a tiny town, personally I would pick Montepulciano. I
like to be in town rather than in a hotel in the countryside at night,
though.
I assume you are going to get a car in Rome and just keep it. The
drive to Venice is not too bad and if you are staying there only a
couple of days, it will be worth it just to keep the car and pay the
high garage fee. Parking in Firenze is a bit of a hassle.
Mason Barge
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln
wrote:
>We're planning a trip to Tuscany and looking for suggestions as to where to
>base ourselves. We were thinking of 10 days near Cortona, then a few days
>in Florence and or Venice and finally a week around Lucca. We plan to
>explore the region around by car.
>We are looking for smaller towns, say around 5,000 people, that are easy to
>drive into and out of. We'd like somewhere with enough activity,
>restaurants, etc. that we can spend a day or evening there without always
>having to go somewhere, preferably not too steep for walking (1 of us has
>knee problems) and a good central location for visiting the other sites and
>towns of the area.
>Hotel reccomendations in your suggestion would be welcome.
Your two criteria are pretty much contrary. A town of 5,000 people is
not going to have much in the way of evening activity.
Hmm, my personal suggestion would actually be Siena, which is a
moderate sized city. It's not bad (as far as Italy goes) for getting
in and out, it has ample parking which is a godsend, and it is a place
you can definitely hang out in. Also, lots of good hotels,
restaurants, and shopping for locally-produced items.
Cortona is very charming but difficult to get in and out of. Lucca is
not too bad on parking and getting in and out, but again it is quite a
bit larger than 5000 (although not as large as Siena, which must be
250,000 at least).
Well, okay, for a tiny town, personally I would pick Montepulciano. I
like to be in town rather than in a hotel in the countryside at night,
though.
I assume you are going to get a car in Rome and just keep it. The
drive to Venice is not too bad and if you are staying there only a
couple of days, it will be worth it just to keep the car and pay the
high garage fee. Parking in Firenze is a bit of a hassle.
Mason Barge
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln
Aug 10th 2003, 1:34 pm
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Tuscany - which towns to explore from?
Actually, a Google search turns up the actual population figure of 60,000.
While this is much larger than the 5000 the OP mentioned, it is far from the
250,000 another poster suggested.
>Siena, which must be
> 250,000 at least).
While this is much larger than the 5000 the OP mentioned, it is far from the
250,000 another poster suggested.
>Siena, which must be
> 250,000 at least).
Aug 10th 2003, 10:56 pm
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Tuscany - which towns to explore from?
I'd recommend you fly into Florence and stay there for a couple of
days. You don't need a car to explore Florence and if you did have a
car parking is hard to find and somewhat expensive. On arrival at
Florence airport catch the bus which will take you into town and drop
you outised the main train station.
Pick up your rental car at the end of your stay and enjoy Tuscany!
All the car hire companies have offices in Florence city centre as
well as Florence airport so it's makes life easy by dropping it off at
the airport at the end of your trip.
Regards,
Bart
Travel photography is not just about documenting what you see while
travelling. Pictures can capture the sense of adventure while in your
own city or another country. Visit Travel-mania and share your travel
and "Room With a View" photos at http://www.travel-mania.net/gallery
On Fri, 8 Aug 2003 11:53:38 -0400, "Mark Fagan" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>We're planning a trip to Tuscany and looking for suggestions as to where to
>base ourselves. We were thinking of 10 days near Cortona, then a few days
>in Florence and or Venice and finally a week around Lucca. We plan to
>explore the region around by car.
>We are looking for smaller towns, say around 5,000 people, that are easy to
>drive into and out of. We'd like somewhere with enough activity,
>restaurants, etc. that we can spend a day or evening there without always
>having to go somewhere, preferably not too steep for walking (1 of us has
>knee problems) and a good central location for visiting the other sites and
>towns of the area.
>Hotel reccomendations in your suggestion would be welcome.
