Tuscany

A top notch bed and breakfast, located between Florence and Siena. The rooms are large, tastefully furnished, very well kept with good modern private baths.On the ground floor you can enjoy a lounge, breakfast room and snack area that are very nice. The grounds, including a large swimming pool, are pleasant with splendid views of the surrounding hillsides. You are in the midst of olive groves and vineyards, a relaxing place to take a break from city noise.We liked Tavarnelle as a base to explore Chianti. There are countless historical towns worth visiting, all within easy driving distance.The family that operates Sovigliano will provide every assistance you require but your privacy is respected too. We brought home some of their private label olive oil. Excellent.

Located between Florence and Siena, this is a wonderful base to explore central Tuscany and adjoining provinces. Scenery is gorgeous and the weather and roads are fine.There are many great towns and villages to visit. We suggest you develop a few circle tours to realize the highlights. Siena is an obvious choice worth a whole day. Another time, drive southwest to San Gimignano then travel on to Volterra. To the southeast, so many places should not be missed. A partial list would include Cortona, Montepulciano, Arezzo, Assisi and others. Each place is a bit different so do some research and determine what suits your interests. Don’t plan too much for one day; less is always more.Once, we thought a single trip to Italy might include Rome, Florence and Venice. A little experience taught us that concentrating on a single city was sufficient for one vacation. The major cities provide extensive and varied pleasures and, if your trip is rushed, you can be overwhelmed. We suggest that travellers split their time, perhaps a week in a city centre without car, then a week travelling rural back roads in a rental car. Stay at a good bed and breakfast or agritourismo and enjoy the local foods, products and people.