Experience Tuscany » Modes of Transportation

Basing Yourself in Tuscany

ClairPhillys — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:50:18 +0000

Where should I base myself in Tuscany? If you are thinking of visiting Tuscany there is a high chance for this question to pop in your mind. The answer is not based on one single factor. There a number of aspects that come into play.

Your base in Tuscany will be located depending on the sights you want to visit (categorize, prioritize, then choose). A guide book, or an online travel guide will help you decide your focus area. Think about how many daytrips you will take according to your length of stay. Take a look at these destinations, then pick a central area convenient to all your trips.

You should also consider your means of transportation. Are you going to be visiting countryside places? Then you will need to rent a car. However, if driving is not your treat you can hire a private driver service.
Some prefer to go with public transportation, however that bears natural limits. Bus transportation in Tuscany is unevenly capillary, with large rural areas being poorly serviced, while others are very serviced. Do a web search for your destinations and the bus services in those places. Is there a local company? Call them or write to them, they will be helpful.
Train transportation in Italy and Tuscany is quite good, with many small towns being serviced. However, in most cases you will find that the train station is located at the foot of the hill, and the actual station name has the word “scalo” attached to the town name. As a rule of thumb “scalo” is the station area. Take Castelnuovo Berardenga, for example. The station is located several miles away and is called “Castelnuovo Berardenga Scalo” but is considered part of the main town. Fucecchio, on the other side, has its train station “downtown”. Take that into consideration.
Lastly, if you will focus on large urban areas (as Siena, Florence, Pisa), simply pick a place in its vicinities, it will have good public transportation.

What type of accommodation do you want? Country villas and farmhouse apartments are placed in beautiful scenic places, but they are not convenient to shops. While some houses are walking distance to town, a car may be useful for your daily errands (grocery, post office, pharmacy, etc.) as rural houses in Tuscany are just that, rural! In some cases it may take a several miles walk just to get to the outskirts of a town, and the naturally hilly territory can present challenging uphills to climb with your grocery bags. In most cases, though, you will find it impossible to walk anywhere, and a car becomes vital for your holiday in Tuscany.
You may also decide to stay in a village, city, or a town. If your goal is to relax and take few or no daytrips, then a village or town house is perfect and you will not need a car, which becomes a necessity if you plan daily excursions.
A city accommodation, on the other side, is best lived without a car, as you will have restaurants, shops, museums and events a step away without parking hassles. Many decide to hit Florence as their first Tuscan approach. The city is definitely best experienced without a car. Expensive and inconvenient parking coupled with difficult circulation and resident-only areas make the city perfect for walking and biking tours. Now with bike sharing you can even have a bike for free! All major areas of interest are in pedestrian areas, and bus transportation perfectly serves Florence outskirts, such as the highly popular Fiesole.

Where is the Tuscan scenery? The smooth rolling hills are located in the valleys. Asciano Valley, Valdichiana, Valdorcia, and the territories declining to the sea all present an open and sparsely wooded character. The northern and easternmost part of Tuscany are closer to the Apennines. Here you will find more woodlands and defined altitudes, with some rocky scenery. The Chianti region, somewhat in the middle, presents a mix of the two sceneries, with large vineyards and olive tree covered hills. The coast is a splendid portion of Tuscany, which combines the beauty of hillside and seaside landscapes with a higher average of fair days. The Maremma region offers splendid panoramas.

Your budget also comes into play. The natural choice would be to go with direct booking rentals by owner as they are less expensive, although some prefer an established company to warrant against bad surprises. A cross web search and some customer review will usually be more than enough to clear all doubts. If you are undecided between a private villa and a farmhouse agriturismo you should consider how important privacy, space sharing, and pricing are to you. Hotels and B&Bs are usually the most expensive choice. In some cases famhouses can be noisy due to the farm work being daily carried out, although many provide country apartments in a quite environment and lower prices.

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The Tuscan Road Trip

ClairPhillys — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:33:06 +0000

There is something magical about Tuscany. From the old-world beauty and charm of Florence, to the endlessly inviting countryside, to it’s beautiful beaches, this region in Italy never ceases to amaze. With endless open roads to take on, we suggest an old fashioned road trip to take it all in, kilometer by kilometer.

Here’s the tips and advice you’ll need to enjoy your trip.

