Archive for the 'Travel Guide' Category
June 3rd, 2008 - A walking tour to discovery Florence in Tuscany
Browse the guide by: | Worth a visit | Travel Ideas | How to get there | Events |
Places worth a visit
Florence is the capital of Tuscany. As centre of the Italian Renaissance, it's the cradle of the history, art and culture of Italy.
The best way to visit Tuscany is by walking. During your tour of Florence don't lose to see:
- The cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo) is the best-known site of Florence.
- The nearby Campanile tower
- In the heart of the city there is Piazza della Signoria and the Fountain of Neptune
- The Arno river
- The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge)
- The Medici residence (Palazzo Pitti).
- The Medici Chapel, the mausoleum of the Medici family - the most powerful family in Florence from the 15th to the 18th century.
- The Uffizi Gallery on the corner of Piazza della Signoria and see:
- The Dante's Exile
- In 1504, it was the original location of Michelangelo's David
- World class museums
- The Bargello, containing works created by Donatello, Giambologna, and Michelangelo.
- The Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno
- The Santa Croce basilica, contains the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Dante and many other notables.
Travel Ideas
For those of You interested in touring all Tuscany and the other cities, here a quick list of travel ideas:
Cycling holidays
From Florence to Pisa
A 8 days self guided bike tour from April to October
- Day 1: Individual arrival in Florence
- Day 2: Florence – Passo dei Pecorai 32 km
- Day 3: Passo dei Pecorai – Radda in Chianti 41 km
- Day 4: Radda in Chianti – Siena 40 km
- Day 5: Siena – Colle Val d’Elsa 41 km
- Day 6: Colle Val d’Elsa – Volterra 40 km
- Day 7: Volterra – Pontedera by bike and Pontedera – Pisa by train 58 km
- Day 8: after breakfast end of the tour
Florence, Siena, Pisa
A 8 days biking trip available from April to October
- Day 1: Florence
- Day 2: Florence – Passo dei Pecorai - 32 km
- Day 3: Passo dei Pecorai – Radda in Chianti - 41 km
- Day 4: Radda in Chianti - Siena - 40 km
- Day 5: Siena – Colle Val d’Elsa - 41 km
- Day 6: Colle Val d’Elsa - Volterra - 40 km
- Day 7: Volterra - Pisa - 58 km
- Day 8: Pisa
Florence, Siena, Florence in mtb
A 8 days/ 7 nights mountain biking holiday from April to October
- Day 1: Florence
- Day 2: Tavernelle – Badia Passignano – Passo dei Pecorai - 28 km
- Day 3: Passo dei Pecorai – Radda in Chianti - 36 km
- Day 4: Radda in Chianti - Siena - 39 km
- Day 5: Siena – Colle Val d’Elsa - 34 km
- Day 6: Colle Val d’Elsa –Certaldo 32 km
- Day 7: Certaldo - Tavernelle 35 km
- Day 8: Florence
Walking holidays
The Chianti region: From Florence to Siena
A 7 days walking tour available from April to October
- Day 1: individual arrival in Florence and first visit of the city.
- Day 2: Florence - Colle Val d'Elsa 4h00
- Day 3: Colle - Castellina e Radda in Chianti - Colle 4h30
- Day 4: Colle - San Gimignano - Colle 5h00
- Day 5: Colle - Volterra - Colle 4h00
- Day 6: Colle - Siena 5h30
- Day 7: visit of Siena and end of the tour
From Florence to Siena
A 7 days self guided hiking tour from March to October
- Day 1: individual arrival in Florence and visit of the city
- Day 2: excursion in Fiesole and return in Florence
- Day 3: transfer in Poggibonsi. Castellina in Chianti along the “strada dei vini”, Radda in Chianti
- Day 4: Radda in Chianti – Gaiole in Chianti
- Day 5: Castello di Meleto – Castagnoli – Castello di Brolio. Transfer in Siena
- Day 6: Colle Val d’Elsa – San Gimignano. Return in Siena
- Day 7: visit of Siena
Via Romea, the Pilgrim's way
A 8 days trekking holiday available from April to October
- Day 1: arrival in Bologna
- Day 2: Transfer to Tolè – Castel d’Aiano
- Day 3: Castel d’Aiano – Rocca Corneta
- Day 4: Rocca Corneta – Fanano
- Day 5: Fanano - Ospitale
- Day 6: Ospitale – S. Marcello Pistoiese
- Day 7: Transfer to Pistoia and Florence, visit of the city
- Day 8: Florence, departure
Planning 101
How to get there and move around
By plane
- The Florence "Vespucci" airport is located 5 Km. from the city centre. It has good connections to the center of the city, which can be reached in about fifteen minutes by taxi.
