Italian & Overseas Property Specialists

Carrara

This capital of the region is known as "The City Of Marble" and produces such a high volume of the beautiful grey/white marble made famous and used by Michelangelo that they use it for their pavements and kerbstones; Marble Arch in London also utilised this famous stone. Also in Carrara, why not take a trip to Massa to discover the "Red Palace" such named for its imposing brick facade behind which hides the most exquisite courtyard, Piazza Aranci is also noteworthy, so named as it is flanked on all sides by fragrant Orange trees. Massa also has a Marina town with a a thriving tourist trade with beachfront apartments and hotels to rent.

Arezzo

Setting for the Oscar winning "Life Is Beautiful" the cosmopolitan town of Arezzo has a laid back feel with numerous, cafes, restaurants, boutiques and shops in which to stroll or have a bite to eat. Just 50 miles from Florence, Etruscan Arezzo can make a fabulous base for a holiday and there are some stunning villas and apartments for rent in the area. Still retaining its medieval feel the town is perched high on hill rising above the River Arno and has wonderful views. In addition there are several nature reserves in the area to expolore; Sasso di Simone some 1600 hectares of spectacular and majestic beauty has well marked trails and visitor facilities, Casa Del Re Refuge trail has a stunning panoramic resting point to take a breath and soak up the scenery.

Florence

Well, what can we say! Possibly the most breathtaking, romantic city in all of Italy, if not the world. Born into to such stylish Renaissance surroundings its not surprising that Florentines are such perfectly preened people, home to Gucci and Ferragmano, stylish boutiques intertwine with galleries and Palazzi. Packed with tourist during the stifling summer months, it's often wiser to travel to Florence during the spring and autumn seasons when the city is more itself and apartments and villas can be more reasonable to rent. Relatively compact it is easily navigated on foot and a good starting point is the Piazza Del Duomo, from which you can climb the Campanile ( Cathedral dome ) which dominates the city. Museo Nationale Del Bargello houses Italy's largest collection of sculpture and indeed the museums in Florence are believed to hold nearly 10% of the world's finest art treasures.

Grosetto

Grosetto is an attractive town with a flourishing farm trade, here "Agrotourism" is popular as in much of Italy, this basically means Agricultural Tourism. Tourist are encouraged to visit farm shops, cafes and restaurants and sample the delicious, largely organic fair that is grown on the land. Tradition is held dear here and many recipes are handed down through generations. Grosetto also has a delightful beaches which can be reached via sand dunes and are fringed by Pinewood forests.

Livorno

Livorno is and always has been one of Italy's most important ports, which unfortunately meant it was subject to a huge onslaught during the second world war. However despite much of the city being rebuilt Livorno is a huge tourist attraction, picture perfect canals cross the city's historical centre with quaint little hump backed bridges. During August the dilapidated Venezia district bubbles into life with an extraordinary Jazz and world music festival. Being a port the fresh seafood which can be sampled in the towns cafes and restaurants is outstanding and nothing is better than finishing your meal with a glass of the local "Ponce" this is Livorno's version of punch made with coffee, run and lemon rind.

Lucca

The quite town of Lucca, shuns the showiness and glitz of surrounding towns like Florence and Pisa, instead of being overrun with tourists you are more likely to be run over by a local on bicycle. In Lucca you can feel free to wander around without the use of a map, the town is a little under 1 mile wide and makes exploring its many piazzas, churches, pastry shops and family businesses a breeze. During the summer many of Luccas Piazzas burst into life with concerts and performances. Lucca can be an excellent base for a stay in Tuscany, just a few miles from Pisa and Florence but off the beaten track.

Pisa

Pisa is an ecclesiastical city renown of course for its famous leaning tower, however there is a whole lot more to explore and guided walking tours taking in the main highlights are run from the tourist office.North west of the city lies the 'field of dreams' an enormous lawned green, flanked on all sides by breathtaking structures built in the areas infamous gleaming white marble.Firstly of course is the leaning tower herself the bell tower to the 'Duomo' or Cathedral, the circular Battistero ( the largest in its kind in Italy) and Camposanto one of the prettiest cemeteries in the world. Pisa is a vibrant place to stay and as such offers huge array of places to dine and shop, from the trendy, lively restaurants to backstreet cafes and local Trattorias, you will be spoilt for choice.

Pistoia

Pistoia is tucked between Pisa and Florence and a holiday here is like steeping back in time, join the locals on Wednesdays and Saturdays for the open air market held in the central Piazza with the Cathedral of San Zeno and its magnificent bell tower soaring 200ft above. Steeped in Etruscan history and marvelous architecture decorated with the regions famous Carrara marble there are at least a dozen museums to visit in Pistoia. Visitors can also enjoy a multitude of activities in the area including walking, Horse riding and skiing in the Apennine Mountains.

