viva

1
viva
Toscana!

• A trip planning guide
• A PowerPoint presentation for LIBR 500
• By Ulla Visscher

2
Welcome to Italy

• This is Tuscany.
• It is renowned for its
• scenic rolling hills
• and cypress tree-lined drives
• black truffles, cinghiale, panforte
• vineyards and olive groves
• picturesque hillside towns
• Renaissance art and architecture
• You are planning a trip to Tuscany and want to
  learn more

3
The library is a good place to start your research
4
There are so many choices
5
The Internet is also a good resource

• find weather statistics, travel advisories,
  flights, rental cars, villas, train schedules
• book tickets to see a show, visit the Uffizzi
  Galleries, or climb the leaning tower of Pisa.
• find bank machines, Internet cafes, cooking
  schools, travel photography tips
• chat with other travellers who are full of good
  advice

6
By now youve done enough research to know

• where to go
• when to go
• who to go with
• how to get there
• where to stay
• what to see and do
• how to get around

7
Youre ready to

• Book your flight
• Remember that
• charters have zero baggage allowance and
  irregular schedules
• direct flights mean fewer problems
• Rent your villa
• Remember that villa rentals are Saturday to
  Saturday
• Rent your car
• Remember that
• rental cars have standard transmissions
• car rentals in Italy are hugely expensive

8
Now its time to learn some Italian

• Immerse yourself in Italian culture.
• Listen to language tapes
• or music CDs
• (Bartoli, Bocelli, Pavarotti)
• Take a course at night school
• Go to Italian movies
• (subtitled, of course)
• Look at Italian fashion and design magazines

9
learn about Tuscan food

• Youll want to know
• what it is
• (and what its called)
• where to get it
• (or how to make it)
• You may want to know how to eat it
• Youll definitely want to know where to eat it

10
learn about Tuscan wine

• what it is
• (Chianti and Montepulciano are Tuscan wines)
• how its made
• (youll find out when you visit the vineyards)
• where to buy it
• (at the vineyard, or the Enoteca)
• how to choose a good one

11
By now you know everything.
Via damoreCinqueterre - 15 km - good walking
shoes
The leaning tower of Pisa reopens Dec. 15
Drink cappuccino only in the morning
Michelangelo used marble from Carrara for many of
his masterpieces
Saturnia spa Volterra alabaster Castellina
in Chianti vino
io sono tu sei lui/lei e noi siamo
Market day in Poggibonsi is Tuesday
Say buona sera in the afternoon
If the Uffizzi are too crowded, go to the Bargello
The Arrezzo antique market is the first Sunday of
every month
The gold medal winning Chianti for 2000 is made
at a vineyard on the wine route
Look for cold-pressed, unfiltered, organic olive
oil biologico
12
But you still need to get in shape.
This will be molto importante when you

• visit historic hillside towns
• climb to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa
• want to see the rooftops of Florence from the top
  of the Duomo
• hike between the villages in the Cinqueterre
• have to fit the clothes in the Gucci outlet

13
You are almost ready.

• Just a few more details

14
You are 100 ready
15
Buon viaggio!