- You can also use the airport of Pisa , it is approximately 70km far from Florence. There is a bus that connects the two cities and a train that connects the airport of Pisa with the railway station of Santa Maria Novella of Florence.
By train - The main station is Firenze Santa Maria Novella, on the edge of the historic old town. Other small stations are Firenze Campo Marte (near Florence Stadium) and Firenze Rifredi.
By car
- For who arrives from Milan, the better way is the A1 Bologna-Florence Freeway, Florence North exit, then following the indications for the center of Florence.
- For who arrives from Genoa or France, take the A12 Freeway until to Viareggio, and then follow with the A11 Railway for Florence, Florence North Exit.
- For who arrives from Rome, A1 Rome-Milan Railway, Florence South exit, here following the indications for the center of Florence.
Read more
Tourist Information Office - APT Firenze
- Address: Provincia di Firenze, Via Cavour 1r
- Opening times Summer (1st March - 31st October): from Monday to Saturday from 8.15 to 19-15, Sunday and Holiday from 8.30 to 13.30
- Opening times Winter (1st November -28th February): from Monday to Saturday from 8.15 to 19.15
- Phone: 0039 055 290832
- Website
Events
- Biennale Internazionale d'Arte Contemporanea di Florence: December
- Mostra Internazionale dell'artigianato: April-May
- Maggio Fiorentino: From April to June
- Fochi di San Giovanni: 24 June
May 3rd, 2008 - Unusual guide to visit Tuscany by walking tours of the region
Browse the guide by: | Worth a visit | Travel Ideas |
Places worth a visit
Tuscany is region rich of trekking paths and natural trails.
The regions is big, so it's advisable to choose an organized a trip (in group or independent).
It's difficult to combine the right location, baggage transfers, meals etc…
The best hiking paths are:
- Long walks on the white roads (strada bianca) in the countryside.
- Trekking in the Apennine's hills
- Walking in the routes of "Via franchigena", an ancient way that linked the north of Europe with Rome and Jerusalem.
- Hiking in the Chianti region from Siena to Florence
- Urban trekking through the medieval towns and art cities (Siena, Pisa)
Travel Ideas
If you're lazy to search and compare between different tours, here a list of trip ideas:
7 days independent tour Siena and Val D'Orcia
- Day 1: Individual arrival in Siena, visit of the city
- Day 2: Transfer in Buonconvento. Excurson in the famous “Crete”, Pieve a Salti, Monte Oliveto, Castle of Montegriffoli. Return in Buonconvento.
- Day 3: trekking in the hills with the wineyards of the Brunello. Bibbiano, Badia Ardenga, Montalcino – Buonconvento.
- Day 4: Sant’Antimo, “crete senesi”, Ripa d’Orcia, Castiglione and Rocca d’Orcia, Bagno Vignoni, Montepulciano.
- Day 5: from Montepulciano to Pienza
- Day 6: from Pienza, among the “crete senesi”, to S. Quirico d’Orcia. Transfer in Montepulciano with public bus
- Day 7: Excursion in the hills for the last short visit in Montepulciano. After lunch departure by bus towards Siena, Florence (changing the train in Florence) or Chiusi.
7 Days self guided tour in the Chianti: Florence to Siena
- Day 1: individual arrival in Florence and visit of the city
- Day 2: excursion in Fiesole and return in Florence
- Day 3: transfer in Poggibonsi. Castellina in Chianti along the “strada dei vini”, Radda in Chianti
- Day 4: Radda in Chianti – Gaiole in Chianti
- Day 5: Castello di Meleto – Castagnoli – Castello di Brolio. Transfer in Siena
- Day 6: Colle Val d’Elsa – San Gimignano. Return in Siena
- Day 7: visit of Siena
8 days self guided tour following the Via Romea: The pilgrim's way
- Day 1: arrival in Bologna
- Day 2: Transfer to Tolè – Castel d’Aiano
- Day 3: Castel d’Aiano – Rocca Corneta
- Day 4: Rocca Corneta – Fanano
- Day 5: Fanano - Ospitale
- Day 6: Ospitale – S. Marcello Pistoiese
- Day 7: Transfer to Pistoia and Florence, visit of the city
- Day 8: Florence, departure