Fwd: Re: [Idyllchat] Montalcino
Jerry Clancy
jclancy@billtrak.com
Thu, 13 Jul 2006 20:01:09 -0400
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I had meant to post this to the group as well.
Jerry
>Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2006 18:15:36 -0400
>To: Daddo500@aol.com
>From: Jerry Clancy <jclancy@billtrak.com>
>Subject: Re: [Idyllchat] Montalcino
>
>Save the Eastern bloc, I've driven every country=20
>from Sweden to Italy in Europe, including=20
>England and Ireland, in several dozen trips=20
>there. Paris and perhaps Rome are the most=20
>challenging (but fun, particularly =C9toile) but=20
>the countryside is easy. In fact, I found=20
>Provence last August very easy. Southern Italy=20
>can be very congested and frenetic, Rome=20
>particularly (with four rush hours a day --=20
>siesta), but Tuscany is pretty much a piece of=20
>cake given its mostly rural nature, certainly=20
>easier than North Jersey, for example. The=20
>busiest cities are Florence and Siena and the=20
>roads to them very good. You're actually not=20
>allowed to drive in many of the walled cities,=20
>Florence included (a good thing, as the roads=20
>are entirely too narrow and flooded with=20
>mopeds). For Florence, drive to the southern=20
>(Montalcino) side and park at the Piazza di Michelangelo and take a cab.
>
>Most of your day trips will be on roads that are=20
>fairly easy with a few that are a bit winding=20
>(out to the Benedictine Monastary, for example)=20
>but not all that difficult. Some are delightful,=20
>as is, for example, the road along the River=20
>d'Orcia from Bagno Vignoni to Pienza and=20
>Montepulciano, famous hill towns (which you park=20
>just outside of and walk in). You will like=20
>drive the easy 7 Km. or so between Montalcino=20
>and Buonconvento almost daily for papers and the=20
>grocery (the COOP). And it you get lost you have=20
>the ever friendly and delightful Italians to=20
>help you. You don't necessarily need the language -- just bring hands.
>
>Can't speak for the other properties, but the=20
>Untours Le Chiuse apartments are located at the=20
>base below Montalcino and you can hike up to the=20
>town in some 15-20 minutes if you're in pretty=20
>good shape and avoid driving in entirely (this=20
>couch potato drove, the family hiked). It can=20
>even be driven with a four-wheel transmission.
>
>The Italian drivers can be aggressive (I was=20
>once passed at a stop light on the sidewalk in=20
>Milan), but this is mostly tailgating. Just=20
>ignore them and let them pass. Don't otherwise=20
>change your driving habits and you'll have no=20
>problem. Italians have a love affair with the=20
>automobile. As for the car itself, in Italy=20
>small is good, as parking large cars can be a=20
>challenge in some towns and cities. Also=20
>recommend a stick shift if you are comfortable=20
>with it. They're cheaper and better (in my=20
>opinion) on the hilly sections where you downshift a lot.
>
>I don't think it gets much better than a week in=20
>Tuscany and another in Venice, the one city I=20
>have missed, where a car would literally be an=20
>anchor. Some day I hope to get there.
>
>Don't forget to visit the Untours trip logs.
>
>Jerry
>
>
>At 02:49 PM 7/13/2006, you wrote:
>
>>Dear idylltourists, We are notg particularly=20
>>experienced travellers (England, France,=20
>>Greece) and are initmidated by the thought of=20
>>driving around northern Italy. We are=20
>>interested in art particularly and wnat to=20
>>visit the usual art destinations for tourists=20
>>plus some that are off the beaten tour=20
>>track--e.g. Piero's "Legend" in Arezzo.
>>
>>Our question is this: Has anyone combined a=20
>>"regular" escourted tour, say of Tuscany and=20
>>perhaps Venice, with an Untour experience of,=20
>>say, five days? Is the driving in Italy=20
>>difficult? Is a plan like this one=20
>>practical? Does anyone know of flexible tour plans that might fit our=
wishes?
>>
>>Any and all advice will be much appreciated.
>>
>>Daddo500@aol.com (j.gill)
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I had meant to post this to the group as well.<br><br>
Jerry<br><br>
<blockquote type=3Dcite class=3Dcite cite=3D"">Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2006 18:15:=
36
-0400<br>
To: Daddo500@aol.com<br>
From: Jerry Clancy <jclancy@billtrak.com><br>
Subject: Re: [Idyllchat] Montalcino<br><br>
Save the Eastern bloc, I've driven every country from Sweden to Italy in
Europe, including England and Ireland, in several dozen trips there.
Paris and perhaps Rome are the most challenging (but fun, particularly
=C9toile) but the countryside is easy. In fact, I found Provence last
August very easy. Southern Italy can be very congested and frenetic, Rome
particularly (with four rush hours a day -- siesta), but Tuscany is
pretty much a piece of cake given its mostly rural nature, certainly
easier than North Jersey, for example. The busiest cities are Florence
and Siena and the roads to them very good. You're actually not allowed to
drive in many of the walled cities, Florence included (a good thing, as
the roads are entirely too narrow and flooded with mopeds). For Florence,
drive to the southern (Montalcino) side and park at the Piazza di
Michelangelo and take a cab.<br><br>
Most of your day trips will be on roads that are fairly easy with a few
that are a bit winding (out to the Benedictine Monastary, for example)
but not all that difficult. Some are delightful, as is, for example, the
road along the River d'Orcia from Bagno Vignoni to Pienza and
Montepulciano, famous hill towns (which you park just outside of and walk
in). You will like drive the easy 7 Km. or so between Montalcino and
Buonconvento almost daily for papers and the grocery (the COOP). And it
you get lost you have the ever friendly and delightful Italians to help
you. You don't necessarily need the language -- just bring
hands.<br><br>
Can't speak for the other properties, but the Untours Le Chiuse
apartments are located at the base below Montalcino and you can hike up
to the town in some 15-20 minutes if you're in pretty good shape and
avoid driving in entirely (this couch potato drove, the family hiked). It
can even be driven with a four-wheel transmission.<br><br>
The Italian drivers can be aggressive (I was once passed at a stop light
on the sidewalk in Milan), but this is mostly tailgating. Just ignore
them and let them pass. Don't otherwise change your driving habits and
you'll have no problem. Italians have a love affair with the automobile.
As for the car itself, in Italy small is good, as parking large cars can
be a challenge in some towns and cities. Also recommend a stick shift if
you are comfortable with it. They're cheaper and better (in my opinion)
on the hilly sections where you downshift a lot.<br><br>
I don't think it gets much better than a week in Tuscany and another in
Venice, the one city I have missed, where a car would literally be an
anchor. Some day I hope to get there.<br><br>
Don't forget to visit the Untours trip logs.<br><br>
Jerry<br><br>
<br>
At 02:49 PM 7/13/2006, you wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=3Dcite class=3Dcite cite=3D""><font face=3D"Geneva" size=3D=
2>Dear
idylltourists, We are notg particularly experienced
travellers (England, France, Greece) and are initmidated by the
thought of driving around northern Italy. We are interested in art
particularly and wnat to visit the usual art destinations for tourists
plus some that are off the beaten tour track--e.g. Piero's
"Legend" in Arezzo. <br><br>
Our question is this: Has anyone combined a
"regular" escourted tour, say of Tuscany and perhaps
Venice, with an Untour experience of, say, five days? Is the
driving in Italy difficult? Is a plan like this one
practical? Does anyone know of flexible tour plans that might fit
our wishes?<br><br>
Any and all advice will be much appreciated.<br><br>
Daddo500@aol.com (j.gill)</font></blockquote></blockquote></body>
<br>
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