Gavin asked how far south is my southern Tuscany. Any place that is not an hour or so day trip from Florence is up for consideration. I would be delighted to be sold on the towns you mention, Gavin. Montalcino is beginning to sound great.

Frances asked where we will be staying. I hesitated to mention it in my original post, because I work for the company that rents this villa, writing for them, and, as you can see, I do have a commercial connection with them, even though I have nothing to do with the renting of the properties. A part of my payment each year is one winter week at a house outside of Signa, a small town 10km to the east/southeast of Florence. Last year, the company owners were kind enough to give us an apartment in Florence, because I had been in a serious accident and wasn't ready to be riding about the roads of Tuscany in the winter, but our deal is specific to this one property, so this where we will be this year.

I have visited Siena and San Gimignano in the past, but my husband has not. We will probably visit both those places as day trips, and maybe Arezzo, too.

We absolutely prefer to stay in a small town and not a village or country house, because we will be coming from a week in a country house. Also, it will be winter, with early sunsets and iffy weather. We don't want to drive around much after the first week, and prefer a town that will be at least a little lively in the evenings.

We will probably spend a few nights in the town we are asking for your help in choosing, on our way back to Rome, where our flights are. We may do it on the way to Signa, and Rome afterwards, but we have spent a lot of time in Rome in the past few years, and we would like someplace new. Really, I could go to Rome again and again, but I am anxious to explore an area of Tuscany that I am not familiar with. It will help a good deal in my work.

Thanks Debbie