re: Last minute recs for Florence, Montepulciano, Siena (and kind of Rome)

Siena: Gelato at Gelateria Kopakabana. Just sit in the middle of Il Campo with a drink. The cathedral is very cool (it has very unusual striped walls and columns).

Florence: Gelato at La Strega Nocciola and Perché No!. Aperitivo at Procacci (get truffle finger sandwiches) and Enoteca Bellini (great wine and crostini; owner is from Florence but has an American mom-really cool place). Dinner at Trattoria 4 Leoni. Panini at I Fratelli (best €5 you’ll spend). Go up to San Miniato al Monte. It’s up above Piazzale Michaelangelo—best views in Florence IMO.

Rome: Dinner at Da Enzo al 29 in Trastevere (Make a reservation). Aperitivo at Vino al Vino in Monti. Beware that entry to the Colosseum is a huge racket. We went in July and could not get in, even after getting a timed entry ticket. The lines are very long at times and there are constant streams of people trying to sell you a group tour to bypass the line. If you are into military history, the Vittorio Emmanuel II monument/museum is pretty cool.