Visiting Siena, Italy

 

Often described as the best kept Medieval city in Italy, a visit to Siena is like going back in time.  It is an easy day-trip from Florence, since it’s only 43 miles south.  A Bus ride to Siena is the most popular mode of transportation.  You can ride the SITA Bus Line from Florence, which takes about 1½ hours and will stop at Via Tozzi, which is within walking distance of Piazza Del Campo.  SITA has an express Bus line to Siena and a local Bus line.  The express will arrive 20 minutes faster than the local bus line.   You can also take the train into Siena from Florence.  TrenItalia offers service from Santa Maria Novella Statzione to Siena Statzione, which is a 1½ hour ride.  There is a direct train and one that requires you change trains in Empoli, which will add another 20 minutes or so to your trip.  One thing to remember, the Siena train station is not within walking distance to Piazza Del Campo, so you may have to take a bus or taxi to get into town.  The Bus will drop you in town and requires a much short walk to the center of town.

 

Once you get to Siena, there are several sites to visit.  A good place to start exploring is from Piazza Del Campo.  It is a shell-shaped field that was created in the 12th century and is considered to be the heart of Siena. Within the Piazza, you’ll find a rectangular shaped fountain, Fonte Gaia, completed in the 15th century.  The Fonte Gaia water supply comes from a 14th century aqueduct that is 25 km long.  Also in the Piazza is Palazzo Pubblico, which has served as Siena’s town hall for 700 years.  To the left of Palazzo Pubblico is the Bell Tower named Torre del Mangia.  It is said to be the 2nd highest tower in Italy, 102 meters tall (330 feet).  A short 505 step climb with get you to the top of the Tower where you will have spectacular views of Tuscany.

 

Another “must see” in Siena is the Duomo.  It is one of the finest Gothic Cathedrals in Italy and is well known for its inlaid marble floors, which took almost 200 years to complete.  The very detailed façade is very similar to the Duomo in Orvieto. Under the floor of the Duomo is a crypt that is believed to be 700 years old.  It was opened to the public in 2003 and will give you the opportunity to see the spectacular frescoes from the 13th century.  Another place to visit is the Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana.  This museum is attached to the Duomo in a section that was never completed.  It contains original decorations from the façade and the interior and also contains the Duomo’s treasury. 

 

There are many more places to visit in Siena, such as the Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala, San Domenico, Pinacoteca Nazionale, Palazzo Picolomini, Sanuraio e Casa di Santa Caterina, etc.  For more information on Tuscany, especially Florence, Italy, please visit www.FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com.  So, enjoy your trip and have fun.

 

Ciao,

Joe

www.FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com

The Best place for rentals in Florence and all of Tuscany

Visiting Rome, Italy

Many people have written brief articles about the places and culture of Italy, but it does not compare to the real life experience of being there.  I’ll take you through the cities of Italy in the hopes you will visit these cities and change your life. 

 

You’ll hear the phrase “Bella Italia” as you travel throughout Italy.  It means Beautiful Italy and it’s something you will say after your visit.  Rome or Roma, is the capital of Italy.  The Italians will tell you that Rome is the largest outdoor museum in the world and it’s true.  There are 2,000 years of history spread throughout the city and you never know what’s around the next turn.  As you walk or drive through the city, you will see things that you have read and dreamed about for years.  When you finally have the chance to see it in real life, it will be better than you have ever expected.

 

Now, there are many “Must Sees” in Rome, but unfortunately it would take many pages to describe all of the places you can visit. So, I’ll just talk about a few of them. Before you start your journey through Rome and all of Italy – buy a guide book on Rome and read about the site(s) you are going to visit before you visit them.  You will get a lot more out of the experience if you know what you’re looking at and know the basic history of the site. The first of the “Must sees” are the Forum and the Colosseum.   Since, they are located near each other and you can walk from one to the other rather easily, you should see them on the same day, if you have the time. These two sites encompass a lot of History in Rome and are seen in many movies, which most people can relate to.  Of course, you should visit the sites during the day to ensure to see everything, but the lights around the Colosseum at night are a great site to see as well.   The Colosseum and the Forum have not weathered the past 2000 years very well.  Some parts of the sites may be hard to imagine, so some people have recommended a tour guide to help “piece together” the locations.