Chianti

When most people say they would love to visit Tuscany, what they really mean is Chianti. Chianti is a large region in central Tuscany, bordering Florence and Siena it is of outstanding natural beauty and is one of the most picturesque. Birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci and the most famous wine producing region in the whole country, its landscape is dictated by geometric rows of vineyards stretching for as far as the eye can see. With over 450 wineries in the region it would be restrictive to mention one over the next however the market square in Greve will lead to you to the largest wine tasting centre in Italy with over 100 wines to sample. Nowhere else in Italy will you find a better place in which to rent a beautiful villa or farmhouse with stunning views of the Chianti valleys.

Siena

Is often regarded as the most perfectly preserved medieval city in Italy, inside the old city walls of this vibrant and lively university city lies this most unique and handsome Uniesco World Heritage site. Cars and motorbikes are banned from the centre making exploring the artistic glories and majestic gothic buildings a breeze. Visit Conad market and stock up on picnic snacks, take a walk up the hill to Abbazia di Sant'Antimo, enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle and listen to the angelic voices of the choir. If you are lucky enough to visit during the world famous Palio horse race which takes place in the dramatic backdrop of Palazzio Del Campo, you will be astonished to see local families competing on horseback through the cobbled square at breakneck speed!

Tuscany is widely regarded as the birthplace of the Renaissance movement and the legacy can be seen in a myriad of museums across the region. Architecture, painting and sculpture dominate and Tuscany is the birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangleo, Galileo, Boticelli and Dante!

Tuscany was the home land of the Etruscans, which was annexed by Rome in 351 BC. After the fall of the Roman empire, the region, which became known as Tuscany came under a succession of rulers (Herulians, Ostrogoths, etc.) and emerged as its own political entity. By the twelfth century, the Tuscan cities were gradually gaining their independence as republics and forcing the nobility to live in the cities. By the high Middle Ages, the cities of Pisa, Siena, Arezzo, Pistoia, Lucca, and especially Florence had become wealthy because of textile manufacture, trade, banking, and agriculture. There were many wars between the city states to conquer territory and power. Gradually, Florence came to overshadow and conquer all other cities in the region.

• Learn to cook the famous local cuisine on a cooking course in the countryside
• Hire a bike and explore the villages and wineries of Chianti
• Take a a day hike to Monte Forato, the mountain with the "hole" located in the Garfagnana area of Tuscany, on the southern edge of the Apuan Alps park.
• Take a tour of Italy's prettiest fishing villages Cinque Terre
• Attend a memorable opera performance in Italy's most romantic city, Florence
• Go designer clothes shopping in Florence for Prada, Gucci, Versace and much more.
• Visit Galleria dell'Accademia This relatively out-of-the-way Florence museum is famous for housing Michelangelo's iconic "David" statue.
• Make your way to Chianti and stay at a sophisticated yoga retreat that's housed in a 16th-century villa, summer home of Sting and film producer Trudie Style.
• The Basilica is the main attraction of Assisi and pilgrims and art lovers alike make a beeline.
• Play Golf at any one of the regions stunning golf courses.

By Plane

Tuscany has two international airports, the Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa and Amerigo Vespucci Airport, also known as Peretola, in Florence. Located only 80 km apart, Pisa airport is the larger of the two. Both handle flights to major European cities. Pisa has the bulk of European scheduled flights so it might be easier to find flights into Pisa.

Direct flights from North America are generally more expensive than stopover routes somewhere else in Europe. More affordable fares can be had if you fly non-stop to a major European city such as London or Paris and then takes a Ryan Air (low-fare European airline) flight direct to Pisa. You'll have to change airports in London and Paris, though, as Ryan Air generally uses secondary airports.

By Train

Florence's main train station is Santa Maria Novella (SMN). Direct international trains arrive here from Paris, Calais (during the summer), Brussels, Amsterdam, Basel, Munich and other European cities. Fast Eurocity connections arrive from Rome, Milan, Bologna, Pisa, Verona, Venice, Genoa and Turin.There are excellent train links see the following:

• Eurocity - will connect Italian cities to the major European cities
• Eurostar - serves the main lines like Rome to Florence with few stops
• Diretto - faster than a locale, with less stops
• Expresso - stops just at the main towns
• Locale - slowest of all the trains that stops at all the local stops (avoid this one if you can!)
• Try: www.trenitalia.it for times and ticket reservations (Italian Only)

By Bus

For travel within any of the major cities, Italy provides a pretty good bus network. You can buy a biglietto at any of the local tobacco shops, indicated with a big black "T". The (intra-city) buses use an honour system, which is even a joke to the locals. Inspectors will do routine spot checks of the passengers to make sure that your ticket is validated by a validation machine that must be punched when you enter onto the bus. It's not worth the potential fine or hassle to try and beat the system by not validating your ticket.

As Florence is the main city in Tuscany, most buses from outside the region will head arrive into the region's capital city. The main train station in Florence, Santa Maria Novella, is also the area where most bus companies are headquartered. The easiest way to book bus tickets is through www.eurolines.com , a consortium of coach operators with offices all over Europe. The Florence ticket office can be reached at Tel. 055 357110 and is located at Piazza Adua, in front of the train station.

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