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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491551
02/06/2014 11:26
02/06/2014 11:26
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,927 The Faringdon Folly
oxfordSteve
Forum is my job
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Forum is my job
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Posts: 3,927
The Faringdon Folly
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We drove into Florence and managed to park, but it was raining, so it might have been worse if the sun had been out and three were more people.
The worst thing about riving was the crappy Nissan Primera we had as a hire car.
Off the autostrada, the roads seems reasonably well maintained, and pretty quiet. Autostrada itself seemed a but narrow to my, as well as bumpy and rutty. Like most places, you soon slip into the same mentality as every other road user - so in Italy, Main roads = far too fast, Minor roads = so slow even the tractors catch you up, and in towns = Like and idiot with your hand on the horn.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: simonj]
#1491560
02/06/2014 13:02
02/06/2014 13:02
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Lego
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Lego
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Thanks that is very useful info Guys. I'm off to Florence in July with the family and museums are high on the visit list.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491563
02/06/2014 13:10
02/06/2014 13:10
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Shifty
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Shifty
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Driving in Italy is good fun, suggest you go for a diesel turbo as some of the hills are very steep. Go at your own pace, the locals drive like nutters. Make sure you have a good map or an updated satnav that has all the minor roads loaded.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Jim_Clennell]
#1491565
02/06/2014 13:30
02/06/2014 13:30
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
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Lovely part of the world - we went there on honeymoon. We stayed in a friend's place in one of the many small hilltop villages, which was lovely, but not exactly a tourist destination. We liked Pisa too.
My memory of the roads is that the motorway is fine except for some pretty large bumps and dips that can take you by surprise if you aren't ready for them!
Enjoy the trip - I'm guessing it will be hot! Thanks it Sounds great... the less tourists the better haha. I think July is supposed to be the hottest and it wouldn't have been my first choice to go at that time but we have got tickets for Ennio Morricone concert in July, so its kinda just happened that way.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491568
02/06/2014 13:46
02/06/2014 13:46
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,290 Staffs
Dazvr6
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San Gimignano will be busy as said above but definitely worth a visit. Florence and Pisa are worth a trip too but I thought the Duomo in Sienna was equally as impressive as Florence. We had a new Panda 4x4 which was great fun to drive around in!
Edit: There are lots of street sellers in Pisa. We got mobbed by a bunch of them on returning to our car (main car park by the leaning tower) and one guy was quite pushy. Best to ignore them completely as we found out later!
Last edited by Dazvr6; 02/06/2014 13:49.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: simonj]
#1491569
02/06/2014 13:57
02/06/2014 13:57
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
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Club board member 1442
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San Gimignano in July will be absolutely packed, as will Florence. If you are into the museums, book slots for the Florence ones before you go, otherwise the queues will be huge.
Siena is beautiful and has some wonderful stuff to see, park in one of the car parks at the bottom of the hill below the town gates and walk in from there.
If you are staying near Lake Trasimeno, then Perugia and Orvieto are both well worth a visits on day trips and not so busy. Orvieto has the most beautiful cathedral. If its any quieter than Venice then that be great.... its just too busy Any Museums you can recommend in Florence or Siena? We have a few days at Lake Trasimeno and we were thinking about Orvieto. Thanks that is very useful info Guys. I'm off to Florence in July with the family and museums are high on the visit list. maybe we will see you in Florence, we will be in Montecatini Terme for the last few days so were planning on go to Florence for a day trip between 26-29th. When are you going?
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Dazvr6]
#1491571
02/06/2014 14:03
02/06/2014 14:03
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
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San Gimignano will be busy as said above but definitely worth a visit. Florence and Pisa are worth a trip too but I thought the Duomo in Sienna was equally as impressive as Florence. We had a new Panda 4x4 which was great fun to drive around in!
