Montepulciano day

The city has an old Duomo and you should not miss a visit. The Duomo begun in 1592 and finished in 1630 is Ippolito Scalza's masterpiece. The face was not finished, The most beautiful church is located at the exit of the city and it is called San Biagio. This unique church was built of honey and cream colored travertine. This Church is Sangallo's masterpiece begun in 1518.

A visit at montepulciano should not take to you more than half day. The next town you should visit is Pienza just 10km far away.

If you want to stay for lunch or dinner in the city I would suggest to you a couple of places:

expensive:restaurants le grotte (very high quality food) 40 euro/person aprox
cheap: with outside terrace, il pozzo di Pulcinella is very good value for money, 15 euro/person aprox

A True Golf Course in Tuscany !! (18 Holes !!)

Real Golfing

I was fabberglasted to find such a great Golfing facility in the heart of Tuscany, between Siena and Florence! This is something that you do not find very often in Tuscany due to the very strict landscaping and building regulations of this region.

The Golf Club of Castelfalfi is inserted in a medieval village in the Tuscany countryside. The hamlet belonged to the noblest lineages through out the centuries, including that Medici family. The golf fields are one of the best in Tuscany.

Characteristics and length: The length is 18 holes for a total of 6.645 meters. The Par is 73. It is complete with practice greens, and practice sand banks.

A characteristic of the course is that, in spite of the variations in ground levels and the often strong undulations, the game is mostly carried out on a downhill fashion, with very rare uphills.

There are countless water obstacles, both on the sides and frontal. Also, there are only few sand bunkers as to give players an alternative in the matter of game styles.

The putting on the green differ from other Italian golf fields for their technical characteristics.

The available facilities are:

• 18 holes par 73
  
• Practice Field
  
• Putting and Pitching green
  
• Golf carts and trollings hire
  
• Bar
  
• Restaurant
  
• Guest Rooms
  
• Dressing Rooms
  

If you wish to contact the facilities for info or reservations, please do so at 0039 0571 698466.

Strongly endorsed!!

The Wind's Cave (Grotta del Vento)

A fantastic Journey UNDER Tuscany !

In Garfagnana, near Massa Carrara, in Northern Tuscany, the Grotta del Vento is a superlative European cave, provided with a great deal of professional guides and well paved and lit itineraries designed for all kinds of legs and tastes.

First discovered in 1600, it was explored and opened to the public in 1962. The name derives from the peculiar fact that the cave has two exits. One is located 600 meters above sea level, while the other, unaccessible to people, is located at 1400 meters above sea level. The difference in temperatures creates a continuous stream of air. Due to the fact that inside the cave the temperature is at 10 degrees Celsius throughout the year, during wintertime the stream of air flows upward, since outside it's cooler, while during summertime the stream flows downwards. However, during guided tour the air flow is non existent due to the closure of air-tight doors.

Guided tours develop along the course of three itineraries, lasting 1, 2 and 3 hours respectively. During the itineraries one has the chance to admire unique landscapes of stalagmites and stalctites, thin layers of limestone, underground rivers and crystal blue lakes.

The cave has been explored through a path of 4 miles, although a staggering 30 more branches have not yet been explored!

The guided tour's schedule is the following:
The Grotta del Vento is open every day of the year (excluding December 25th). Between 1st April and 1st November and 26th December and 6th January, and on Sundays and public holidays of the remaining period the times are as follows:

Itinerary One: 10 am, 11 am, noon, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm.

Itinerary Two: 11 am, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm.

Itinerary Three: 10 am, 2 pm.

On weekdays and on Saturdays between November 2nd and December 24th and January 7th and March 31st, only the itinerary One (1 hour) is possible at 10 am, 11 am, noon, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm.

For organised groups of 20+ (tourist agencies, schools and other associations), tours are available throughout the year, even outside the above stated hours, but subject to prior arrangement. Bookings can be made through the following address:

Direzione "Grotta del Vento"
I-55020 Fornovolasco (LU)
tel. +39-0583-722024 fax 722053

E-mail:info@grottadelvento.com

Click on the picture to get a better view of the driving directions










Curious about the Planimetry of the Grotta del Vento? Click on the pink map!!




All info taken from
http://www.grottadelvento.com/guida/index.html

Tuscan's - Outlect Factory near Pisa

Tuscan's Creations

Another great factory outlet all to be discovered is Tuscan's Creations S.r.l., which features great prices and splendid designs created for more pricey brands such as Prada, Gucci, or Fendi.

You can find Tuscan's Outlet Creations in Ponte a Egola, near Pisa. The address is Via Corridoni 20/22 Ponte a Egola - Pisa. The phone number is +39 0571 49424 and the email is tuscans@tuscans.it

When you get there ask anyone in the fashion outlet how to get a fidelity card, which will allow you discounts of up to 40% on the already discounted prices. You can create a card and then start shopping. There is no need to shop first.


Tuscan's has been a stable in the Italian landscape since the mid Seventies, with an excellent producion of soft python and leather handbags, purses, accessories and more.


Tuscan's is a discount outlet conveniently located in Tuscany, but with several other outlets in the Europe, in cities such as Turin, Milan, Rome, Barcelona, Athens, and Florence.

