Discover the real Tuscany Countryside while staying in one of our carefully selected hotels
The majority of international flights arrive into Pisa airport (PSA). Direct flights to Pisa are available from Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle and take approximately 2 hours.
Tuscany is predominantly a summer destination, with the main tourist season generally running from April to October. Temperatures are at their hottest in July and August, this is also when Tuscany is at its busiest. However, Tuscany also enjoys a mild climate in spring and autumn with temperatures rarely going beneath 20 degrees which makes it perfect for visiting at the beginning or end of season too. The coast has wonderful sea breezes and the hilltop towns are much cooler than the lower countryside villages. The best time to visit is during the quieter season, from April to June and September to October when the weather is good, prices are a bit lower and there are fewer crowds. There are many festivals and events throughout the year in Tuscany and Easter and Christmas are always busy.
At the current time, British citizens do not require a visa to visit Italy.
Whilst tipping isn’t embedded into Italian culture it is always appreciated as an acknowledgement of good service. Nowadays people generally round up a bill in a bar or cafe and leave 5-10% extra on a restaurant bill. Taxi bills are usually also rounded up.
On guided tours/excursions it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide.
On small group escorted tours, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation the driver and guide at the end of the tour.
The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.
I'd highly recommend spending a day in Siena. It's a stunning city, and walking around you almost feel like you've stepped back in time. The highlight is the huge main square, Piazza del Campo. where the twice-yearly Palio di Siena horse race takes place.
My most memorable meal in Italy was in Tuscany, trying to fight my way through 900g of T-bone steak alla Fiorentina. The full-bodied Brunello Di Montalcino did help though...
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