First thing’s first, you will need a car. That’s if you don’t have one or can’t borrow one of course. If that’s the case, we suggest hiring one. To save some money and time doing this, you will want to hop online for the best deals. A good car hire comparison site will lessen the work of finding a car that suites your needs.

Additional Tip: If you’re not more than four people, don’t opt for the upgrade when picking up your hired car. Although this might mean more space, bigger cars guzzle more fuel which could work out a fortune if you’re on the road for a couple of days.

Secondly, don’t overload your car. We suggest packing only the essentials. General rule is one backpack per person. If it doesn’t fit, you don’t need it. Food wise, we liked taking only a couple of bottles of water and some fruit. Cities like Florence, Siena and Pisa make for great places to explore and fill up on snacks and other essentials. You’ll also want to pack your own music. We’d suggest a couple of CDs to keep everyone upbeat for a couple of days.

Tuscany has loads you will want to experience and see, but you will have to be realistic with the time you’ve set aside for the trip. We suggest splitting up all the things you want to experience into two – a couple for the ‘leaving’ trip and a couple for the return trip. This way you will get to see every thing you want and won’t have to sit through a boring return journey.

If you have enough space left on your itinerary, we suggest popping these two places on it:

Saturnia’s Hot Springs
The waters are rumoured to have cleansing and healing powers. That is if you can get past the smell of rotten eggs. The thermal waters stay at a warm 37°C all year round and have been the perfect spot to relax since Ancient Rome’s heyday. Oh, and it’s free.

Abbazia San Galgano
This abandoned and roofless cathedral is located around 30km from Siena. A couple of years ago it was left to the goats, but now it’s been cleaned up and makes for quite the sight. It’s Gothic, it’s big and, we must admit, there’s an eerie vibe going on too.

This guide was brought to you by Essential Travel. The UK’s favourite travel add-ons provider.

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Tuscany Shopping Driver

ClairPhillys — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:52:22 +0000

The three Tuscan outlets of Prada, Gucci and McArthurGlen attract each day thousands of visitors from all over Tuscany, Italy and the world for their great prices and choice of original pieces from recent collections. Discounts reach even 70% of original price, and items are of course in mint condition and all genuine, no counterfeits are in sight as the shops are a direct retailer of the fashion house. If you are not from Italy the discounts may be even greater compared to the prices you find in your country.
The Mall is the outlet that hosts Gucci, but it also includes names like Zegna, Armani, Ferragamo, Valentino, and Tod’s just to name a few. Just like the Prada outlet, named “Lo Spaccio“, also offers Jill Sander, Helmut Lang and Miu Miu. Here discounts reach up to 70% of original Italian prices. At the McArthurGlen outlet you can find more than 80 established names of the fashion industry.
Where are the outlets located? The Mall is near Florence in Leccio Reggello, the Prada outlet is in Montevarchi and McArthurGlen is at the Barberino Fashion Outlet near Florence. The three locations are not close to one another. Can you get a driver that will organize a shopping tour at all three locations? Sure you can!
A comfortable minivan accommodates up to 8 passengers with a large trunk for your shopping catches. The driver’s name is Pasquale, and he is an expert licensed driver that will pick you up at your location in Tuscany and take you to the paradise of shoppers. His tours can be arranged to include one or two outlets only. The typical tour, however, includes Florence and the three fashion malls. Tours can be scheduled both in the morning or in the afternoon, either form 8am to Noon or 9am to 1pm, and from 1pm to 5pm.
The cost of each tour depends on the distance, however it is much cheaper to share a full van as the minimum price regardless of occupancy is 160 Euros.
You do not need to be a fashion victim to take the tour. Nice clothing and accessories at these prices are an investment, not an expense.
Of course Pasquale speaks English, and he is also available for airport pick-ups to and from Florence, Bologna, Forlì, Milan, Rome, Pisa and Verona. He also picks up during night hours for a slight surcharge of 10 Euro on the total cost.
To contact Pasquale you can simply write him at his email: taxi@greve-in-chianti.com, or call him at his cell phone: +39 335 644 85 35.