Edit: There are lots of street sellers in Pisa. We got mobbed by a bunch of them on returning to our car (main car park by the leaning tower) and one guy was quite pushy. Best to ignore them completely as we found out later! Expensive game this car hire malarkey in Italy... hoping for a 500 preferably cabrio but not likely. Giulietta size was way too much
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491615
02/06/2014 16:28
02/06/2014 16:28
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,828 Auld Reekie
Edinburgh
Club President, member225
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Club President, member225
Forum veteran
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,828
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Brian, as said mostly above, if contemplating the Uffizi in Florence definitely book in advance or failing that turn up an hour before opening. I'm guessing that's probably all you can take in in one day, there's so much fantastic to see. Take a break, before the lunchtime vultures descend, in the cafe upstairs to chill and recharge! Nearby if you don't get mown down by swarms of Lambrettas enjoy the walk over the Ponte Vecchio where someone will surely be happy to take a photie Depending where you're coming from, a train might be worth considering as parking's not easy unless you're a good distance out of the city. The Duomo, of course, and some wonderfully ornate doors. While you're at Montecatini Terme, take the funicular up to Montecatini Alto. Siena is really hot, the design seeming to trap the heat. Having said that it is really beautiful and the plaza has historic, fierce and almost suicidal horse-racing. Lucca, the walled town, is more tranquil, and a walk around under the shelter of the trees which line this massive fortification (there's a road inside it) is almost as relaxing as the vino you'll have with your meal Don't forget to try the wild boar.
BumbleBee carer
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491657
02/06/2014 20:15
02/06/2014 20:15
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Kristian
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Kristian
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If you have the time, take the train north from Pisa to Cinque Terre. Obviously a tourist trap, but still very lovely small towns.
We stayed a bit further north two years ago, in a small town called Moneglia.
We're going back to the Pisa area on friday and will probably visit Lucca and Florence, among other places.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491663
02/06/2014 20:30
02/06/2014 20:30
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,828 Auld Reekie
Edinburgh
Club President, member225
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Club President, member225
Forum veteran
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,828
Auld Reekie
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There's Rufina where you'll find the winery (sort out the driving accordingly )
BumbleBee carer
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Edinburgh]
#1491685
02/06/2014 21:47
02/06/2014 21:47
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
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Club board member 1442
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There's Rufina where you'll find the winery (sort out the driving accordingly ) Oh Pauline will love that.... ooops did I just say that
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Edinburgh]
#1491687
02/06/2014 21:55
02/06/2014 21:55
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
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Club board member 1442
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My life on the forum
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Brian, as said mostly above, if contemplating the Uffizi in Florence definitely book in advance or failing that turn up an hour before opening. I'm guessing that's probably all you can take in in one day, there's so much fantastic to see. Take a break, before the lunchtime vultures descend, in the cafe upstairs to chill and recharge! Nearby if you don't get mown down by swarms of Lambrettas enjoy the walk over the Ponte Vecchio where someone will surely be happy to take a photie Depending where you're coming from, a train might be worth considering as parking's not easy unless you're a good distance out of the city. The Duomo, of course, and some wonderfully ornate doors. While you're at Montecatini Terme, take the funicular up to Montecatini Alto. Siena is really hot, the design seeming to trap the heat. Having said that it is really beautiful and the plaza has historic, fierce and almost suicidal horse-racing. Lucca, the walled town, is more tranquil, and a walk around under the shelter of the trees which line this massive fortification (there's a road inside it) is almost as relaxing as the vino you'll have with your meal Don't forget to try the wild boar. All very helpful stuff here. Sadly were going to miss "fierce and almost suicidal horse-racing" as its on earlier in July.... that would have been a good. Is it advisable to get a IDP for driving in Italy?
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491765
03/06/2014 08:47
03/06/2014 08:47
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FreakinFreak
Unregistered
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FreakinFreak
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Another upvote for Lucca, and agree with parking outside city walls - got a ticket there. Perugia is also good and has a big underground car park that makes things a bit easier, and cooler.
