|
FLIGHTS
If you have very little time between
booking and arriving for July and August it is best
to first find out what is available and then ask us
to hold it for you whilst you try to find a flight.
The best airport to arrive at is usually
Florence-Peretola. The problem is that very few flights
fly into Florence as it is a tiny domestic airport.
Telephone number of Florence-Peretola
airport: 055 30 615 for English press 2.
These airlines fly into Florence airport:
-Austrian Airlines.
-Carpater
-Meridiana
-Swiss
-SN Brassels Airline
-Lufthansa
-Air litoral
-Air France
-City Jet
Florence airport also accepts private
planes.
The next best choice of airport unless
you are staying north of Florence is either Rome Fuimicino
or Rome Ciampino.
Rome Fiumicino airport is a mega international
airport with 1,000’s of flights arriving daily
and from there direct access straight to Florence via
the A1. There is a very comfortable shuttle into Roma
Centrale station that connects you with the major train
line and the rest of Europe.
Rome Ciampino is smaller but well
serviced with a bus shuttle to Roma Centrale every 15
minutes. Both airports are equally convenient via public
transport. Ciampino is very slightly further from Tuscany
by car.
Also by train, Bologna airport is
not difficult with a frequent bus to the central station
and then regular trains to Florence.
Please remember that Milan airport
is about 4 1/2 hours drive to central Florence, Rome
at least 2 ½ , Pisa and Bologna airports are
about 11/2 hours and Florence airport is 20 minutes
from the centre.
If you are not staying in Florence
and would like more precise driving times to your accommodation,
we can advise you at the time of booking.
None of our property owners are prepared
to wait around much after 10.00 p.m. for guests, it
is your responsibility to make sure that you will be
able to arrive with in the given time slot. If this
is impossible due to delays out side of your control
you must try to call the property and advise them of
this. The later in the day your flight the more chance
of delays.
You can find out more about Rome-Fiumicino
airport here: http://www.airwise.com/airports/europe/FCO/FCO_01.html
Or here: http://www.adr.it/en/default.html
GETTING AROUND:
In Tuscany public transport is very
much designed to serve the locals who have very different
needs to tourists.
Often in country towns (such as Montepulciano)
due to the local geography, the train station can be
a 15-minute drive from the town centre and taxis must
be ordered I advance to meet the train.
In the case of buses, usually there
will be one very early in the morning at 5.30 or 6.00,
perhaps another at lunch time and then returning in
the evening, if you miss that one returning………
Many of our villas and agritourismos
are several kilometres from the bus station, nearest
shop or restaurant.
Therefore, at ‘InTuscany’,
we do not recommend rural holidays with out a hire car.
To try and get around using the local transport system
can lead to many long afternoons in the blistering heat
waiting around in train stations and at dusty bus stops,
frustrating attempts to understand convoluted time tables
and at the end of it all the distinct possibility of
a strike.
If you think what you have spent on
your tickets to arrive in Italy and your accommodation
and how little time you will have here, why not stretch
your budget to the cost of a hire car and ensure that
your holiday is completely hassle free. Otherwise, the
alternative is to confine your holiday to the city centres,
which are after all beautiful in them selves.
CAR HIRE:
It is important to book ahead as not
only do last minute bookings cost more but you might
not find any vehicles available. We recommend that you
have a rental car for all rural stays. We can organise
a rent a car for you with Hertz for the same price as
going directly to them. You can check this out here:
http://www.intuscany.net/guides/car_rental.htm
For more information about driving
in Tuscany see: http://www.intuscany.net/guides/article_survival_tips_for_italy.html
You can find out more about Italian
Autostradas (highways) here: http://www.autostrade.it/pagine_1/english/e-homep.html
When driving on the Auto strada, although
Italians do drive fast they also obey the road code.
The most important thing to remember is keep in the
slow lane unless actively over taking.
PARKING:
Parking rules vary from city to city.
Blue definitely means parking is
limited and you either must buy a ticket from a street
machine and display it on your dash board or indicate
the hour of your arrival with a small wheel on the inside
of your wind screen, there will be a sign to tell you
the maximum time allowed.
Yellow definitely means handicapped
or loading zone, do not park in yellow spaces.
Red means resident only parking.
White can mean free parking or can
mean resident only parking. The best bet is to park
in a pay garage. If this is not possible, try to find
a white marked space but read the signs carefully in
case they are resident only.
In both Florence and Siena, the best
place to park is under the station. In Siena, this will
mean a short Taxi or bus ride to reach the centre. There
is also a big pay car park in the Siena stadium (follow
the football signs) In both cities there is ample street
parking although time permitted is usually limited.
In Arezzo we always park on the street.
Be careful entering the centre of
cities as they are usually restricted traffic zones
and have telecameras. The fine will be put on to your
credit card if you have a hire car. With in the next
year it will also be possible for the police to send
traffic and parking violation tickets by post or via
your local police to any EU resident.
TRAINS:
If you do need to get a train for
any reason it is always best to book ahead. This can
usually be done through a travel agent or on line. The
difference in price between first class and economy
is very little and the increased comfort factor, especially
during peak travel times is enormous and well worth
the expenditure.
Check carefully which train you book.
A Eurostar or Intercity leaving well after a regular
train will arrive hours earlier as it goes faster and
stops less.
You can check out trains and their
times here: http://www.trenitalia.it/
or from Florence particularly here: http://www.mega.it/ita/not/prtre.htm
Or find out about rail passes here:
http://www.raileurope.com/us/
or http://www.eurail.com/menu.htm
All tickets must be “convalidato”
This means sticking them in a yellow box on the platform
or in the station that stamps the date on your ticket.
Tickets with out this stamp are good for three months
(for the same journey). You can also buy a supplement
on the train to upgrade your ticket to first class or
from inter city to Euro star for example.
If you get on the train with out a
ticket you will have to pay a 25.00 Euro fine as well
as for your ticket.
|