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Elba Island Ferries 2010: Schedule and Prices

ClairPhillys — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:06:39 +0000

Elba Island is one of the most beautiful islands of the Tuscan archipelago. Its crystal clear waters and rich sea bottoms, matched by the wonderful vegetation that flourishes above the entire island, each year attract many visitors from mainland Italy and abroad. Although quite close to the Tuscan coast, the island is best reached with a Piombino ferry, but if you have a medium size boat you can reach the island without troubles.
However, it is most common to get the ferry to Elba Italy, as there are so many every day that you won’t be left ashore. Each of the two ferry Elba companies covering this portion of sea provide safe and comfortable ferries for you and your car, RV, or motorbike. Both companies depart from Piombino to Elba, so the service provides an Elba island ferry every half hour or so. Services start each morning at 5 AM and the last Elba ferry to Piombino is at 10,30 PM. While Moby offers only one destination to Elba, Toremar ferry Elba also offers Rio Marina in addition to Piombino, so if you have to get to a place closer to that portion of island your driving trip will be shortened considerably.
Keep in mind that Elba ferries prices change considerably depending on the period of the year and if there are special offers on a particular date. To get the best fare it is usually recommended to depart in periods other than peak season (July and August), or during weekends. You are less likely to find a spot and prices are definitely steeper. The time of the day is also a determinant for your Elba ferry price. Early morning and late night are the best times to depart and save on the ferry price.
In any case be sure to check out both official websites of the two companies Moby Lines and Toremar ferry Elba, so you will get all the updated information on actual Elba ferry availability, special fares, discounts and updated departure schedules.

Click here for Moby Lines Elba island ferries and prices

Click here for Toremar ferry Elba and prices

- Piombino – Portoferraio – 05:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 06:40
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 08:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 09:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 10:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 11:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 11:40
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 12:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 13:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 14:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 15:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 16:10
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 16:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 17:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 18:10
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 18:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 18:40
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 19:00
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 19:30
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 21:10
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 22:00
- Piombino – Portoferraio – 22:30

- Portoferraio – Piombino – 05:10
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 07:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 08:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 08:40
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 09:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 10:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 10:15
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 11:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 12:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 13:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 14:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 14:05
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 15:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 16:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 17:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 18:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 19:00
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 19:40
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 20:30
- Portoferraio – Piombino – 21:00

- Piombino – Rio Marina – 05:50
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 08:20
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 10:10
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 11:05
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 11:55
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 12:50
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 14:15
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 14:45
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 15:05
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 15:50
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 16:50
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 17:30
- Piombino – Rio Marina – 19:10

- Rio Marina – Piombino – 06:55
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 09:55
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 11:30
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 12:30
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 13:20
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 13:30
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 13:50
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 14:30
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 15:05
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 15:30
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 16:25
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 17:00
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 18:00
- Rio Marina – Piombino – 18:25

Elba ferry prices range from 11,10 Euros up to 11,90 Euros per person. More info on the official Toremar ferry Elba website.

Please remember to refer to the official websites to get up to date information and special offers on your ferry to Elba Italy, and Elba ferry prices.

Piombino is the main departure point for all Elba Island Ferries. Find it here:

View Elba Island Ferry in a larger map

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Bus Florence to Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano

ClairPhillys — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:50:56 +0000

There are many Tuscany buses connections between the cities of Florence, Pisa, Siena and San Gimignano. If you would like to avoid renting a car or driving long routes through Tuscany, you can take advantage of these Tuscany bus routes leaving the car at the station to pick it up in the evening after your day trip. You may even renounce to renting a car altogether as these buses also connect the airports of Florence and Pisa, the two main Tuscan hubs.

Bus Florence to Pisa and Pisa to Florence
There is a very convenient bus Florence to Pisa that departs from Pisa Airport to arrive at the Florence airport, stopping at Santa Maria Novella Florence train station in between. It is also available in the opposite direction of course. The one way trip per adult is 10 Euros, the round trip 16 Euros per person. More info at Terravision. The one way trip lasts 85 minutes from airport to airport, while it is 70 minutes stopping at or departing from Santa Maria Novella.

Bus Siena to Pisa and Pisa to Siena
The line from Siena and Pisa airport is operated by Tra.In. (more info here) that departs daily also stopping in Poggibonsi in between for a total of 5 trips. For more detailed info also find the article from Pisa Airport to Siena.

