We are leaving for Rome next Tuesday (22 March) and spending 5 nights in Rome (hotel booked)... Then rail to Florence where we will spend 3 nights (hotel booked)..

At then end of our stay in Florence, we will be renting a car (31 March) and have 3 days/2 nights to find our way to Montepulciano, where we have booked a week at Podere Le Manzinaie. Check into L.M. on Saturday 2 April...

We thus have two nights to travel between Florence and Montepulciano. Where to stay?? Nothing booked... My inclination is to spend a day/night (Thursday) in Lucca and then drive to Volterra?? San Gimignano?? Siena??? and spend another night.(Friday).. Then on Saturday afternoon find our way to Montepulciano for a late Saturday check-in at L.M.

I have no accomodation booked for the Thursday or Friday nights in either Lucca or (Volt/S.G./Siena) areas.

My question is: Will I have any trouble finding accomodation in any of the above mentioned places with just a few hours notice?? (31 March/1 April) I am looking for somewhere that is under Euro 150/night for 3 adults.. Should I go to the Information bureau in the various towns to find something suitable or is there another option??

Any input or suggestions as to change of route will be greatly accepted..

Thanks

Mike

"Only five more sleeps and we are on our way"

Lucca is bit out of the way if your intention is going to Montepulciano. Do the Chiantigiana and end up in San Gimignano. Many folks say San Gimignano is overrun, but at about 5 pm the town drains away all the day trippers and becomes delightful place. Stay at Antico Pozzo of hotel La Cisterna. Eat at Chiri Biri or even better at Peruca.

Peace

How about leaving it until you get there. You have two extras days you can fill with something new. Why do we have to plan every step of the trip? Make two days you can go where you heart desires.

The best part of my trips are the unplanned parts of it. Or maybe I am the only this rule hold true for? It that true and do not listen to me!

Bill

You could go to Lucca and stay the night there then drive south and stay somewhere in San Gimignano. This means that you would be driving west from Florence for a little over an hour to Lucca and then back the same amount to the Firenze Siena highway for a little over an hour and then another 40 minutes to San Gimignano and stay there. You would have about three hours driving in two days.

Then the next day drive to Montepulciano another hour or two.

I would not drive over the hills to get from Lucca to San Gimignano unless you felt like driving for three or four hours.

Yep - I think Lucca for a night and then San Gimignano for another would work nicely.

As an alternative thought, you might try Podere Torrenear Greve.
You can do some day trips from there and gives you the feel of the countryside.

If I were going from Florence to Montepulciano I don't think I'd go via Lucca. It's like going from Philadelphia to New York via Baltimore. What I might think of is a night in Volterra, overlooking everything, and then a night in Siena, or if you don't want to be in Siena, one of the towns nearby. Donatella Cinelli Colombini's Trequanda is very nice. See http://www.cinellicolombini.it/inglese/default.asp.

Also, though everyine mentions San Gimignano, don't forget Colle Val D'Elsa. The new part of town down on the valley floor is dingy, but the old hillip town is absolutely charming.

Kyle

I guess my thinking wasn't a city along the route, but a city I wouldn't visit from my destination. Lucca's too far a day trip from Montepulciano but if you want to see it, then spending a night is a good option. Siena I could almost see (although a long one) as a daytrip from Montepulciano.