Directions:
On the A1 Highway take exit Firenze Signa and then follow the directions to the FI PI LI Freeway. Take the FI PI LI in direction to Pisa, and exit at Santa Croce sull'Arno.
Once you are on the two lane road, take a left until you find a rotary. Take the first right exit off the rotary and then the first left turn. Follow the signs to Tuscan's

Hot Air Ballooning in Tuscany

My Ballooning Experience

Here you will find some useful information to experience a rush of adrenaline through hot air ballooning in Tuscany.
I have experienced hot air ballooning in Tuscany before and I think this is a wonderful way to discover Tuscany from a very different perspective indeed!!

Yes, when you landed in Florence (did you land in Rome? Too bad..) you might have had a glimpse of what a hot hair ballooning experience in Tuscany might be!
Or may be not? Well, lets' see...A hot air ballooning ride starts on the field, when the balloon is still uninflated, the basket is tumbled on one side, and everybody is running around trying to make it possible for the balloon to get in as much hot air as it is needed to tilt the basket back into position and see the ballon get its right shape!

This moment is absolutely thrilling... you feel like a kid before going on a roller coaster for the first time... you don't know what to do, and ask lots of questions to the pilot, which gladly answers them. His job is also to make you feel confident in the means of transportation you are about to jump in... it makes it all the more enjoyable. You watch the flame heat the air inside the balloon, then watch the air get a little colder and sucking in more air, which gets heated immediately with a deafening sound of flame thrower...

Sooner than you would think, the balloon is nice and plump, and next thing you know you are in, shaking like a leaf, grabbing the border of the large basket with you heands, clenching your fingers in the intertwined hay, familirizing with this ancient but oh-so-new flying contraption....

The basket rises gently, almost effortlessly, giving you the impression that you are still and the Earth is actually moving away. All of the sudden a little vertigo gets in you as you realize it's the contrary and you are actually flying!
The breeze becomes stronger and you move with it, observing how this perspective and the precariousness of your situation makes everything magical, unique, just a once in a lifetime experience.

The light of the Sun blurs the contour of the mountains and hills that you are now commanding from afar. The art patchwork that composes the Tuscan country side rolls away underneath you, around you, everywhere... nature seems to be in awe at the miracle of you flying, and as everybody on the hot air balloon is feeling this magic, the silence becomes absolute, and you are bewildered by the spectacular match that a perfectly silent motion composes with the Tuscan landscape.

To be there I had to renounce to the fear of death. I refused to think about what could go wrong in such a situation (however nowadays very little), and just abandoned myself to the idea that if I should fall, I would be ready to die then and there. With this my inner peace was complete. I was really living as if those were my last life moments, tasting every element I could feel, enjoying the least important memories of family and friends, feeling every single inch of my skin and rediscovering the touch of my fingers on my hands.

When I got off the basket I stepped back onto the usual world, but I still feel that this experience has enriched me on so many levels of perception and life consideration that I can definitely compare this to a religious (meant in the broad sense)experience.

The organizers that had come to pick us up also brought us back. We were a group of 6 people (the maximum for a basket) and we paid 220 euros each, plus 50 or 60 euros of pick up and drop off service.

The organizers work off Tavernelle Val di Pesa. I will be posting soon their new website and number. The reservation can be made through credit card.
The organizers also provide with Honey Moon Hot Air Ballooning tours for a price of 450 Euros to let the groom and bride enjoy this spectacular experience all alone!

San Gimignano B&B

B&B in Tuscany

The town of San Gimignano has achieved so much world notority that in summertime it is almost a pain to walk through the streets.

I strongly suggest to go there before July and after mid October, since the weather is much milder in Tuscany this time of the year.

This is the best season also because everything is cheaper and less crowded. The best accommodation solution is a b&b. I have experimented villas, which I very much like, but that during this time of the year are less appealing as it is a little colder and the pool is not as enjoyable. Same goes for an apartment in a farmhouse.
The b&b solution is great because it is completely self catered, you do not need to stay a week from Saturday to Saturday, you are given a nice breakfast every morning included in the price of a beautiful room (sure it depends on the price!!), and most of the times you find yourself in a city setting near places of interest and cultural spots. If the b&b is in the countryside, be sure the b&b is near a town where you can go out for a stroll, a restaurant, or for some more practical need such as a farmacy or a quick snack. Also remember to budget in a car rental, if you plan on being in the countryside. Public transportation is not always practical, convenient, or available in small Tuscan towns.
San Gimignano is a great place to be, but after few days there you will feel the urge to explore a bit more. It is important that you plan your way around for daytrips to Siena and Florence, or to the many towns of the area (Poggibonsi, Colle Val d'Elsa, Barberino Val d'Elsa, Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti) without wanting to see it all. These places are usually much better if enjoyed with your watch ticking a little slower.
Just as an example, San Gimignano still preserves many typical places (among the many touristy ones). But if you rush and only follow the tourist routes, you will not discover them for sure. I am a true believer of slow motion while travelling. Slow eating, slow thinking, slow talking. Your days will seem fuller, you food tastier, your company more enjoyable. Just a friendly piece of advice!

Just another simple advice is to look for your b&b in Tuscany where we found our haven. If you visit Villa Toscane's b&b page you will surely find what you need.