How to get around in Florence

Dear Friends,

Today�s article will hopefully be of use for everyone taking Florence as the base for their holiday in Tuscany, or for those that simply want to spend a day or two in Florence while they explore the delights of the region from a countryside location.

The first thing you should take into consideration if you travel to Florence by car is the numerous restricted traffic zones in the historic centre. Driving through one of these zones will lead directly to a fine. So be careful!

As a result, if you plan to come to Florence by car or to hire a vehicle once you have arrived, I would suggest first of all that you look for a car park outside of these restricted traffic zones and leave your car there.

Florence does not have many car parks. However, the local government has produced a website on which all the main car parks in Florence and their locations are listed- definitely worth a look. If your hotel is in the centre of the city it might have its own car park. Only after your hotel has given your car�s number plate to the local police can you drive through the restricted traffic zones

Bicycle or scooter rental are also interesting options to get to know Florence and travel around the cities and other places in the wider area. There are a huge number of companies which offer rentals. I direct you to this website for example, where you can find both motorbikes and bicycles to rent. http://www.alinarirental.com/

Public transport such as the buses are another good alternative. The company that manages them is the ATAF and fortunately has a website in English. You will find information on timetables, routes and fares here.

You can also take taxis to get around Florence. Nevertheless, due to the fact that this sector is restricted, there are relatively few taxis in the city. To find them you almost always need to go to the designated ranks or call one by phone. This is of course a rather expensive way to travel.

The last option is to get around on foot. Considering that the city centre is not very big and especially that every corner of Florence deserves to be seen, this is probably the best choice.

As always we hope that this information might be of some use for your holidays in Florence and Tuscany.

Please leave any questions, suggestions or thoughts in the comments. 

How to plan an itinerary through Tuscany

Dear Friends,  

Today�s article will not be devoted to describing a new route, but rather will focus on giving some useful advice to consider when you decide to plan an itinerary through the region.

 

1- The first piece of advice that I want to give you is regarding the choice of accommodation along the way, or where to make your �base camp�. This decision is fundamental if you plan to really get to know Tuscany, for which it is ideal to position yourself near the A1 motorway or near a motorway such as the Florence-Siena or Siena-Betolle ones. It is important to choose accommodation near the routes of communication because this will allow you to get around quickly without wasting a lot of time on minor or national roads. 

2- On the same matter, I suggest that you stick to your chosen accommodation, since if you opt for a central place near the Florence-Siena-Bettolle motorway or A1 nowhere in Tuscany will be further than 2 hours away which will mean you can make daytrips to various places in the region.  

3- Furthermore, if you can make your accommodation near to a town reachable on foot this will be useful for the evening since restaurants and bars will just be a few minutes away and you won�t have to rely on the car or worry about being caught out for drinking on your return- checks in Italy are very frequent!

4- Another point to consider when planning your itinerary is not to include more than two or three towns. Seeing as Tuscany�s artistic heritage is vast and in each town, no matter how small, there is sure to be plenty to see.

5 � If you are planning a route by public transport, probably the most appropriate base would be Siena or Florence.  Although I don�t especially suggest this way of exploring Tuscany, buses leave daily from both of these cities to the majority of places of interest. As such you can visit a town a day. From Florence, as well as the buses there are many trains to the majority of cities in Tuscany. 

6- Meals. If on your itinerary you don�t want to spend a lot of money on restaurants I suggest that at mealtimes you enjoy a �Pizza al taglio� where you can buy large slices of pizza to go. In almost every town there are places like this and the pizza is usually very cheap. Another alternative that works well in Italy is to go to the first grocer�s shop you find and they will prepare you a good sandwich filled with local products.

7 � Airports. Making a good choice of airport is also important. I don�t advise you to fly to Florence with Meridian since they are never punctual and often cancel flights due to technical problems. Always look for flights to Pisa and Rome as an alternative. Considering that if you stay in the south of Tuscany Rome and Pisa are almost equidistant.

8 �Mobile Phones. If it is important for you to keep in mobile phone contact you should bear in mind that there are still areas in Tuscany with very little network coverage or even without any.  Take care to check when reserving your accommodation that there is network available in your chosen place.

9 � Speed checks and Fines. In the majority of towns as well as on the motorways there is a speed checking system, as well as restricted traffic zones, so be attentive to driving hours if you don�t want to be fined.

10 �Street safety. All cities in Tuscany are extremely peaceful. The only city where you should pay a bit more attention to your bag or wallet is Florence. In any case the greatest risk that you will find is pickpocketing.  

I would be delighted if you can add anything to this certainly not exhausted list by leaving your own advice in the comments section.

I hope this information will prove useful.

How to get around in Tuscany

Dear friends,



Since so many of you send me emails asking about the best way to get around in Tuscany, I�ve decided to write a post on the subject.



