Getting Here

On the Rec. Travel Europe newsgroup people occasionally ask, "What's the easiest way of getting to Tuscany by air -- via Rome or via Milan?" Having tried it once, we can assure you that Milano is not the answer -- the rail schedules are such that you will likely arrive exhausted in the late afternoon, and on your return leg you'll probably have to spend a night in Milan to be able to reach the airport in time for your flight. Rome used to be great, when there was an airport train that linked the Leonardo da Vinci airport and Santa Maria Novella. But that was years ago.

Hardly anyone answering people's posts on the newsgroup mentions Tuscany's airports -- Pisa's Galileo Galilei and Florence's Amerigo Vespucci. The Galieleo Galilei airport is in part military, which means that it is sometimes open when other airports are closed due to strikes. Among the carriers that service it are Air France and British Air; when you emerge from customs you find yourself next to the platform of the Florence-Pisa rail line; trains depart frequently, and it's about an hour's ride to Florence. The Amerigo Vespucci airport is even more convenient for getting to the heart of Tuscany -- it's a 20-minute bus ride from the center of Florence, which is the hub for all regional rail and road traffic. The airport is served by a number of carriers, including Alitalia, Meridiana, Lufthansa, and Sabena, all of which run jet flights to major international hubs, for example Paris, Rome, Brussels or Munich. Since most of the major European carriers have forged partnerships with American and Asian carriers, you should have no trouble arranging a flight into either Florence or Pisa.

Once you touch down, the Italian rail and bus networks provide reasonably quick, quite cheap transportation to almost anywhere; in particular the bus routes are comprehensive because teens living in small towns generally take busses to high schools in larger cities. Florence's bus stations are right next to the Santa Maria Novella train station; the SITA depot is on Via Santa Caterina da Siena (the street exiting Piazza della Stazione to the left as you stand facing the station), whereas the Lazzi station is at the corner of Piazza Adua, across the street to the right of the station. The SITA busses go to Siena (an hour), while the Lazzi busses go to the Lucca (an hour to either); for other locations and departure times you will have to visit the stations. For Arezzo, Pisa, Pistoia and Bologna you will want to take the train; check the F.F.S.S. site for schedules when you're planning things out.

Though public transportation is quite convenient, you may want the added independence given by a car: unless you are visiting friends who will loan you one you will want to rent. Here again you should plan ahead, making certain that you have a valid international driver's license, and contacting a rental agency (Hertz, Avis, Auto Europe, Dollaro Express, etc.) before you come, because the rates are considerably cheaper if you rent from outside the country. You might also want to ask your airline if it has a partnership with a rental agency; many do. In terms of picking the car up, you should find out if an airport pickup entails a surcharge -- if it does and you are coming directly to Florence you may just want to take the city bus into town to the rental agency's offices. Finally, if you're going to be going long distances, you should visit the Societá Autostrade site to plan your route.

Once you hit the road, remember that Italians drive defensively, with one eye on the road and the other on the cars and mopeds around them. Kids on mopeds can and will do just about anything, so don't let the unexpected surprise you. Always use turn signals, because the drivers behind you will give you the right of way if you do. Remember that the person coming from the right has the right of way, unless he or she has a stop sign or yield (an inverted triangle with a red border and a white center) and you do not. This works the other way as well; if you are coming from the right and don't have a stop sign or yield you have the right of way and people will expect you to take it -- if you do not, you may confuse those around you. The final thing about driving that you have to remember is that people do not pass on the right on the highway. Always pull into the left lane (glance in the mirror first) lest the person you're coming up on swerve into your lane to give you room.

Have a great time and drive safely!