>Thanks!
days. You don't need a car to explore Florence and if you did have a
car parking is hard to find and somewhat expensive. On arrival at
Florence airport catch the bus which will take you into town and drop
you outised the main train station.
Pick up your rental car at the end of your stay and enjoy Tuscany!
All the car hire companies have offices in Florence city centre as
well as Florence airport so it's makes life easy by dropping it off at
the airport at the end of your trip.
Regards,
Bart
Travel photography is not just about documenting what you see while
travelling. Pictures can capture the sense of adventure while in your
own city or another country. Visit Travel-mania and share your travel
and "Room With a View" photos at http://www.travel-mania.net/gallery
On Fri, 8 Aug 2003 11:53:38 -0400, "Mark Fagan" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>We're planning a trip to Tuscany and looking for suggestions as to where to
>base ourselves. We were thinking of 10 days near Cortona, then a few days
>in Florence and or Venice and finally a week around Lucca. We plan to
>explore the region around by car.
>We are looking for smaller towns, say around 5,000 people, that are easy to
>drive into and out of. We'd like somewhere with enough activity,
>restaurants, etc. that we can spend a day or evening there without always
>having to go somewhere, preferably not too steep for walking (1 of us has
>knee problems) and a good central location for visiting the other sites and
>towns of the area.
>Hotel reccomendations in your suggestion would be welcome.
>Thanks!
Aug 11th 2003, 7:03 am
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Tuscany - which towns to explore from?
In article <[email protected]>,
bart@!nospam!.redhanky.net wrote:
>I'd recommend you fly into Florence and stay there for a couple of
>days. You don't need a car to explore Florence and if you did have a
>car parking is hard to find and somewhat expensive. On arrival at
>Florence airport catch the bus which will take you into town and drop
>you outside the main train station.
I'd agree
>Pick up your rental car at the end of your stay and enjoy Tuscany!
>All the car hire companies have offices in Florence city centre as
>well as Florence airport so it's makes life easy by dropping it off at
>the airport at the end of your trip.
But those center city offices may not be well staffed.
We rented a car from AutoEurope (DBA EuropeCar)
picking it up downtown Florence and dropping it off
in downtown Pisa.
No problem in Florence, although the office was a bit chaotic
by American standards.
Pisa was a different story.
The downtown office wasd supposed to be open until 1pm.
We got there at noon and found a note on the store stating
that the office was closed, that cars should be parked on the
street around the corner, and the keys left at the bar on the corner.
No parking spaces on the street specified and\ the bar said no way.
We drove to our hotel (the Royal Victoria -- very nice) and
parked the car there.
The receptionist dealt very effectively with the car agency on the phone.
They came and picked up the car, and we were not billed for a late dropoff.
However, the service from EuropeCar was not impressive given the hassle.
bart@!nospam!.redhanky.net wrote:
>I'd recommend you fly into Florence and stay there for a couple of
>days. You don't need a car to explore Florence and if you did have a
>car parking is hard to find and somewhat expensive. On arrival at
>Florence airport catch the bus which will take you into town and drop
>you outside the main train station.
I'd agree
>Pick up your rental car at the end of your stay and enjoy Tuscany!
>All the car hire companies have offices in Florence city centre as
>well as Florence airport so it's makes life easy by dropping it off at
>the airport at the end of your trip.
But those center city offices may not be well staffed.
We rented a car from AutoEurope (DBA EuropeCar)
picking it up downtown Florence and dropping it off
in downtown Pisa.
No problem in Florence, although the office was a bit chaotic
by American standards.
Pisa was a different story.
The downtown office wasd supposed to be open until 1pm.
We got there at noon and found a note on the store stating
that the office was closed, that cars should be parked on the
street around the corner, and the keys left at the bar on the corner.
No parking spaces on the street specified and\ the bar said no way.
We drove to our hotel (the Royal Victoria -- very nice) and
parked the car there.
The receptionist dealt very effectively with the car agency on the phone.
They came and picked up the car, and we were not billed for a late dropoff.
However, the service from EuropeCar was not impressive given the hassle.
