Easter in Tuscany

Courtesy of HRH Prince William and Kate, we will all benefit from an extended Easter Bank Holiday this year.  The Royal Wedding on April 29th means many are planning on taking a break away and one of our favourite Easter destinations is ....... Tuscany. 

Easter is one of the most important celebrations in the Italian calendar and Tuscany does it in style.  On Easter Sunday, hundreds gather at the world-renowned Piazza del Duomo in Florence to experience the legendary Explosion of the Cart. 


On Palm Sunday, the Cascine Park also in Florence hosts the Fiera Quaresimale (Lent Fair), an eclectic mix of clothes, leather goods, shoes, fruits, flowers and much more. 

Book now to ensure you don't miss out on this fantastic time in the Italian calendar. http://www.cottagestocastles.com/

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ITALY Steals the Show for Romance, Culture and Food

Flights comparison website Skyscanner.net has revealed the results of its Travel Awards 2010 as voted by more than 600 travellers and it seems the love affair with France is over as Italy snatches many of the top awards.

When it comes to love and the most romantic holiday, Rome, Venice and Lake Como has clearly outshone its neighbour in the awards, winning the title of ‘Most Romantic Country’ by far with 33% of the votes compared to just 19% from its closest competitor. 

Culture vultures also favoured Italy as it received the award for Best Destination for Culture. Italy also ran away with the award for Best Cuisine. And received ‘runner up’ for the Most Beautiful Country.

Yara Paoli, Skyscanner Italian country expert commented:

“Italy is a very popular destination for British tourists and it’s great to see Italy being recognised for what it can offer; excellent cuisine, romantic cities and a host of great cultural attractions.”
For your perfect Italian holidays, find an ABTOI member who can help plan and book your trip.
http://www.loveitaly.co.uk/

An Italian Wedding?

What makes an Italian wedding so different and why is it that more and more people are choosing Italy to tie the knot?

All you need to do is to watch great movies like the Godfather where Al Pacino has to leave America and takes refuge in Sicily, where he then marries a young local woman Apollonia Vitelli and here we see simplicity in motion.  Or why not watch romantic Italian movies, Much Ado About Nothing or a Room with a view and you'll know that the land of Italy is steeped in a romantic culture. The fresh flowers and purple bougainvillea, the rolling hills of green, the food and wine, the beautiful buildings and interiors, music, the colours of the facades and nature, gold, ochre…..earthly colours, all inspiration to get your heart racing and your blood pumping. This is the land of St Valentine, Juno, Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses who the Romans worshipped. Read More

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TURIN'S TURN

Whilst the majority of tourists going to Italy head for the same old, same old, those savvy travellers ‘in the know’ will take a left turn and slip into Turin with a smirk on their faces.

And quite justified too. The beautiful old baroque city is more than just the ex capital of Italy when the nation was born 150 years ago. Amongst a host of other things, Turin is also responsible for Gianni Agnelli and the Fiat, the Alfa Romeo and home to the Slow Food movement’s Salone del Gusto. 

If ever there was an excuse to visit this glamorous city, it’s at the end of October for this five day slow food feste – the Salone del Gusto.  It’s a fantastic biennial food festival that showcases quality small-scale producers from around the world.  More than 200,000 visitors turn up to sample the fabulous food and drink from more than 900 stallholders.

When you finally drag yourself away, there are 155 palazzi, museums and churches to explore as well as the fabulous shopping in Via Roma. In total, almost nine miles of grand marble arcades to pop in and out of and when the going gets tough, sink into a richly velvet and gilt decorated belle époque cafe for a bicerin - a rich blend of coffee, cream and hot chocolate.  

And just when you think you may have covered the lot, someone reminds you to visit the Duomo di San Giovanni which is where the Turin Shroud is kept!

A weekend is hardly enough but if that’s all you have, try to lay your head in one of the many art deco hotels or elegant 300 year old palazzos.  

Turin is breathtaking.

Contact a member of ABTOI, an operator who can help you plan your break to Turin. More information on Turin, Piedmont and the tour operators  

For more details on the Slow Food Movement and Salone del Gusto: Salone del Gusto

TAKING THE TRAIN IN ITALY

One of the most frequent questions asked when planning to travel around Italy by train is whether one should buy an Italy rail pass.

Italian trains are still relatively inexpensive so while having an Italy rail pass may be convenient it doesn't usually save you money unless you are taking several long distance train trips (from northern Italy to southern Italy and back for example) or traveling to Italy from another country. If you buy an Italian train pass you will still have to make (and pay for) seat reservations on high-speed trains.

Regional trains in Italy are inexpensive so using a train pass for regional trains and even most Intercity trains is not saving any money.

There are many types of European rail passes available including passes good for train travel in a single country or for multiple countries. Train tickets in most other European countries are generally more costly than those in Italy so if you're traveling by train in another country in addition to Italy you may want to consider a two-country pass

Eurostar (ES or Treni Eurostar Italia)
Italy's premier train, not to be confused with the Eurostar. Seat reservations on Eurostar Italia are manditory. Eurostar travels swiftly between major Italian cities.

Intercity and the newer Intercity Plus trains
Relatively fast trains that run the length of Italy, stopping at the large cities. First and second class service is available. First class coaches offer slightly better seats and are generally less populated. Seat reservations are compulsary on the Intercity Plus trains, and the fee is included in the ticket price.

Regionale (Regional Trains)
These are the local trains, often running around work and school schedules. They are cheap and usually reliable--but seats can be hard to find on major routes. Many regional trains have only second class seats, but if available, consider first class, asking for Prima Classe, per favore, it's less likely to be full.

Helpful Tip:                                                                                                    

Before board your train--validate your ticket! Find the yellow box and insert the end of your ticket. This prints the time and date of the first use of your ticket, and makes it valid for the journey. When the guard comes round to inspect your ticket, if it’s not validated, the fines are stiff! (around Euro 50)

For more detailed information on Italy's rail system, check with ABTOI member International Rail, the specialist Italian Rail travel provider who can help you with all your concerns:   http://www.loveitaly.co.uk/company-details.asp?Company=33