| Subject: Re: towns between Rome and Florence |
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Hi Sheila,
Last year we stayed for two weeks in a small town in Tuscany (San
Casciano dei Bagni) in a farmhouse we rented. As a result, we had a
lot of time for day trips in the area. The places which Joan
mentioned are all worth a stop, and if you're travelling by car, I
would heartily recommend that you exit the autostrada at Chiusi to
visit the hilltowns north and west of there - Orvieto and Assisi are
east of the autostrada. Chiusi, by the way, is the headquarters for
Etruscan ruins in the area. The wine towns of Montalcino and
Montepulciano are excellent spots - lovely, small, and great wine. In
the area also is the house known as Val d'Orcia. It has quite a
history - these were the hills where the partisans hid out during
WWII. You'll need a good local map of the area because the roads are
small but if you get lost you're not far from anything, including the
autostrada.
One other tip is Spoleto, north of Rome and on the way to Orvieto. You'll just have to plan accordingly. We always spend our first night in Italy in Spoleto to decompress. It's quite the spot - world famous arts and music festival, a Borgia castle that became a prison and is now being renovated to become a first class hotel. Have a great time. Lucy |