Tuscany & Umbria

(I don't really like Pisa or Florence and I don't know the other places. Have fun!)

In tuscany; visit Montpulciano and Montalcino for wine. the area to the west of Sinalunga is my favorite. Climb monte amerato for the best views of tusncany.

However with only 12 days I'd be tempted to bypass tuscany entirely, (go back in november for new wine and new olive oil and less people).

You mean Julie Andrews gave us bad advice?

Florence is great between October and Easter but after that it's manic. If you go late in the day to the Uffizi you'll get a reduced price. I'm particularly fond of the Bronzino portraits of the Medici - pretty girls and fat babies, fantastic. If you go first thing in the morning, you'll have to queue for 3 hours at this time of year. The Brancacci chapel is jawdropping (I have no idea if you're into ren. art, but you'll have a job avoiding it, so I'm including it). As well as lovely Giotto frescos, Santa Croce is funny for its giant arrow sign saying MICHELANGELO pointing to the artist's grave, just in case you were worried you'd miss it. The statue of Dante outside is where a friend and I dropped to our knees and prayed on the eve of our Italian literature 'A' level exam. Teenagers fond of dramatic gestures, hem hem. If you're looking for somewhere to eat, Caffe Cabiria on Piazza Santo Spirito is good and cheap. Sit outside and gaze at the colour of the afternoon sun on the unfinished facade. Oh, and go to the food market at San Lorenzo. Lots of amazing fruit and cheese and interesting meaty delicacies.

And I echo what they say about Fiesole. It's a great bus journey up and there's an Etruscan museum, amphitheatre and beautiful olive grove as well as the views.

It's Botticelli's Primavera I really want to see, but I can't be doing with queing for three hours in Florence. I guess advance tickets is the way forward?