New Year's Eve in Tuscany

Tuscany is a perfect place to enjoy the last night of of 2008. This unique region offers a wide range of options for all tastes and for all ages: for those who are seeking peace and quietness, for those who are wishing dancing all night, for those who dream of beginning the new year tasting the excellent specialities of a traditional Tuscan resturant in a friendly and warm atmosphere...

Therefore Tuscany has a large offer of accommodations, so you can choose to spend your holidays in a exclusive Villa with your family and friends, in a beautiful country house or in a charming hotel. You will find for sure the place that fits perfectly with your accommodation needs.

Some years ago I decided to spend my Christmas holidays with some friends in a wonderful Villa close to Cortona, and all I can say is that it was an unforgettable experience living those days among our Tuscan neighbours learning all about their traditions, the way they live Christmas and tasting the excellent specialities of the Tuscan gastronomy. We had the New Year's Eve dinner in a great and small restaurant south of Siena called "La Visantaia".


As always there will be plenty parties - allnightlong- in cities such as Florence, where you can find good music, the best dj's, and all the best for the last night of the year. In this link you will be able to see some of the options for that night: http://www.capodannofirenze.it/new_year_eve_florence/new_year_eve_florence_saschall.html

Also Woody Allen will be in Tuscany for the coming weeks, he will be in concert in Florence on December 22, so if you are thinking of being there that day I might suggest you don't miss the chance!

I hope this advices to be useful for all of you, and I wish you the best in Christmas and in 2009!


Alicia

Rent or Buy a Cell Phone

A cellphone is one of these things, for the very simple reason that the majority of the times if you have no way to communicate at cheap rates, whenever you want, you will have to be rely on others to put you through with the right person and complete the call successfully.

Let's take a restaurant reservation while you are in Siena or in Florence, for example. Do you know which one is best? Do you know where to look up the number?

Thanks to the yellowpages service (pagine gialle), you will have all the info necessary to chose your restaurant, to localize it, and to reserve it.

There are so many companies that will sell you a phone for as little as 50 euros with 10 euros of outgoing traffic included, voicemail, international SMS and MMS capabilities already included, and totally free incoming calls, from wherever in the world. The companies in Italy are TIM, Vodafone, Wind, Insim, Fastweb, PosteMobile, 3...you name it! Moreover all cellphones in Italy are unlocked, so when you go back home you can use it with your own sim card! All Mhz bands are usually included nowadays, so the phone will work wherever in the world.

Summer 2008 The opera Festival , Opera and Theatre season

Florence � at Giardino dei Boboli (what a wonderful location!!!)

Shows start at 9,15 PM

June 11-12-13-14
CATS

June 25 and July 10-30
IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA

July 3-17-29
LA BOHEME

July 8-23
LA TRAVIATA

July 11
SIGUR ROS

July 14-15
THE BEST OF MOMIX 2008

July 22
FIORELLA MANNOIA � Italian Pop Concert

July 24
CARMINA BURANA
BOLERO

July 28
FILM MUSIC � Camera Orchestra

August 5
O.R.T.-ORCHESTRA DELLA TOSCANA � PUCCINI E VERDI A PARIGI

Chiusdino (Siena) � at Abbazia di San Galgano (just magic..google it for pictures!!)

Shows start at 9.00pm

June 13 � July 26
CARMINA BURANA
BOLERO

June 18-21-28 and July 4
IL FLAUTO MAGICO

July 24
SULLE TRACCE DI DIAGHILEV

Barberino di Mugello � at Villa Medicea di Cafaggiolo

Shows start at 9.00pm

July 11
LE STAGIONI


July 6
FAVOLE with Paolo Poli

July 13 at Chiostro Cennaio
LE STAGIONI

July 16 at Chiostro Cennaio
LAUDARIO DI CORTONA

July 20
LA BOHEME

July 27
CARMINA BURANA
BOLERO