Italy Travel Tours

Posts Tagged ‘Lucca’

Some say the best private tours Italy are those that occur in Tuscany.  Situated between the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Tyrrhenian sea, the Tuscan capital is world-beloved Florence.

Other smaller capitals of the provinces include Arezzo, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Massa Carrara, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena.  All of them a rich with history, art, architecture and culture, and all are worthy of a visit with a well-informed and confident tour guide.

Tuscany has a variety of topographical features.  Much of Tuscany is hilly and mountainous, but the area near the sea is flat in stretches.   Whether you want to relax at the scenic beaches or enjoy the local flavor of wine and cuisine, there is something for everyone in Tuscany.

The first time visitor often goes straight to Florence.  And who can blame them?  You can use any mode of transportation to get around.

Why not consider a visit to the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte?  From the Piazzale Michelangelo, you proceed on foot to the abbey for a step back in time to a devout and religious experience.

The Academia Gallery is a second must-see stop on your tour.  Ordered by the Grand-duke Pietro Leopoldo, the museum houses a collection of magnificent tapestries revealing the story of creation, as well as plaster busts by Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni.

Most everyone has heard of Michelangelo and even Donatello, though American youngsters may think the latter is a Mutant Ninja Turtle.  In truth, the real Donatello was a sculptor and his works are displayed at the Bargello National Museum on Via del Proconsolo, 4.  When you book a trip with a private tour guide, you don’t need to worry about how to find these places.  Your knowledgeable guide will bring you right to the door.

With private tours Italy, all you need is a camera, a credit card, and an open mind to all the experiences that await you.

To begin Easy Italy Tours it helps to know the basics about this exotic and popular destination.  Many people choose to focus their trip on Tuscany and with good reason.  Novels like “Under the Tuscan Sun” have sent visitors flocking to this region to explore its wonders.

Tuscany covers the heart of central Italy with a population of 3.5 million people.  Florence is the capital city of Tuscany.  Ringed by the Apennines mountains, Tuscany is predominantly hilly but with large plains.

The most famous aspect of Tuscany is its art history and geographical beauty.  The capitals of the ten provinces are Arezzo, Florence, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Pisa, Pistoia and Siena.

Tuscany is easy to access with airports in Florence and Pisa.  A highway called the A1 connects the north with the south.  A11 is the coastal road connecting Florence with the sea.

More scenic are the feeder roads called the Via Aurellia, Via Cassia and the Via Clodia.  If you prefer to experience Europe’s sophisticated rail system, the Milan-Rome line will speed you on your way from north to south through the cities of Prato, Arezzo and Florence.

Tuscany also includes breathtakingly beautiful ports in Piombino and Livorno.  From here tour boats and pleasure yachts set sail for Elba, Corsica, Sardinia and the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.

With all that Tuscany has to offer, it is difficult to know where to begin.  Many Americans begin in the city of Florence, however Siena and the thrilling Piazza del Campo, and Pisa and its famous Leaning Tower, and the old fortress in Livorno are equally impressive.

There is also an area called Minor Tuscany and this includes tiny medieval villages called Fiesole, San Gimignano , Montepulciano and Volterra.

Contact Federica Merli at Tuscany With Me, to custom design a trip that you will remember for the rest of your life.  No matter where you begin your Easy Italy Tours you’ll have a memorable time.

The beauty of Christmas in Tuscany is unforgettable.  Combine history with excellent cuisine and wine, add your loved ones to the mix, and you have all the ingredients for a Christmas holiday you will remember all your life.

Christmas Shopping Tuscany

Italy is more overtly religious than most English-speaking countries.  Christianity and particularly Catholicism are part of the fabric of everyday life.  As such, there is no controversy surrounding municipal religious displays and traditional foods are enjoyed by all residents and visitors alike.

If you are fortunate enough to travel to Tuscany at Christmastime, one of the most traditional foods is panettone.  This is a cake filled with nougat or torrone, candied fruit and panforte, a candy-like confection that is topped with honey, almonds and hazelnuts.  The nuts make it quintessentially Italian as most Christmas season dishes include nuts of one kind or another.  Traditional Italians believe nuts increase fertility.  Honey is another common holiday ingredient.  With a new year approaching, honey is believed to make the New Year “sweet”.

Pannetone Cake Tuscany

Christmas festivities in Italy begin in early December with the Santa Lucia celebration December 13th.  The customary dinner on the eve of Santa Lucia includes Bollenti or Necci, crepes of chestnut flour with a special cheese.  Chestnut trees are abundant in the Northern Tuscan provinces of Massa-Carrara and Lucca, and in South Tuscany on the Amiata Mountain.  Chestnuts have a proud history in Italy as they were used to feed needy people during times of difficulty, particularly during World War II.

Ironically, it is these peasant dishes that are enjoying a renaissance throughout Europe.  These simple but wonderful recipes are now prepared by world-class chefs in Italy who command the highest price for what was a staple of the poor.

You will find marvelous new experiences as you experience the ancient history of Christmas in Tuscany with your family.