Bus Florence to San Gimignano and Poggibonsi Bus San Gimignano
Unfortunately there is no direct train from Florence to San Gimignano. You will have to stop in Poggibonsi and take another bus to San Gimignano from there. Here is the timetable from Florence to Poggibonsi, and here from Poggibonsi to Florence, so you can plan your connection for the return trip. The timetables also show the complete trip to and back connecting to Siena. Consult this schedule to get from San Gimignano to Poggibonsi, while here is the one from Poggibonsi to San Gimignano.

Bus Siena to San Gimignano and San Gimignano to Siena
If you wish to go from Siena to San Gimignano, here is the direct line schedule, without changes, while here is the bus schedule from San Gimignano to Siena.

Bus Siena to Florence and Florence to Siena
The bus route from Siena to Poggibonsi offers many departures to and back between the two Tuscan cities. Here is the bus schedule from Florence to Siena, while this is the schedule from Siena to Florence.

In order to go from Pisa to San Gimignano you will have to get to Florence, then to Poggibonsi, then to destination. Unfortunately there is no direct bus.

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Tuscany Train Travel: Discover Tuscany by Train

ClairPhillys — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:20:06 +0000

There is a new way of discovering Tuscany through routes off the tourist track that preserve unaltered landscapes. It is the exploration of Tuscany by Train that gives you the chance to get to know the region crossing lands open only to the more adventurous ones that on foot or by bike can reach these lands.
But do not be mistaken, this kind of Tuscany train travel is not with everyday trains on regular traveler railways. These trains are old and completely restored. Some are diesel trains, some are steam trains, all brought back to their antique state. The railways are also dead lines that instead of being dismantled were restored and maintained to allow the grandparents of today’s high speed engines to bring you to the discovery of Tuscany by Train. These lines cross beautiful landscapes. These railways are scattered all over Tuscany. They once constituted the backbone of people and goods transportation. The elderly of those villages that were once served by the lines still remember when they used to function regularly, and their sadness when they were closed.
So it happens that local territory associations and tourism promotion agencies have picked up the challenge of creating a wonderful opportunity for Tuscany train travel, and their success is confirmed and increased by each passing year.
Just yesterday was the most scented trip of all! The train covered the line from Siena to Asciano until Monte Antico and back in the evening. This is the season of black truffles, the so called Marzuoli or Scorzoni, less sophisticated than their white counterpart that grows in Fall, but delicious nonetheless. This is not the only truffle trip, and you can get more information on next journeys calling +39 0577 207413 or writing to trenonatura@ferrovieturistiche.it.
In Northern Tuscany you can participate to the Pontremolese journey, or take part to the Lunigiana Greenway from the San Carpasio abbey to Aulle. For info call +30 329 8147086 or write to matteotollini@interfree.it.
As previously said, you can also walk through these lands, and from Orbetello to Porto Santo Stefano on the Tuscan coast you can hike the old railway line; get info on this activity at +39 349 4409855 or write to trekpertutti@thesan.net. Biking is also an option along the train line Pisa, Tirrenia, Livorno, and if you want to participate call +39 328 2751552 or wite to alessandro.barbini@poste.it. You can also bike along the Arezzo, Palazzo del Pero, Molin Nuovo, Pieve a Ranco calling +39 329 4309009 or writing to info@gcardinali.com.

All the above Tuscany train travel trips are on a one-day schedule basis and will give you the true chance to discover Tuscany by train or using other ecological means of transportation in contact with the uncontaminated Tuscan nature.