Personally I prefer all the smaller hill towns, Radda in Chianti is lovely for a bit of lunch, Montepulciano is lovely in the evening. Cortona hold a really good photo festival - Cortona on the Move - that takes place all over town.
On the east side of Lake Trasimeno there's a really sleepy little place called San Feliciano, which we try to get to each time we're there. There's not much to do, coffee and ice cream mostly, but the slow pace is great. If you like you can take a ferry to one of the islands but there's not much to do once you're there either. Marvellous.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1491796
03/06/2014 13:50
03/06/2014 13:50
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Lego
Unregistered
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Lego
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Thanks that is very useful info Guys. I'm off to Florence in July with the family and museums are high on the visit list. maybe we will see you in Florence, we will be in Montecatini Terme for the last few days so were planning on go to Florence for a day trip between 26-29th. When are you going? Alas not, as we are in Florence from 6th-13th July. No car this holiday so I'm looking forward to the freedom of a few extra glasses of wine to savour the Italian cuisine with Though we have not sat down and planned our week in detail yet. So maybe we'll hire a car for a day here or there. Will get the maps out and read through all the recommendations in this thread.
Last edited by Lego; 03/06/2014 13:52.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: ]
#1492355
05/06/2014 21:12
05/06/2014 21:12
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
OP
Club board member 1442
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OP
Club board member 1442
My life on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551
Motherwell - Scotland
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Thanks that is very useful info Guys. I'm off to Florence in July with the family and museums are high on the visit list. maybe we will see you in Florence, we will be in Montecatini Terme for the last few days so were planning on go to Florence for a day trip between 26-29th. When are you going? Alas not, as we are in Florence from 6th-13th July. No car this holiday so I'm looking forward to the freedom of a few extra glasses of wine to savour the Italian cuisine with Though we have not sat down and planned our week in detail yet. So maybe we'll hire a car for a day here or there. Will get the maps out and read through all the recommendations in this thread. This might be of interest to you Lego if your going to be there around those dates Mugello race weekend. Id have gone but we are there the week after it unfortunately.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1492360
05/06/2014 21:32
05/06/2014 21:32
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Alesi
Unregistered
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Alesi
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After the twice in a lifetime experience at the 20th annersary in Turin we travelled on to Florence. We found just the perfect spot to explore the city in a hotel close by the train station Hotel Adler Cavalieri. Two to three days should give you enough time to explore the town. Personal highlights are: palazzo pitti and it's vast garden, medici chapel and palazzo vecchio.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: ]
#1492633
07/06/2014 12:35
07/06/2014 12:35
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
OP
Club board member 1442
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OP
Club board member 1442
My life on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551
Motherwell - Scotland
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After the twice in a lifetime experience at the 20th annersary in Turin we travelled on to Florence. We found just the perfect spot to explore the city in a hotel close by the train station Hotel Adler Cavalieri. Two to three days should give you enough time to explore the town. Personal highlights are: palazzo pitti and it's vast garden, medici chapel and palazzo vecchio. Id have loved to have been over to Turin for the anniversary and its a petty our holiday didn't coincide with the it. We have the 30th anniversary in the diary though. Hotel looks great. We will be spending the last few days based in Montecatini Terme so Florence will be one of our day trips for then.
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: Rosso]
#1492656
07/06/2014 16:06
07/06/2014 16:06
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Alesi
Unregistered
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Alesi
Unregistered
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Hi Rosso, Siena is a little gem as well. In case you're looking for a hotel. What about a palace instead? Palazzo Ravizza
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Re: Tuscany Trip
[Re: ]
#1492769
08/06/2014 14:11
08/06/2014 14:11
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,551 Motherwell - Scotland
Rosso
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Club board member 1442
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Thanks Alesi, that looks beautiful place to stay ....cant wait We have all our accommodation booked now for all our stops We will be based in San Gimignano for the first leg off the trip so Siena we will in that part.
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