Your search for Tours Tuscany ends here, with some of the best kept secrets of this marvelous region of Italy.  Old world charm is very much the order in the Tuscan region.  Hotel prices have come down a bit from 2008, making this the best time to make that trip you’ve always dreamed of.

While everyone is going to Florence, you might want to try Siena.  The Palazzo Pubblico boasts the best secular fresco in all of Italy.  Significant artists such as Domenico Beccafumi, Simone Martini and Duccio are evidenced throughout the city with their works dispersed in private and public arenas.

If your visit is long enough to travel to Florence, be sure to look at the Cappella Brancacci at the Piazza del Carmine.  Created by Masaccio, Michelangelo himself studied the work when he was alive.  Masaccio is considered the finest Tuscan painter of all time even though he died at the age of 27.  Many of his works are housed at the Uffizi Gallery.

Public transportation is the normal way to go in Europe.  To rent a car can be quite costly, thanks to lofty insurance rates. A far better way to travel is to rent a car with a driver.  This is a way that every little detail that you would be otherwise concerned with will all be taken care of for you.  Your personal tour guide at “Tuscany with Me!” will be happy to make the arrangements for you.

For rail transportation you may check train timetables at http://www.trenitalia.it.  Train service is ideal to Arezzo, Lucca and Prato as well as Le Crete and Val d’Orcia.   Again, these details will be arranged for you by your personal tour guide.

Smaller areas are best accessed by bus and a pdf. schedule is available for download at http://www.lfi.it, and http://www.sitabus.com/.

As you will likely rely on your tour guide, try to plan as far ahead as you can.  The best accommodations and prices are usually available to those who plan their trip 6 to 12 months in advance.

Tell your tour operator your preferred budget of price for your hotel and it will all be taken care of for you.  The same goes for meals, a guide with experience in Tours Tuscany is invaluable in helping you navigate this beautiful and historic country.

While planning tours to Italy, it’s best to prioritize locations and experiences so you are not overwhelmed.   It’s true that Italy is much smaller than America, but it is still too big to see in one or two weeks on vacation.   Tour guides can help you create an itinerary to maximize the exposure during your stay.

Unfortunately the dollar isn’t going very far in Europe these days.  It takes about $1.50 to buy what a single euro will get you.  If you enjoy going to the museums, you might want to scrimp on elegant dining every night or vise versa.

Italy joins Germany and France in having the best highway systems in Europe.  Roads are in good shape and access is complete.  If you don’t rent a car and you stay in the larger cities, you can rent a scooter.   This new venture by Auto Europe in Italy and France offers Vespa scooters for rent so you can do as the Romans do; explore cities the fun and easy way.  Gas consumption is light, you can park on the sidewalk and you’ll dart in and out of auto traffic.  A ride on a Vespa alone is worth the trip.

If you decide to rent a car the rules are similar to the U.S.   You drive on the right and you pass on the left.  Seatbelt use is mandatory and there is zero tolerance for aggressive driving.   Be prepared to pay.  Sky-high insurance rates make renting a car in Italy almost prohibitive.

The best way to get around the country is by train or bus.  In Tuscany for example, the train will get you to top destinations like Arezzo, Lucca, Pisa, Pistoia and Prato.   Smaller towns are best accessed by bus.  No matter what mode of transportation you chose, your tours to Italy will enchant and mesmerize you.

New in Tuscany Italy travel this year is the range of options in accommodations and a reduced price structure.  The global recession hasn’t stopped restaurants and museums in Italy from increasing their prices a little.

However the hospitality industry has responded by dropping their rates.  There have never been more options for tourists hoping to discover this destination admired the world over.

Here are some of the highlights of Tuscany for today’s traveler.  First of all, the ancient town of Assisi is recovered from the earthquake that decimated it in 1989.  Tourists are hard-pressed to see signs of the disaster.  The cathedral and fortress had final repairs in 2006.  Assisi remains a top choice for religious Pilgrims hoping to see St. Francis’s birth place.

There are exciting things happening in Cortona, including the Museo dell’ Accademia Estrusca and the church of San Francesco.  The museum now has some of the relics which were removed from the facility years ago.

Livorno has a spectacular waterfront area which has just been overhauled to resemble Nice or Cannes.  Buses will take you to the waterfront on the southern shore as it is a bit of a haul for pedestrians, and it is known for its fine seafood restaurants.

One of the best kept secrets of Tuscany is Lucca, a favorite among the tour guides themselves.  The Puccini Festival offers an opera concert every night in San Giovanni.

Montepulciano capitalizes on the wine industry.  Many of the locals will put you up in their apartments. A professional tour guide will bring you right to the wineries.  You will find a delightful choice in tour guides by visiting the website of the sponsor of this Blog, “Tour Tuscany with Me”.

Of course there is Pisa and its famous leaning Tower.  The hotel industry here has suffered from the recession and has responded by luring Delta Airlines to provide a non-stop flight from New York.

Even if you’ve been to this region before, Tuscany Italy travel has many updates for new memories.