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London to Tuscany Flights

ClairPhillys — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:32:49 +0000

Finding a cheap flight to Tuscany coming from London is not very difficult. But at times if you go through well known websites that offer powerful search engines on the best airfares to and from London to Florence or Pisa airports you may not end up with the best rate after all. Most of the times, indeed, you are told the carrier only at the end of the booking process, and it may be too late to check for special promotions that you may only find on the carrier’s website. Plus, most of the times the prices shown are quite deceptive as they do not include taxes, fees, airport service charges, security supplements and administration fees, which can make up for a big chunk of your final fare.
So, which are the carriers that take from London to Tuscany in Italy?
Meridiana: It probably is the air travel company that has offered this service for the longest time. Meridiana will only take you from London Gatwick to Florence, as Pisa is not covered. The flight is direct and you are allowed to pick the most convenient date for you. Prices vary quite greatly from date to date, so make sure to compare the website’s offer prior to booking through an intermediary. The prices shown are final, all taxes and fees included. Website: www.meridiana.it.
British Airways: Another long standing carrier with flights from the UK to Tuscany. It departs from Gatwick and Heathrow to Pisa and from Gatwick only to Florence. The cheapest flights are of course from Gatwick, at times even half of what you can get from Heathrow. Also the non flexible tickets (i.e. fully refundable and changeable fares) are about double the expense than the non flexible ones. The fares you find on BA.com also include all fees and charges. Website: www.britishairways.com.
EasyJet: offers cheap flights from London to Tuscany departing from Luton and Gatwick to Pisa only. Florence is not served by this carrier that nevertheless offers quite interesting prices on flights to northern Tuscany. All airport fees and taxes are included. Booking fees are not, however they amount to a few pounds. Website: www.easyjet.com.
Ryanair: perhaps the carrier that has revolutionized the way to fly in Europe with low cost fares. It flies to Pisa with direct flights from Stansted only with fares that fluctuate quite a bit. The site quite often offers last minute specials at incredibly low prices. Some fees are included, but themost expensive luggage fees are not beware of this fact. Website: www.ryanair.com.

The flight time from London to Tuscany takes as little as two hours, so in 4 hours you can be from your home to your Tuscan accommodation, door to door!

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Train Ride from Arezzo to Florence

ClairPhillys — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:19:44 +0000

Traveling from Arezzo to Florence by train is a splendid panoramic experience. In order to enjoy the trip you have to get the regional train, the one that makes all the stops, otherwise you will travel along the highway.
As soon as one leaves the city of Arezzo the rolling hills around start to shape the landscape opening a wonderful scenario patched with woods, cultivated lands, rivers, grasslands and splendid farmhouses. Some of these have been carefully restored, while others preserve just a few broken walls with no roof. These add an even greater amount of romanticism to the whole scenery. It is like stepping a hundred years in the past, when these grasslands used to be worked by the hand of poor farmers and sheep grazed freely. After a few tunnels under a series of hills, a white road appears on the left, parting two large grasslands and becoming a thin stretch on the horizon, getting lost in the blue sky over Tuscany. Needless to say, the ever present cypress trees accompany the salient curves of many of these white country roads. The union of these two elements of the Tuscan landscape has become a classic that one finds in many pictures and paintings of Tuscany. It is as if some unknown schemer planned to add a vertical dimension to the flat consistency of white country roads, as to exalt them, keeping their linearity intact with a likewise linear element like the cypress tree.
Each little town the train stops at gives the wonderful occasion to observe how these small urban centers are laid out. The alternation of countryside and inhabited lands is very gradual. The open fields start letting in one red roof at the time. They then become two, three, then a whole group. Slowly, you enter the small town approaching the train station. The wheels start slowing down, allowing the eye to catch more details on the lives of those living there. The terraces with people having breakfast, windows hanging clothes to dry, workplaces with busy employees, someone attending the garden. After a 1 minute stop you depart again towards Florence. Soon you start crossing the rivers that carry water to the river Arno. You are in the Vald’Arno now, the last land in the province of Arezzo before entering the realm of Florence. San Giovanni is the last town in the province of Arezzo. The next stop, Figline Valdarno, is already the province of Florence. You can notice how the land starts to change the closer you get to Florence. You are approaching a different region of Tuscany, the famous Chianti. This land starts off with higher hills that in some parts resemble small mountains. The vegetation in Chianti is also different, and you can spot in the distance large fir woods that are more usual at higher altitudes. You have already left behind Figline Valdarno, and are rapidly passing Incisa, Reggello, Pontassieve, Sieci, and other smaller boroughs. All of the sudden you start seeing Florence in the distance, its famous red roofs, its Brunelleschi’s chapel. Shortly you will be in Santa Maria Novella station and this heart opening train journey will be over.
TIP: Since the regional train ticket is valid for six hours after validation, you can take your time stepping off the train at the town of your interest for a day trip in total relax.

