07 January 2013

I travelled with a group of colleagues to see the beautiful Tuscan countryside courtesy of Travelsphere Holidays. Arriving at Rome airport, the transfer to our hotel was two hours. We stayed at the 3* Villa Ricci in Chiancano Terme for 4 nights. The hotel is well situated in this old spa town and is a great central base for touring the area. It is quite basically furnished but has all that is necessary, with a modern annex with spa pool which is great after days of walking in the hills. The food was excellent and although out of season, the bar was open in the evenings and there was plenty of relaxation space. Our first day of touring took us to the hill towns of Bagno Vignoni (a tiny village with a huge thermal pool in the town centre and a haven for artists), Pienza with its narrow streets full of shops selling the local cheeses and handcrafts and ending in Montepulciano. It rained here (heavily) so we didn't see it at its best but the mist hovering in the main square was wonderfully spooky and apt for the town where the vampire movie Twilight was filmed. There are lots of places to stop and taste the local wine which is exported worldwide and it was a great way to escape the weather for the afternoon! Our second day was spent in Florence and although out of season it was still very busy with tourists. The museums are all closed on a Monday so if you are just interested in the living museum that is this fabulous city then that is a good day to plan your visit. It was Tuesday when we arrived and there were long queues for the Uffizi with lots of cruise excursions arriving around lunchtime. I'd recommend booking tickets in advance if you don't want to spend hours waiting to get in! Day three took us to Siena and San Gimignano. This was the highlight of the week for me. It was a lovely warm and sunny day so we saw both towns at their best. Siena is mostly traffic free and a delight to walk around. It’s interesting to walk through the alleys of the town but beware, it is extremely hilly and a good pair of walking shoes is a must. There is an easier but less interesting walk along the only road with traffic but you'd miss out on some of the most interesting sights, like the stables where the horses are looked after before the big race in August - The Palio. San Gimignano is a beautiful hill town, also mostly traffic free, with a narrow main street lined with shops selling all sorts of crafts and local produce. Make sure you try the ice cream, it’s worth queuing for! Our last day was spent in the Eternal City of Rome. There are few words to describe Rome that haven't been used before so here are my lasting impressions. Book for the Vatican, you can waste a whole day queuing otherwise. Drivers in Rome are notorious and their reputation is not exaggerated so avoid as many roads as you can by walking the back streets. The history is overwhelming - a walking tour is well worth the expense as you will get to see places quite off the normal tourist routes and learn a lot more. Eat in the small restaurants in the back alleys. We had two courses and wine for 10 euros. It was only pizza or pasta and a starter of crostini but it was Rome - what else would you want to eat! Top Tip: Tuscany is full of interesting hill towns and surrounded by famous vineyards so hire a car to get around but leave it behind if you want to go to Rome.