Experience Tuscany

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!

It is February, but never too early to start thinking about the hot Tuscan beaches and crystal clear Mediterranean sea. Actually, during this time of the year a relaxing summer vacation in Tuscany is a very attractive thought. Each passing year finds the Tuscan coast and the sea clean and well kept. In addition, the coast in front of the Argentario offers one of the most beautiful underwater sceneries of the Mediterranean sea.
This contest is dedicated to all those that are dreaming the beaming sun and an ice cold drink aboard a sailing ship. The first prize of this contest is indeed a fantastic week-long cruise aboard a sailing ship in front of the Tuscan coast. The ship offers plenty of room for 6 people and your personal skipper. WOW!
You just need to send 4 electronic postcards and try your luck. Winning has never been easier! To participate to the sweepstakes just click here. You will be brought to the page where to register (a five seconds step) and then send the postcards to your friends. Each friend that participates to the contest in turn will give you an additional chance to win the contest!
If you win the first prize you will need to find two pairs of friends to sail with. The specific rules of the contest are not out yet, but you can get more info on the prizes here. The contest is valid from February 6th (yesterday) to April 19, 2010 and prizes will be redeemable from May 24 to June 28, 2010.

Click here to show or hide prize details

Whichever prize you win expect pristine beaches and excursions to the Tuscan archipelago islands. The Tuscan coasts is rich in history and romanticism. The Adventure in Tuscan Islands draw will take place on April 26. The first prize winners will depart from one of the most prestigious harbors of Tuscany. The second and third prize winners will still be able to enjoy boat tours to to the main Islands of the Tuscan archipelago while residing in prestigious seaside bed and breakfasts.
Good luck!

Have you ever thought of spending your New Year’s Eve in Tuscany in one of the wonderful cities famous all over the world? Now you can do it for free thanks to a contest that will draw the luckiest 5 couples that participate to the contest. Actually the participation is really quite easy. You need to solve a no-brainer jigsaw puzzle available on the website of wintoscana (below all the details). The contest awards 5 different sojourns in Tuscany. The first one is a 7 nights in Florence, the second three nights in Florence, then three nights in Siena, the fourth three nights in Lucca and the last one three nights in Pisa. All Prizes include bed and breakfast stays in high standing hotels, entrances to museums, the New Year’s Eve dinner in a prestigious restaurant, airport transfers (except the second prize). The first prize also includes the airfare from your country!
What is the name of this wonderful contest? Happy New Tuscany! Discover what is like celebrating the new year in Tuscany. The quiet hours of the last day of the year are spent preparing for the often monumental dinner that usually also includes the traditional dish of lentils (considered to bring money for the new year) and pork leg, among other delicacies. The midnight toast salutes the New Year, and then the streets and squares fill up with people. The magic atmosphere of the ancient Tuscan cities, adorned with Christmas lights that cast new shadows and lights on world famous cityscapes flooded with music and dances is a picture to take and bring in one’s heart.
The sojourn in Tuscany does not only concentrate on the New Year’s Eve, of course. You will be able to plan other activities to discover the Tuscan culture and traditions to take the most from this winter break.
The contest already started on November 21st, and will last until December 10th.
How to participate:
Simply go to http://wintoscana.it and click on the “Happy New Tuscany” link that will bring you to the jigsaw puzzle. You will be able to complete it in five seconds and submit your information that will be drawn on December 12th 2009.
If you want to read the entire competition rules you can find them here.
Also you can find all the information on each prize at this page: http://www.wintoscana.com/contestapp/images/premi/contest1_en.html.
So hurry up, as time is running out and this is a unique occasion to discover the beauty of Tuscany at a special time of the year!