The first thing I want to say is that Tuscany is a region that has a huge number of towns and villages of great historical, cultural and aesthetic interest that, being so small or with such small populations, dispose of very little in the way of public transport.



Because of this, if on your travels you are focusing on visiting the pretty, lesser known spots in the region it is essential to have your own vehicle.



In the case that this might be your first trip to Tuscany and you are staying in one of the larger cities like Siena or Florence it�s important to bear in mind that both are well connected with the towns in the provinces via a bus network.



Likewise, Florence has a notable train station well connected with the other main cities. In such circumstances you can avoid having to rent a car but should ensure to consult public transport timetables.



On another note, it should be emphasized that taxis are fairly scarce and very expensive.



In short, my advice would be to travel in your own car or to rent a car on your arrival in Tuscany, since, without this means of transport you will miss out on seeing so many of the pretty places this beautiful region has to offer.

Tuscan Tour

It rarely comes handy a great website to organize a tour in Tuscany.
The majority of sites have been able to design some tour in Tuscany, but few pay so much attention to the detail such as those of See Italy for Tours in Tuscany.
As soon as you get to the homepage you have the highlighted tours of the season. Each one is simple to understand, down to the chase and able to let you discover hidden treasures of Tuscany. A few tours in Tuscany are:


-Cooking & Touring Tuscany Tour (7 days)
-Cinque Terre and Tuscany Cooking Tour (5 days)
-Siena Cooking & Spas Tour (5 days)
-Tuscany Wine long week-end (4 days)
-Tuscany Cooking & Touring long week-end (4 days)
-Tuscany Autumn Cooking & Touring long week-end (4 days)
-Tuscany Truffles Autumn Cooking & Touring long week-end (4 days)
-Tango & Art Weeks in Umbria (8 days)

These are just a few, many others are to bound at See Italy.org.



Also by See Italy is Florence travel, a section that is specifically dedicated to Tourism and hotels in Florence.

I would suggest also another site about services in Siena:2 be in siena. where you will find useful information such us accommodations in Siena, Chianti wine tours, bike and Vespa rental and everything you will need traveling in Tuscany

Tuscany from the air in slow motion with Hot air Ballooning

Hot air balloning is more and more popular in Tuscany and prices are going down as you see people of any age jumping on those large baskets and fly away for a 2 hours tour in the Tuscan skyes (towards the Tuscan sun, ok...my wife wants me to write that...anyways). Famous movies apart hot air balloning's price is around 100 euros per person (down from 200 or more euros of few years ago).

The video is just 2 minutes and a half long. Enjoy it!

The old way of Moving around: Treno Natura

This quick video shows the line of the Treno Natura that connects Siena to this wonderful culinary and historical town called Monte Antico in Tuscany.

This is a one day trip and anyone can join. You just need to reserve! All the information here!

This video is only 3 minutes and a little more! Enjoy!

Our Trip in Tuscany

My family and I have just returned from our tour to Italy. Each of our drivers (in Florence, Rome and Amalfi Coast) was fabulous and with a first rate vehicle. Everything was great. Each driver was knowledgeable, spoke excellent English and was very personable. Each provided us with an outstanding tour, tailored to our specific interests, with just the right blend of �tourist spots� and �getting off the beaten path.� On our two full day tours in Tuscany and along the Amalfi Coast, the drivers each arranged a wonderful lunch for us, and on our half day tour in Rome our driver arranged for a stop for snacks and gelato at a �non-tourist� spot. We can�t say enough about the service and the people provided us with. Also our departure transfer from our hotel in Florence to the Rome Airport was perfect, and especially the driver suggestion to stop in Orvieto for a short sightseeing en route, was great.

The company that organized our trip was Prestige Rent.

By Micky Chicago October 2006

Treno Natura goes a Step Forward

More Tours with the Train in Nature

The effort of this group of retired Italian train officials continues to offer great destinations through discontinued (but well maintained!!) tracks that pass through unforgettable landscapes. You can see this landscapes through the Nature Train only, since no road passes by these unique lands.
There are many tours and many antique trains that take you to dream places and back in time. Some examples are steam engines from the 18th century, to the more recent diesel trains of the 1950s.

The expeditions with the diesel trains depart in May, June, September, and October and go through the line from Siena to Asciano, and then to Monte Antico (the leg from the Asciano to Monte Antico is the dismissed part). During these tours you will be able to enjoy visits to Etruscan sites, the natural park of Monte Labro, a Biosphere festival at Vivo d'Orcia, Radicofani Festival, Autimn Festival in Abbadia, Arcidosso and Vivo d'Orcia, the chestnut festival with local wine and other true Tuscan happenings.
The vintage trains also offer special trips from Siena to San Giovanni d'Asso for the truffle festival in March.
In June the train from Siena goes to the Maremma Park to the sea.
In July the destination to Mount Amiata offers music on board.
September is the Etruscan train month.
December the Olive oil Festival train takes to San Quirico d'Orcia.
A "very specialest" train is the New Year train that takes to the Mount Amiata and includes the New Year's eve dinner with typical mountain meat.
The steam trains offer in April a trip to Murlo, an antique Etruscan town, and to San Giovanni d'Asso for the Pecorino cheese festival.
May is the occasion to celebrate agricolture with the train to Sant'Angelo Cinigiano; also in this month the steam festival and the Scialenga market in Asciano.
October brings the festival of grape harvest and barbecued pork meat, a tradition in rural Tuscany! Also not to be missed is the Chestnut festival in Casteldelpiano, where chestnuts are accompanied with novell wine.
November is the exquisite Truffle season.

