Transportation Map for Lucca

A Complete Transport Map in and Around Lucca

Lucca has a comprehensive network of transportation means composed of buses, planes, and trains.

Clicking on the map below you will get information on all the localities served by the public transportation system.



At the moment we cannot include all the schedules. However, you can find everything by clicking here (Lazzi Bus).

Trattoria Zaza Florence

Trattoria Z�Z� set behind the San Lorenzo Market, was an old wine-shop when it opened in 1977. At the time you could just get �crostini neri� or a slice of salami with your wine, but with time it naturally transformed into a rustic tavern where the knowing locals could eat traditional dishes like Pappa al Pomodoro, Ribollita, Baccal� alla Livornese and finish with Tiramis� served in a wine glass - all in a welcoming, no-fuss atmosphere.

Today Z�Z� has a website from which you can make your reservation and even shop on line.

Trattoria Zaza

Trattoria Z�Z� is located in Piazza del Mercato Centrale in Florence, right near Trattoria da Mario.

Yearly Music Events in Tuscany

Lots of Music in Tuscany

Througout the year the region of Tuscany funds a series of music festivals called "Toscana Musiche".
The festivals are the following:
Barga Jazz: for twenty years good jazz. Next Edition August 20 to 26, 2006. For more info call +390583 711044
Siena Jazz: National Italian Accademy of Jazz, a school and a source of concerts. For More info +390577 271401
Arezzo Wave: twenty years of concerts in Arezzo. The last edition was held between the 11th and the 16th of July. For more info +390575 401722.
Metarock: Raggae, funk, hip hop in Pisa, where the last edition was from the 15th to the 17th of June. For more info +39050 40821.
Musica dei Popoli: Thirty years after the first edition, the next one will be on October 2006, from the first to the 30th in Florence. For more info +39055 4220300.
Piero Ciampi Prize: In Livorno the next edition will be in December. For more info +390586 892984.
Festival delle Colline: The last edition was held between June 20th to July 14th, 2006. For more info +390574 5317
On the Road Festival: This contest in Pelago attracts many a street artist to compete with each other. The last edition was between the 6th and the 9th of July, 2006. For more info +39055 8327301.
Musica e Suoni dal Mondo: In Carrara this musical event reunites musicists from the 5 continents between the end of July and the beginning of August. For more info +390585 641393.
Vivere Jazz Festival: The last edition was between June 26th and July 4th, 2006 in Firenze, Fiesole, Sesto. For more info +39055 240397.
Pistoia Blues: Too much to say about this event. One of the protagonists of the last edition (July 12th to 16th, 2006) was Caetano Veloso. For more info +39 0573 994659.

For more info on other musical events throughout the year in Tuscany please visit: www.toscanamusiche.it

Bus Schedule between Siena and Grosseto

Buses between Siena and Grosseto

This schedule will be helpful if you are in Siena and would like to get to the sea near Grosseto (and come back to Siena, too!) Each trip takes approximately two hours:

Leaving from Siena to Grosseto during weekdays:

6:40 - 8:00 - 10:10 - 12:10 - 14:10 - 15:10 - 16:10 - 17:10** - 17:45* - 19:15*

Leaving from Siena to Grosseto during weekends:

8:10 - 14:10 - 19:15

Leaving Grosseto to Siena during weekdays:

5:40 - 6:15 - 7:00 - 7:45 - 8:45 - 9:45 - 11:45 - 13:45 - 15:45* - 17:30

Leaving from Grosseto to Siena during weekends:

8:45 - 9:45 - 17:30

*Except on Saturdays

**Leaves from Antiporto di Camollia, viale Vittorio Emanuele II

The Bus in Siena leaves from the following address
Sena Autolinee
Piazza Gramsci - Sottopassaggio "La Lizza" - 53100 Siena
For info call 800.930.960 (from Italy only) every day from 6.15 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tickets available on board

More info at www.sena.it

Montepulciano Bravio delle Botti

When Wine Barrells Rule Montepulciano

On Sunday August 27th in Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy, the Bravio delle Botti will take place again.
As every year, the Bravio delle Botti will see the contradas of Montepulciano challenge each other in one of the most fatiguing strength and endurance-based Medieval traditions in Tuscany.
The barrell pushers have to roll huge oak wine barrells uphill on the steep streets of Montepulciano. Needles to say, some editions have seen the participants in need of serious medical assistance!


The previous Saturday August the 19th the city of Montepulciano will elect the master of ceremonies through a romantic ceremony that sees the town adorned for a jolly time of all participants and spectators.
I have been in Montepulciano several times already, and I have to say that if the town is lovely during each time of the year, during the Bravio delle Botti it becomes a little magical. It is an experience to try at least one if you are going to be in Tuscany on the 19th or 27th of August.
The Bravio delle Botti in Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy, will begin on Sunday August 27th, 2006 in Piazza Grande at 7 p.m.

Castellina in Chianti - The Wine Fest under Shooting Stars

Wine Festival and Shooting Stars in Castellina in Chianti

Going to Castellina to taste a delicious ice-cream at the Antica Delizia, we had not realized that Castellina, like many other towns in Chianti, was having one of the most interesting celebrations of the Tuscan Summer: Calici Sotto le Stelle (Flutes Under the Stars).
The whole idea is bound to the fact that Italy finds itself in a particular astronomical position right on the 10th of August, when from their territory Italians can admire literally hundreds of shooting stars falling each night. Tying up the wine event to the star shooting made the event very popular Tuscany-wide. The good thing is that all the wine farms participating to the wine fest are selected and bring in the streets of Castellina in Chianti extremely good products.

It was great to find ourselves in Castellina and learn that all you have to do to participate and drink as much good wine as you want is to buy an 8 euro wine glass (calice) and drink up, while also learning more and more about how each passionate wine producer tells you about why this wine is more or less fruity and why a bottle of a particular year costs way more than another, and so on.
It was lovely to see the town completely alive during all night, with all the shops open, singers and players in the street, people chattering and having fun, and it was great to drink and taste all that good Chianti wine.

Villas for large group of people in Tuscany

It is not easy to find big Villas or Mansions that can accommodate large group of people in Tuscany. This year for the annual meeting of the company we have spent one week in an incredible luxury mansion few km from Lucca in the Garfaganana region. The Villa that is set inside a beautiful Italian garden was perfect for our meeting. The chef of the Villa Mr Giovanni, prepare for us every day incredible dinners. The staff that it was also very professional organized everything for us and the last day they gift to us a great concert in the music room of the Villa. As every year holiday-apartment-tuscany.net organized a perfect holiday for us. I would recommend this mansion for all those company that are looking for Villas for large group of people in Tuscany , you wont regret it.

by Marco Alvarez August 2006