In the Chiantishire, as the Chianti has come to be known in the English speaking world, there is an ongoing battle that for many years has seen two butcher families dealing blows of t-bone steak and ribs against each other. It is an ideal battle, of course, that sees the famous Dario Cecchini in Panzano in Chianti and the Falorni family in Greve in Chianti on opposing sides. Many are the celebrities that, unless vegetarian, have at least once struck the tender flesh of both butchers. That of their steaks, more precisely. Elton John is the protagonist of a story that has long been told in Tuscany. The famous singer would have carefully sealed t-bones of fiorentina sent straight to his Scottish castle.
In Greve in Chianti is another place loved by a celebrity. In the square you will find a small shop of fine lingerie, and feather-light nightgowns, as light as rose petals. The owner ensures that they are the favorite of Penelope Cruz that ordered them in large quantities.
Bruce Springsteen is the celebrity protagonist of another Tuscan anecdote. On the morning of his concert in Florence in July 2003, the singer rented Harley Davidson bikes and brought the whole band and his wife to celebrate his birthday at the Casa del Prosciutto in Vicchio. He prefers low key places out of the spotlight that offer the best tasting food, nevertheless.
Sting, however, was one of the first to move to Tuscany adopting a completely different philosophy of life. After buying a wine producing farm in the beautiful countryside surrounding Figline Valdarno, he started producing organic products and promoting a life devoted to meditation and yoga practices. He has often been caught in the Uffizi visiting the museum and admiring Leonardo’s Lady with an Ermine.
Fashion victims have of course visited LuisaViaRoma, just like Paris Hilton does when she comes to Italy visiting his friend Roberto Cavalli.
The relaxation and meditation powers of Tuscany are also appreciated by actor Daniel Day Lewis. A few years ago he turned into a cobbler as he was fascinated by this ancient Florentine artisan art. After finding a house in the Santo Spirito district in 2000, he knew a local artisan named Stefano Bemer. After discovering the great care for the detail and the spirituality of each gesture of the artisan, the actor asked him to secretly stay with him to learn the shoemaking art.
Finally the last year at the famous Gelateria Badiani in Florence Paul McCartney made a quick stop for a refreshing ice cream. A quick jump off his fast car and then he and his partner zipped away to avoid any paparazzi could catch him getting cold…tongue!

Thanks to the Sena bus lines, there is a good availability of flights that connect the rest of Italy and its airports to the main cities in Tuscany. If you would like to put off a car rental until the last minute, or even completely, you are given the choice of getting to Tuscany in a comfortable and fast way thanks to reliable bus connection services.
The main Tuscan cities served are Siena, Florence, and Grosseto, including a number of smaller towns in their vicinities. Prices are quite reasonable, times efficient and availability is good. The quality of coaches is high, including all grand tourism services like toilets, video entertainment, air conditioning, very comfortable seating, and very quiet travel compartments. Last but certainly not least, the kindness of drivers, which can really make the difference in your arrival journey last leg, usually the most tiresome and stressful one.

The connections from Siena Florence and Grosseto to the main airports are as it follows:

Milan to Siena, Siena to Milan. Duration 4h and 30m
- Milan to Siena departures at 9:15am, 2:15pm, and 6:15pm
- Siena to Milan departures at 7:15am, 11:45am, 6:15pm
The cost is 29 Euros per person

Other intermediate stops are Barberino Val d’Elsa, Poggibonsi, and Firenze Certosa

Rome to Siena, Siena to Rome. Duration 3h and 5m
- Rome to Siena departures: 6:30am, 8:30am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm, 6pm, 8pm
- Siena to Rome departures: 6am, 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, Noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm
The cost is 20 Euros per person

Other intermediate stops are Bettolle, Poggibonsi, Colle Val d’Elsa, Rapolano, Monteriggioni, and Sinalunga.

Bologna to Siena, Siena to Bologna. Duration 2h and 30m
- Bologna to Siena departures: 11:30am, 6:30pm
- Siena to Bologna departures: 7:20am, 2:50pm
The cost is 16 Euros per person

Other intermediate stops are Poggibonsi

Milan to Florence, Florence to Milan. Duration 3h and 30m
- Milan to Florence departures at 8am, 12:35pm, and 7:05pm
- Florence to Milan departures at 9:15am, 2:15pm, and 6:15pm
The cost is 23 Euros per person

Other intermediate stops are Barberino Val d’Elsa

Milan to Grosseto, Grosseto to Milan. Duration 5h and 45m
- Milan to Grosseto departures: 2:15pm, 6:15pm
- Grosseto to Milan departures: 6am, 10:30am
The cost is 33 Euros per person

Bologna to Grosseto, Grosseto to Bologna. Duration 3h and 50m
- Bologna to Grosseto departures: 6:30pm
- Grosseto to Bologna departures: 6am
The cost is 20 Euros per person

It is important to notice that some buses do not take to the airport but drop you off in the city at a location where airport shuttles are available. Other buses do also take to the airport without changes.
Weekends rates often are discounted through special fairs. In addition the website is also very informative and allows online purchasing, including many other destinations in Italy. You can find it here: http://www.sena.it/index_e.htm

MTV and the Tuscan Regional Authority have joined forces to organize a contest rewarding the winner with a five-day trip around Tuscany, and the possibility to be the protagonist of a reality show based on the trip.