To get more information about the exact dates and festivals combined with each trip, information on fares, schedules and itineraries, please call (0039) 0577 20 74 17, or the mobile number (0039) 338 8992577, or visit the website www.ferrovieturistiche.it.

PLEASE NOTE: Each trip has to be reserved in advance as sits are limited and fill up quickly. The fares can be paid on the train, although for steam engine trips the fair has to be paid in advance.

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).

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

Automotive rentals in Tuscany

Are you planning to travel to Tuscany? Here we provide you some useful information about where to rent a car or a Bus (if you are a large number of people)

CAR RENTAL IN TUSCANY

Are you planning to spend in Tuscany the most exclusive holiday of your life, would you like to rent a beautiful Ferrari or a Porche directly from the airport of Pisa or Florence, here you can find a great and serious conplany where you can a
rent a luxury car in Tuscany

BUS RENTALS IN TUSCANY

Are you going to travel with a large group of people, are you a big tour operator who is looking for Tuscany Bus Company, have a watch to those links:Bus PistoiaorBus Lucca

bus Siena-Florence/Florence-Siena

Bus Routes Siena to Florence and Florence to Siena

If you are planning to go from Florence to Siena I would not suggest you to take the train. Train line between Siena and Florence it is very old and it takes more than one hour and half to go by train. The best think is to take the Bus from the city center of Florence to the city center of Siena,

FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 6,45 7,00 7,15 7,45 8,10 8,10 8,50 9,10 9,10
SIENA (S. Domenico) 8,00 8,15 8,30 9,00 9,25 9,25
10,05

10,25 10,25
# ** ** * # * ** # **
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 10,10 10,10 10,30 11,10 12,10 13,10 13,30 14,10 14,40
SIENA (S. Domenico) 11,25 11,25 11,45 12,25 13,25 14,25 14,45 15,25 15,55
* ** * ** ** ** ** * *
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 15,10 15,40 16,10 16,30 16,50 17,00 17,00 17,10 17,20
SIENA (S. Domenico) 16,25 16,55 17,25 17,45 18,05 18,15 18,15 18,25 18,35
= ** ** ** # * #
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 17,20 17,30 18,10 18,10 19,10 20,15 21,05
SIENA (S. Domenico) 18,34 18,45 19,25 19,25 20,25 21,30 22,20
* ** * ** # ** * # **
SIENA (S. Domenico) 6,30 6,40
6,50

6,50 6,55 7,10 8,00 8,10 8,50
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 7,45 7,55 8,05 8,05 7,15 8,25 9,15 9,25 10,05
* * = ** ** * * # **
SIENA (S. Domenico) 9,10 10,10 10,30 11,10 11,50 12,10 13,10 14,10 14,50
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 10,25 11,25 11,45 12,25 13,05 13,25 14,25 15,25 16,05
** * * ** ** = ** # **
SIENA (S. Domenico) 15,10 16,10 17,10 17,10 17,40 17,40 17,40 17,50 18,00
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 16,25 17,25 18,25 18,25 18,55 18,55 18,55 19,05 19,15
= * ** # ** **
SIENA (S. Domenico) 18,10 18,20 18,50 19,10 20,15 20,45
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 19,25 19,35 20,05 20,25 21,30 22,00

* = # ** * * * # **
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 6,10 6,30 7,10 8,40 9,40 10,40 11,40 12,40 13,30
SIENA (S. Domenico) 7,45 8,05 8,40 10,10 11,10 12,10
13,10

14,10 14,45
* * # ** # ** #
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 13,40 14,40 15,40 16,40 17,40 18,20 18,40
SIENA (S. Domenico) 15,10 16,10 17,10 18,10 19,10 19,50 20,10
= * * ** * # * ** **
SIENA (S. Domenico) 6,15 6,30 6,30 7,15 8,40 9,40 10,40 10,40 11,40
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 7,05 8,00 8,05 8,45 10,10 11,10 12,10 12,10 13,10
** # * # * ** # * #
SIENA (S. Domenico) 12,40 13,40 14,40 15,40 16,40 17,40 18,40 19,40 20,30
FLORENCE (Aut. SITA) 14,10 15,10 16,10 17,10 18,10 19,10 20,10 21,20 22,00


** from monday to Saturday
= bank holiday
# Everyday