 

Another “Must See” is the Vatican, of course.  Did I mention to make sure you have a camera with a video option, if possible?  You Do Not want to miss taking pictures or video of your experience in Italy because they will bring back the great feelings you had when you took them.  The Vatican is located in Vatican City, which is not part of Italy but its own country surrounded by Italy.  When you enter the Vatican site, you’ll be in a huge outdoor area with Saint Peter’s Basilica in the backdrop.  It’s an amazing site to see as you walk through the open area and take in the beauty and history.  Now, when you depart the Vatican, you can walk to the Sistine Chapel, which is another “Must See”.  It’s a short walk to the entrance but there is usually a wait to enter.  It’s worth the wait to view the Frescos. 

 

The Trevi Fountain is another “Must See”.  It’s a beautiful structure sitting in a small Piazza (area) that you do not expect to be there.  Finding the Trevi fountain is like what I described above – you turn the corner and you’re breathless.  The detail is incredible and makes you wonder how something like this was created so long ago. Another one of my favorite places is Piazza Navona.  It’s a public square that contains 3 beautifully sculptured fountains in the middle.  Along the sides of the square, there are restaurants with outdoor seating, and also vendors selling paintings throughout the square.  It’s a beautiful place to relax and have lunch.  And when you’re finished eating, you must try the Gelato (Italian Ice Cream).  You’ll love it. There are several Gelato stands in the area. 

 

You’ll see many other sites just traveling to the locations described above, such as Piazza Venezia, Campo di Fiori, Via Veneto, Castle of St. Angelo, Piazza di Popolo, Via Corso, etc.  On your trip to Italy, Rome will only be the first stop.  A typical Italy vacation will take you through Roma and then to Florence, Firenze.  It’s only a 90 minute train ride from Rome and definitely worth the trip.  If you would like more information on traveling through Italy or Florence Italy Vacation Rentals, come visit us at www.FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com.

 

 

Ciao,

Joe

www.FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com

The Best place for rentals in Florence and all of Tuscany

A Trip To Florence, Italy

Florence is a very popular vacation site and justifiably so.  It was the heart of the Renaissance and is still a hub for Art and History.  A beautiful city that remains as incredible as it was hundreds of years ago, with something for everyone to enjoy, such as Art, History, Shopping, Food and Beautiful Scenery.

 

Once you decide to visit Florence, Italy, you will need a place to stay.  There are many ways to accomplish this, whether it’s through vacation packages, hotel reservations, apartment rentals or vacation home rentals.  I would like to recommend staying in a Vacation Rental.  It’s a growing trend and most people don’t realize the value of staying in a rental.  It changes the feel of your vacation from visiting Italy to living in Italy.  Now, each person has there own preference on where they want to stay, so I will give you the tools to search for a the place you want at www.FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com.   In this website, you’ll find rentals in the city of Florence,  Siena,  Lucca,  San Gimignano,   the Florence countryside,  Chianti,  Cortona  and many more locations.  Some folks like to find a place that is centrally located so they can split there days into different sections of the city. This allows for more time to sightsee and less time for traveling back and forth to the same location to see different sights.  Others like the countryside for peace and quiet.

 

The next step is to find a way to get you to Florence.  Most people will be arriving in Florence by using one of several airports – the Florence Airport (Aeroporto A. Vespucci or Peretola),  the Pisa Airport (Aeroporto Galileo Galilei) or the Rome Airport (Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci or Fiumincino).  The Florence Airport does not receive intercontinental flights, but does receive flights from within Italy and various European countries.  So, you will have to make a stop along the way if you flying from the United States, for example.  If you fly directly into the Florence airport, it’s a short bus ride or taxi ride (20 minutes) to the center of Florence.  If you fly into Rome, you can take a 1 ½ hour train ride to Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station.  If you fly into Pisa, you can take a 1 hour train ride to Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station.  It may cost a little more to fly directly into Florence, but may be worth it to avoid connections and other types of transportation.  Go to the Resource Page of FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com for more information on the Airports.

 

Now that you have finally arrived in Florence, what about transportation to explore Florence, Siena and San Gimignano?  Florence is a great city with taxi and bus service, if you need it.  Most people do the majority of their sightseeing within Florence by walking.  It’s a beautiful city with many sights to see, which you may miss if you driving and not walking.  As for Siena and San Gimignano, there are buses from Florence to both locations.  You should plan on a day trip to each location, so you’ll have time to enjoy each city without rushing through it.  Go to the Resource Page of FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com for more information on Transportation throughout Florence.

 

You are now set for your vacation to Florence.  For additional information or help planning your trip, visit FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com  We can Step you through the process.

 

Ciao,

Joe

www.FlorenceItalyVacationRental.com

The Best place for rentals in Florence and all of Tuscany.