Registrations for the contest are open! The name of this media game is “MTV iTuscany“, whici spart of the ad campaign on Tuscany “Voglio Vivere Cosi”. It will be a true competition among Tuscany lovers, and it is promoted at a European level by the MTV network. To participate you will only need to register here completely filling out the registration form and telling the story of your trip to Tuscany. Now this is a bit tricky, but for those of you accustomed to using Twitter to make a long story short, it will not be a problem fitting your tale within 150 characters, and you will also have 10 characters left!
Among those who will participate, four will be selected by a jury formed by members from MTV and the Tuscan Region Authority. The 4 lucky ones will win a five-day trip to Tuscany. During their vacation they will be filmed to create a Tuscan reality show that MTV will broadcast during the following months.

Who can participate? The contest is open to all people between 18 and 45 years of age that reside in the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy.
Until when can I participate? You can register until September 30th, 2009.
Best of luck to all participants!

There are many ferries that take care of the one hour trip to Elba Island that bring passengers and cars from the Tuscan land to this paradise in the Mediterranean sea.
It is always useful to have a snapshot of all the available options, company timetables and fairs according to season, and link to their availability page for a more comfortable trip planning.
The main company is Moby Lines employing large boats that carry hundreds of cars and people on board each trip. Moby boats used to be employed for Mediterranean cruises, therefore have many comforts and services.

Check the company’s online availability here

Click here for the MOBY LINES Schedule from Piombino to Portoferraio- click again to close

Click here for the MOBY LINES Schedule from Portoferraio to Piombino- click again to close

Everyone can find a car rental at the airport, or in a large city! But for your traveling needs you might need to find a car rental in a smaller town, maybe far from airports and main cities such as Florence or Pisa. You may want to travel to a town by train or bus and then…you need a car rental. If there are none in the vicinities, what will you do?
Here I have grouped some car rentals that you will be able to easily find and contact to make arrangements prior to your departure to get to Tuscany. Many are local ones, others are a franchise of larger car rental chains, some rent just cars, while others rent vans and minivans with or without driver, do transfers to and from airports, and some others are able to drop your car off where you need it and pick it up in the same place.

Chiusi is an important city for those who land in Rome and get to Tuscany by train. Chiusi is the first Tuscan stop after Rome, and you may find a car rental at http://www.autonoleggioilgirasole.it/servizi.en.php

In Siena you can find Easy Terra Autonoleggio http://www.easyterra.com/italy/siena/car-rental-siena-downtown-office.html.

Empoli, Calenzano and Poggibonsi (near SanGimignano) are served by Nolcar at http://www.easyterra.com/italy/siena/car-rental-siena-downtown-office.html which also provides minibus and van and long term rentals.

Grosseto has several options: Autonoleggio AD RENTAL v. Ambra, 28 Phone +39 0564451384 – Autonoleggio AVIS v. Telamonio, 40 Phone +39 0564494682 – Autonoleggio HERTZ Vl. Monte Rosa, 41 Phone +39 0564450440 – Autonoleggio EUROPCAR v. Verdi, 11 Phone +39 800014410 – Autonoleggio ARZILLIBUS v. Verdi, 11 Phone +39 056421008 – Autonoleggio D’AMBRA GIUSEPPE, v. Tripoli, 84 Phone +39 056429115D – M. AUTONOLEGGIO, v. Aurelia Nord 209 Phone +39 0564453860 – INFINITO VIAGGI v. Telamonio, 40 Phone +39 0564496588

Massa Carrara is a very important part of Tuscany, set on the northernmost tip and very close to beauties such as Cinque Terre in Liguria. A car rental here is to be found at http://www.transferok.it/prov_massacarrara_noaut.asp.

Pistoia offers cars and minibus rentals at Anar http://www.transferok.it/prov_massacarrara_noaut.asp. From Pistoia one can easily reach FLorence or the wonderful Abetone Mountains for summer and winter vacations.

Livorno is a very important maritime center and a wonderful city to visit and where to depart from to get to the Etruscan Coast or the wonderful Rosignano white-sand beaches. Here your car rental contact is with
Salacar in Calata Carrara Phone: +39 0586 885101 and with Soncin Edoardo in Piazzale Undici Maggio 7 Phone: +39 0586 205863.

Pisa and Florence provide a vast choice of car rentals at each respective airport.

Getting to Tuscany is extremely easy thanks to the many connections that this region enjoys. The air travel system includes regional hubs such as Florence and Pisa which offer national, international and intercontinental flights. The highway system is very capillary as Tuscany is crossed from north to south by the A1 highway, while from Florence you can connect to the coast thanks to the A11 branch. Additionally, other important arteries are the A12 from Pisa to Genoa to north, and from Pisa to Livorno and Rosignano to south, the A15 that crosses the north-western extremity of Tuscany called Lunigiana. Highways are complemented by other important and historical state roads and 4-lane freeways such as Via Aurelia, Cassia and Clodia to name a few.
The railway system is also well developed in Tuscany, as by train you can get almost anywhere. The main train route is the line that goes from Rome to Milan crossing Tuscan lengthwise and touches cities such as Prato, Florence and Arezzo. From there a number of subordinate lines depart to connect towns and cities throughout the region. On top of all, Tuscany has very efficient passenger transport sea services. Many are the ports that connect the region to its islands (Elba, Giglio, Capraia are just the main ones). From Piombino and Livorno cruise ships depart to Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily several times a day to provide a more efficient and comfortable service.

