Experience Tuscany » Travelling to Tuscany

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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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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Free Boat Cruise in Tuscany Contest

ClairPhillys — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:06:04 +0000

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!

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New Year’s Eve in Tuscany Contest

ClairPhillys — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:21:05 +0000

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!

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VIPs in Tuscany

ClairPhillys — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:55:52 +0000

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!

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Airport Bus Connections to Tuscany

ClairPhillys — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:44:07 +0000

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

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Win a Trip to Tuscany with MTV

ClairPhillys — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:43:22 +0000

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!

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Ferry to Elba Island Timetable 2009

ClairPhillys — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:08:45 +0000

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

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Car Rentals in Tuscan Towns

ClairPhillys — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:06:22 +0000

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.

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Getting to Tuscany

ClairPhillys — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:43:33 +0000

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

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from 01.01 to 15.03 and from 03.11 to 31.12 2009
PIOMBINO —> Portoferraio Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	05.50*-08.30-11.15-13.00-14.50-16.10°-18.15-21.00
*= not available on sundays and holidays °= not available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 25.12 No departures

from 16.03 to 05.04 and from 29.09 to 02.11 2009
PIOMBINO —> Portoferraio Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	6.00*-09.00-11.15-13.00-14.50-16.10-18.15-21.00
*= not available on sundays and holidays

from 06.04 to 31.05 and from 07.09 to 28.09 2009
PIOMBINO —> Portoferraio Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	06.00-08.00-09.00-10.00-11.10-12.10-13.10-14.10-15.10 16.10-17.10-18.15-19.10*-20.10^-21.30
*= Only available on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. ^= Only available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

from 01.06 to 07.09 2009
PIOMBINO —> Portoferraio Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	05.00-06.00-08.00-09.00-10.00-11.10-12.10-13.10-14.10 15.10-16.10-17.10-18.05-19.05-20.50-21.30^-22.00
*= Only available on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. ^= Only available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

From 01.01 to 15.03 and from 03.11 to 31.12 2009
PORTOFERRAI0 —> Piombino Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	07.10-09.50-11.40-13.15-14.30°-16.30-18.30-19.00# 19.40
°= not available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays **= not available on Saturdays and days prior to holidays #= available only on Saturdays and days prior to holidays 25.12 no departures

from 16.03 to 05.04 and from 29.09 to 02.11 2009
PORTOFERRAI0 —> Piombino Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	07.30-09.45-11.40-13.15-14.30-16.30-18.30-19.00#-19.40
**= not available on Saturdays and days prior to holidays #= available only on Saturdays and days prior to holidays

from 06.04 to 31.05 and from 07.09 to 28.09 2009
PORTOFERRAI0 —> Piombino Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	06.30-07.30-08.30-09.40-10.40-11.40-12.40-13.40-14.40-15.40 16.40-17.40-18.40-20.00

from 01.06 to 07.09 2009
PORTOFERRAI0 —> Piombino Time expressed in 24 hours
Daily	06.30-07.30-08.30-09.40-10.40-11.40-12.40-13.40-14.40-15.40 16.40-17.40-18.40-19.30-20.00^-20.30
*= Only available on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. ^= Only available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.