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New Year’s Train

ClairPhillys — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:55:38 +0000

The Nature Train is a classic of the Siena countryside. Old trains that have been dismissed from service and restored for tourist purposes accompany travelers along railroads that are kept open just for these trains. The coaches have been restored with painstaking detail to give the traveler the true feeling of what the past in Tuscany entailed, albeit in a much more romantic version.
Imagine the last night of the year as a train journey full of surprises through the most beautiful landscapes of Tuscany, between the Crete Senesi and the vineyards of the Val d’Orcia. For many years the Nature Train has given the possibility to spend the New Year trip from Siena to Casteldelpiano along the old railway Asciano-Mount Amiata section, which was closed to traffic in 1944 because considered a non productive section.
Today, thanks to the railway in Val d’Orcia, the province of Siena and Trenitalia, this trait is reopened during some holidays as a tourist route. Everyone can now enjoy from the train window the natural beauty that characterize the landscape of these lands. The territory is now famous for being the birthplace of the prized Brunello wine. Here the Nature and Cultural Park of Val d’Orcia was established to preserve this world heritage.
The evening program of December 31 2009 will be as it follows. After departing from Siena at 5,10 pm there will be a special stop to enjoy the fireworks over the Calanchi, the badlands of the Crete Senesi. The lunar landscape and the eroded crests of clay offer a unique spectacle under the light of the fireworks. There will be live music on board by the Trio La Bandaccia to set the right mood up for the festive occasion. The journey will then continue to the station of Cinigiano-Sant’Angelo, around which the village of Sant’Angelo Scalo was built. The arrival here is at 7 pm. From here a bus will drive you to Casteldelpiano in the province of Grosseto on the Mount Amiata. The village is located at more than six hundred feet above sea level. Here you will participate to the New Year’s Eve feast that will start at 8 pm (including the mountain appetizer, three first courses, three second courses, the Morellino of Scansano wine, dessert, champaign and coffee). The evening will continue with music and dances until morning. The return is at 4 am to the Monte Antico station with a private bus. The train to Siena will depart at 5 am to arrive at 5,50 am.
The cost per adult is 115 Euros, while for children under 10 it is 55 Euros. Please get more info or reserve with Ferrovia Valdorcia at www.ferrovieturistiche.it, email: trenonatura@ferrovieturistiche.it, Phone:+390577207413

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Disco Taxi in Arezzo

ClairPhillys — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:03:30 +0000

The city of Arezzo in Tuscany is one of the most up beat in terms of trends and fashion. Every new apparel trend first passes by Arezzo before spreading all over Tuscany, and maybe even Italy. The same goes for nightlife and clubbing. Arezzo and its province have plenty of disco pubs, karaoke bar, clubs, discos, fashion bars, chillout lounges and Latin dance ballrooms. One can easily say that Arezzo has the widest night scene offer in Tuscany.
Clubs in Tuscany usually close at 4 in the morning, although during summer time some go until morning. Needless to say that the late hour and the drink and drive factors have caused many accidents during the years, many mortal ones. It is a gloomy contrast to the fun image of an up beat city prone to life enjoyment. Therefore, to decrease the number of accidents and increase road safety, the city of Arezzo, in cooperation with the cab associations of the territory, recently instituted a taxi service that is strategically placed right outside the most popular meeting points before the clubbing scene is hit. The taxis, which will have the Disco Taxi logo on, will transport the probably already tipsy viveurs to the clubbing scene and station there when the closing time approaches to be sure to gather the majority of people leaving the disco. The service is organized very efficiently. Who wants to use the service has to buy a plastic bracelet at the cost of 10 Euro. The bracelet can be purchased throughout the week at the Informagiovani point in Guido Monaco Square in Arezzo. Bracialets are on sale until half past midnight between Saturday and Sunday, upon availability. There are many advantages to the service: extremely convenient taxi fair, a free non-alcoholic drink, reduced entrance to the club and a quick lane to skip long entrance lines. Departures are from 10,30 pm and 00,30 am, while returns are from 3 am to 4,30 am. The service has already reduced accidents to zero, and ensures freedom of drinking a little extra alcohol without being a danger for oneself and the others. The initiative has been applauded by the end users of this innovative service that can finally enjoy the ride without having to designate the non drinking driver, wasting time to find a parking spot and can finally relax on the way home. Those visiting Arezzo that want to hit the night scene will also find the service very helpful, as the driver service will remove the hassle of finding the place and the need to rent a car.
The service very much reminds of the Disco Bus offered on the Maremma coast during the summertime, which employs free buses to take to and fro clubs and main tourist villages and campings.

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