Travel Guides: All Countries / Europe / Italy / Tuscany
 |  | Fact File : Tuscany |
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| | | Tuscany | | Did you know?
The annual Palio bareback horse race, held between rival districts of the city of Siena, dates back to 1283.
Language
Italian
Getting there
Direct flights from the UK to Florence and Pisa.
Flying time from London
Two hours, 30 minutes
Getting around
Good connections by train and most areas have public transport. Renting a car will give you the most freedom to explore, and to reach all those remote vineyards and crumbling palacios.
Currency
Euro
Costs
Small beer £2, roll of camera film £2-3, average meal £15, four-mile taxi ride £9, litre of petrol 65p. Things may cost more in tourist centres.
Weather
Tuscany can be chilly in December and January, between 1-10C(32-50F). It warms up quickly, with highs in the 20Cs(70Fs) by late April. July and August are hot and dry; it's common for the barometer to top 30C(85F+). The weather cools off slightly in September, temperatures staying in the 20Cs(70Fs) until late October.
Time difference
One hour ahead of GMT.
International dialling code from the UK
00 39
Voltage
220V 50Hz, but occasionally the old 125V system - check locally. Sockets are for round two or three-pin plugs, so adaptors are necessary for UK appliances.
Opening hours
Shops open at 8am, shut at 1pm for a long lunch, then open again from 3/4pm until 7/8pm. Banks open from 8.30am-1.30pm and 2.45pm-4.30pm Mon-Fri.
Health - Before you go
No inoculations are necessary. The UK has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Italy but you need an EHIC form, available from UK post offices. Many public hospitals are underfunded, so you may prefer to take out travel insurance and use private clinics.
Health - When you are there
Call 118 for an ambulance. Your hotel or the embassy can recommend a doctor, or call the 24-hour Tourist Medical Service, Via Lorenzo il Magnifico, Florence, Tel. 055 47 54 11.
Warnings
Tuscany is relatively safe and travellers to Florence should not get the degree of pickpocketing and theft found in Rome; however, pay attention. Watch out for the erratic Italian traffic. Women travellers often find themselves subject to unwanted attention from local men, but it is seldom threatening.
Emergency
Dial 118 for ambulance, 115 for fire, 113 for police and, to report a non-violent theft or incident that doesn't endanger life, the carabinieri on 112. British Consulate, Lungarno Corsini 2, Florence. Tel. 00 39 055 28 41 33.
Customs
Visitors often treat churches as museums - but remember they are places of worship for the local community, and be considerate of local customs and dress codes.
Pets
Italy is included in the Pet Travel Scheme but be aware that the process takes several months before travel to set up. See your vet for details.
Tipping
You are not expected to tip on top of restaurant charges or taxi fares. Restaurants usually have a cover charge that includes bread, olive oil and water.
Tourist office
Italian State Tourist Board, 1 Princes St, London W1R 8AY; Tel. 020 7408 1254. Brochure line: 09001 600 280 (calls cost 60p per minute).
Visa
Not required for UK citizens.
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| | Available rental properties in Tuscany |
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| |  | | Riverside villa with garden
Beautiful house in the historical village of Bagni di Lucca, with a very large private garden and private access to the river.
|  | | Farm Holiday
FARM HOUSE ON HILLS OF PESCIA encircled from the nature and far away from the chaos of the modern city.
|  | | ANTICO CASTELLO DI SAN GUSME'
The Castle,a beautiful medieval fortified village, is ideally located in the Chiantishire and is one of the most characteristic buildings of Tuscany.
|  | | Casa Marta (Pascoso,Tuscany)
Casa Marta is a 18th-century stone house with three floors located in the village of Pascoso (province of Lucca) in the Apuane Park,680 meters asl.
|  | | Casa O, a 19th-century stone house
Casa O is a 19th-century, fully restored, stone house of 100 square metres approximately
located in the village of Pascoso (province of Lucca)
| | Click here for more properties... |
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