Here below is a comprehensive list of websites for those who travel to Tuscany to get timetables, schedules and organize your traveling according to your comfort needs. Some only have Italian versions, but you can still get good information from them.

Airports:

* Airport Galilei of Pisa
* Airport Vespucci of Firenze
* Airport Marina di Campo – Isola d’Elba
* Airport of Ampugnano – Siena
* Airport of Grosseto
* Airport Lucca Tassignano
* Airport Massa- Cinquale
* Airport Molin Bianco “Centini” – Arezzo
* Airport Fagnani – Siena

Trains:

* Organize your trip to Tuscany, visit the Italian Railway website
* Tuscany by train and information on internal transportation

Higways:

* Italian Highways official website
* SALT Società Autostrade Ligure Toscana official website
* Official site of the Autocamionale of Cisa
* Take a live look at highway traffic in Italy accessing the webcams

Ferries and Tourist Ports:

* Port of Livorno
* Port of Piombino
* Port of Rosignano Marittimo
* Tourist port of Marina di Salivoli
* Tourist port Etrusca Marina
* Tourist port Punta Ala
* Tourist port Marina di San Rocco
* Tourist port di Cala Galera

Crystal seas and wild horses, intimate coves and Mediterranean bush, scents and tastes of a land that leaves its mark. A trip to the Maremma region in Tuscany is an all-comprehensive experience, filled with plenty of natural stimuli, something that enriches and can change the perception of each one.

Even here in Tuscany there are virgin territories, and the Maremma is one of these. Maremma is a famous land, of which many know the story. A tale linked to memories and evocative images: sparkling sea and golden beaches, lagoons with clouds of birds that rise in the air, rolling hills and wild areas, dense pine forests and herds governed by cowboys.

Once it was a cursed land, a swamp infested by malaria; today it’s pure beauty, a wild splendor that gets to your soul, with amazing wildlife such as majestic cows or the Maremmani horses, selected for these lands. The coastline is covered with the deep green of a thick pine forest, the only barrier between the sea and absolute countryside. To all this you must add an explosion of historic villages, fashion towns, high-society sea ports, all destination of international tourism, full of life, seafood specialties and famous wines.

This is a land that remains in one’s souls after a stay. During the months far from this experience, one tends to go back to the remote part of Maremma that was experienced, escaping the daily routine to refresh those unforgettable emotions.

These famous enchanting places have also signed the history of Tuscany, being the scenario of Etruscan and Roman ports, Sienese possessions and subsequently fortified by the Spaniards conquerors, a unique spectacle that viewed from the sea reveals all its charm.

Not to mention the pearls that one encounters moving inland, away from the coastline. You can shift from the liveliness of the coast to the silence and recollection of towns and villages distributed on the hills inland, still surrounded by ancient walls. Here you can discover less famous realities, certainly unforgettable ones, which still maintain the signs of the past. One should only need to deviate, to make a few more kilometers, and it will not be a waste of time. The past will be coming towards you, with the most striking architectural jewels, medieval squares, fortifications, and very often, panoramic views that open up on the hills below If you wish, here you will find the wild boar and the acquacotta recipes to satisfy your palate . It is also possible to go further in the past, visiting the eternal city of the Etruscan people, whom left us signs of happiness, joy, and their wisdom painted on the walls of their tombs.

From the naturalistic point of view the complex formed by Monti dell’Uccellina, the pine forest of Marina di Alberese, the mouth of the river Ombrone and the swamps of the Trappola is a unique and intact mosaic of ecosystems.

This is a territory to discover with calm, even by bicycle or horseback riding, through picturesque hiking and mountain biking trails that lead to splendid natural terraces. Few other parts of Italy allow to quickly reach many charming villages from the coasr like in Maremma.

From precious towns overlooking the sea, such as Capalbio, Castiglione della Pescaia or Orbetello or you can start to explore the hinterland going up to Saturnia, wonderful spa town, or to the Etruscan towns of Pitigliano and Sorano. A journey to be savored moving quietly through the flavors that this land can offer, from the tasty dishes of cold cuts to the antique acquacotta recipe, to finish with the unique taste of Morellino di Scansano wine.

Some pictures of Maremma: