Plus Tuscany Guide for Your Pocket
Welcome to the latest funky info packed city guide for your pocket.
Just print it off for when you are cruising past the sights of Tuscany.
afterwards you can pass it on to someone else, make an origami shape,
keep it as a souvenir or recycle it in some other tree huggin' hippy
way.
LANGUAGE- ITALIAN
English is becoming more widely known but more among the younger generations and those trying to be trendy. It is useful to know a few numbers and short phrases to get you around. See our printable phrase guide to help you along.
CURRENCY- EURO €1EU =$1.19USD = £0.68GBP (02/06)
Cash machines or ATMs are called Bancomats. These accept all major credit cards and any with the PLUS or Maestro logos.
TIME- CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME (GMT+1HR)
Daylight savings (+1) starts the last Sunday in March and ends(-1) the last Sunday in October. 24hr commonly used.
PHONE- AREA CODE 0039
Local phone boxes can take credit cards or you can buy international phone cards and 'Telefonica scheda' cards from a Tabacchi outlet ( they have the big 'T' sign).
EMERGENCIES
| AMBULANCE Â | 118 |
| FIRE | 115 |
| POLICE | 112 |
OTHER NUMBERS
| AREZZO TOURIST OFFICE Â | 057 52 08 39 |
| GREVE TOURIST OFFICE | 055 854 52 43 |
| PISA TOURIST OFFICE | 050 56 04 64 |
| SAN GIMIGNANO T.O | 0577 94 00 08 |
| SIENA TOURIST OFFICE | 0577 28 05 51 |
Getting to and around Tuscany
Firenze Airport (Peretola)
The smaller of the two airports. Closer to the city at 5km but only takes internal Italian flights and a small number of European ones. Connections to the city are only by taxi or bus- Vola in Bus, every half hour 6am-11pm.
Pisa Airport (Galileo Gallilei)
A bigger domestic and international airport located on the coast, takes all the European budget airlines. City connections are by train (approx 1hr to Florence) , taxi or bus.
The majority of local and European trains arrive at and depart from Santa Maria Novella in Florence and travel via Pisa or Rome. The intercity trains are generally on time and regular but some small outlying towns are better accessed by bus.
The blue intercity SITA and local Lazzi buses stop at the main depots, usually next to the train stations or close by. Fares are as low as €1.50 to the next town or village and run between 1 and 4 buses a day.
Cheap and environmentally friendly. Nearly all the towns and villages are compact and easily walked round in a day so good walking shoes are vital. Hilltop towns can be steep climbs and require a moderate level of fitness.
In most of the major cities and airports it is possible to rent cars from the main companies such as Avis, Hertz, EuropeCar and Maggiore. You can also rent scooters and/or mountain bikes in most places you are staying to explore the local area at your own pace.
What to see in Tuscany
Vineyards litter the landscape like autumn leaves, the majority giving chances to walk round or take formal tours of production. Sizes of operation vary like the wines themselves, with some places opening up to huge tour groups, or smaller intimate producers, most offering tasting and direct sales. Check with Tuscany Tourism for info and guidebooks.
This is the main road SS222 linking Florence and Siena, bordered by vineyards, producers, growers of olive oil and local products. You could stage a 'vine-crawl' of tastings or just pop in for lunch. Most places will direct sell at reduced prices.
Most of Arezzo was destroyed by WWII bombing but parts of the mediaeval centre have remained intact. The biggest reason for coming is of course the incredible frescoes by Piero Della Francesca in the Chiesa San Francesco. The frescoes took 12 years to complete and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Italian works of art. Access is limited to 25 people every half hour so to avoid disappointment you can book ahead with www.pierodellafrancesca.it and have the benefit of an audio guide explaining the Legend of the True Cross.
What the architects lacked in foundation skills they surely made up for it with style and imagination. Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Italy, if not the world, the leaning tower has now reopened to the public after a lengthy stabilisation project. The tower is part of the cathedral complex or Campo dei Miracoli, all built on weak subsoil's of ancient floodplains so the off balance feeling isn't restricted to just the tower. You have to book well in advance, as they only let a limited number up at a time, which you can do online - www.opapisa.it.
Greve was an important part of the network that linked trade between the villages of the valley of the Arno and Florence. The Florentines took a fancy to Greve and saw just how important its link with the surrounding area was. Instead of destroying it like many of the other towns they set up stately homes, farm houses and villas here and established the 'mercatale di Greve' or Greve market to take advantage of its central position. This is still evident today as the weekly Saturday morning Greve market is one of the most popular and visited by thousands of tourists every year. Well worth a few hours haggling and selecting a few local bites to eat.
Extremely popular in the summer months, this tower filled town is a major draw card for its striking skyline . Apparently it was named after a bishop that saved the town from the evil clutches of Attila the Hun. The numerous towers were built by families competing in the my-tower-is-bigger-than-yours period of the 13thC prompting one magistrate to order that no one could build theirs higher than his 51m one . You can view the surrounding landscapes from the Torre Grossa in the Palazzo communale.
Siena was the one time biggest rival to Florence in terms of it's wealth and power prompting warfare between the two a number of times. The founding goes back supposedly to Remus, Romulus's twin brother, and you may be forgiven for seeing the famous 'wolf and children' symbol around the place. Siena's centre is car free since 1966 making the walking side more pleasant through the winding streets. The town is more Gothic looking in its architecture than Renaissance and is home to Italy's finest gothic Cathedral, completed in 1215. The Palio is Italy's most famous horse race so it pays to book accommodation ahead, but it helps there's 2 of them-Â2nd July and 16th August. The race is fast, lasting about 2 minutes, but there are street parties afterwards that continue on into the night.
What to eat in Tuscany
It is thought that there is an olive tree in Italy that is 3500 years old . The production and use of it goes back even further. Olive oil has been a panacea for thousands of years to all the populations of the Mediterranean. Most of the countryside that is not covered in grapevines is covered in olive trees. Med folk have the lowest cardiac complications of any population due mainly to the consumption of olive oil which is basically used in everything. Forget the calories, the ultimate way to experience a top quality extra virgin olive oil is simply dribbled over some lightly toasted rustic Tuscan bread rubbed with garlic and a little sprinkle of salt. Delishimo!
Dario Cecchini, the famous poet butcher of Panzano , held a public funeral and mourners procession outside his butcher shop for the most famous steak back in 1999 after the EU banned the sale of beef on the bone products due to some mad cows making a nuisance of themselves. Dario has made the news again as the steak is back and he is rejoicing. Best to be really hungry for this one as it's huge, and must be partnered with some patata arrosta and a good red. Dario is also worth paying a visit as he performs poetry to his customers and hands round free samples of his wares.
Most Italians spend a lot longer on eating dinner than they do with their lightning quick breakfast, hence the long menu. A primo piatti is the first course, usually smaller than a main but bigger than an appetiser. The secondo is the main dish and usually comes without vegetables which have to be ordered as a separate 'contorni'. Unless you are really hungry and go for all courses you can mix and match a starter with a primo or secondo, or just have the main and then head straight for dessert.
This is a very common question. There will probably be a cover charge, this is for the table cloth 'covering' the table and cutlery or a 'service' charge for the service provided by the staff, check on the menu or with your waiter if this included or not. If it isn't then the amount will be between 12 and 15% of the total bill. In this case it isn't necessary to tip as the locals are notoriously bad tippers and just pay the service charge. Or, just leave the change if it's a couple of euros and the service has been good.
Paying can be a confusing experience. If you are wanting just a coffee or Panini from a café you have two choices. One- look at what's on offer in the display case, find a table and sit down to wait for the waiter and tell him, at the end just ask him for the 'conto' or the bill. Two- check out the display case, make your way to the 'cassa', pay for your choices and then take the receipt over to the serving counter. It's all about the Italian tax system, but in some ways it makes sense that the food servers are not spending time working out change etc.
CHIANTI WINE
Once upon a time wine was drunk more often than water as it was less likely to contain the nasties that modern filtration systems have taken care of. That said looking around Italy you would be forgiven for thinking it was still the case. The wines range from light whites or bianco, rosés to rich reds. Vino da Tavolo are more generic tasting wines, made from mixed grapes from all over Italy and you will see containers ranging from regular bottles to tetra-pak boxes to 6 litre plastic bottles, also usually found on tap in restaurants and bars. Still yet to taste a rough one and they won't break the bank either.
CHIANTI CLASSICO
Perhaps the most famous of Chianti products, this is what it is all about. Chianti Classico is produced solely in the Chianti region, this is defined as the area around Florence, the Chianti hills, the Elsa Valley and Siena by a ministerial decree in 1934. To become a Classico the wine must be produced in a particular technique and is made of a blend of grapes. The mix is then aged for up to 3 years, or longer if it is a Riserva. Most Chianti Classico wines can be drunk fairly young or aged up to 10 years. Tastes and prices vary and it is difficult to find a bad one, as even the cheaper ones can be excellent.
SUPER TUSCANS
One of the surprise outcomes from the early reforms of the Chianti consortium was the rise of the Super Tuscans . After the ruling on Classico production some vintners rebelled against the blending rules and focussed solely on using just red or Sangiovese grapes and imported varieties from France. As a result the wines they produced were not labelled as DOC or DOCG and were dishonourably labelled as vino da tavolo- table wine. However time has justified their existence and they are now accepted as the richer, fuller flavoured cousin of the Classico, characteristically more like a Merlot or Cabernet. These are aged even longer and generally take on a smooth velvety texture. You can expect a large dent in the budget purchasing one of these but well worth it.
CHURCHES
Looking for a bit of spirituality? The majority of churches are open to the public and free but they require a respectful level of dress. As a rule neck to knee coverage and no bare shoulders or belly buttons. It also pays to come back later if a service or mass is in progress.
SUNSETS & PARADES
Find a hill, there are quite a few around, and watch the sun sink over the Tuscan landscape or keep an eye out for the traditional town parades such as the Siena one shown, common in the summer months. Yay for men in tights!
Some of the more enlightened enotecas are branching out to become internet cafes and some now have broadband but most don't. Internet Train is a common chain of internet cafes throughout northern Italy. You can expect to pay up to €6 per hour for usage. Here are some useful websites during your stay.
These are the local market days in the Chianti area. It pays to get their early as they normally start around 8am and finish around 1pm. Some are more geared towards produce although there is generally a good selection of handicrafts and cheap clothes.
These won't make you into an SAS commander but they may help avoid some difficulties as you travel around.