Question

Answer

How do I book?

When you have decided on your holiday property, please contact an agent. Please select two or three places, in case your first choice is already booked. Your agent should be able to confirm availability within 48 hours. You may place an option on a property until you reach a decision. Options automatically expire after 48 hours. Please read the Prices & Booking Conditions leaflet enclosed with your brochure carefully or check the booking conditions on the website. You can download a PDF version of the booking conditions here. If the property is available, you will be given a Booking Reference Number. Complete the Booking Form and fax or post it to the agent with 30 per cent of the property rental cost, 100 per cent of any insurance, and any further deposits for things such as Car hire, ferry tickets, or cot hire. You may pay by credit card and fax your booking if you like. By fax or post, your deposit must reach us within eight days of receiving a Booking Reference Number. Your booking is valid once we have accepted your deposit and signed Booking Form. The balance for the property is due no later than ten weeks before your holiday is due to begin. Introductory notes will be sent to you before departure, together with directions to your holiday property. All our properties are let fully furnished and equipped, but you will need to provide things like swimming towels.

Booking checklist
1 Select the properties you would like from the brochure or website.
2 Contact an agent and confirm availability.
3 Once availability is confirmed you will receive a Booking Reference Number.
4 Fill in the Booking form and send it to your agent with the required deposit.
5 Your receipt and invoice will be the confirmation of your booking.
6 The balance is due ten weeks before your holiday is due to start.

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When should I arrive at/leave the property?

With some exceptions, rentals start between 5 and 8 p.m. on the first day, and end by 10 a.m. on the last day of your holiday. Please respect these times. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and you must vacate your property before 10 a.m. on the day of your departure.

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What do you provide?

Clean bed and bath linen is provided once a week, all we ask you to bring are swimming towels. Usually there will be a shower or bath towel, a hand towel and a bidet towel per person. Face flannels (wash cloths) are thought of as personal in Europe, and are not provided. The rent includes electricity, gas and hot water, but unless stated heating fuel is excluded, and must be paid to the owner before departure.

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Do I need holiday insurance?

Holiday insurance is compulsory, please see Price list & Booking Conditions for details. We recommend Columbus Insurance - you can reach them through the link on the right of this page, or ring one of our agents who can arrange the insurance for you.
EC residents should also get an EHIC form from a main Post Office, which enables them to use the health service facilities, which are very good in Tuscany. Also, under Italian law you must carry your licence, insurance and registration document with you at all times while driving.

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What are the properties like?

The properties we let are chosen for their position and typical local characteristics. They are usually stone built and have beamed or vaulted ceilings, whitewashed walls and tiled floors, and local ideas of comfort and equipment. They are not pretending to be English, French, Australasian or American, and hopefully they do not lose themselves in that bland category "International". Probably this will increase your enjoyment of your holiday, but nonetheless there may be some items which you would prefer to bring with you. For example, while every property has ironing equipment, not many have a hairdryer. Swimming towels are not included and you must provide your own. Tea kettles, egg cups, high chairs and foreign coffee pots are not frequently found. Since however some houses do have these items, please ask your agent who will be able to tell you about individual properties. Since very few shops are open on Sundays, you will need to do at least basic shopping before arrival. Details of local shops for each property are included with your directions. You will find toilet rolls and soap in bathrooms to start you off; but replacements for these are not provided during your stay, and any detergents or foodstuffs, which you may find on your arrival, ought to be replaced as you use them.

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Anything else I should do before I leave?

It is a good idea to buy at least one guide book and a map before you come, so that you can plan some of the many wonderful things to do and to see. Once you are here, call in at the local Tourist Information Office, (marked with an "i") which will supply you with the most up-to-date information possible, especially about galleries, museums, concerts and festivals, but also about public transport and places to visit. Most of the information, often including maps and guides, is free. An extremely useful book is available from Italian Tourist Offices.

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Do you arrange flights?

No, we don't. But there are many airlines who fly to Tuscany and we try to keep track of them - check this page for recent suggestions. Flights to Tuscany -->.

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Will I need a car?

Our properties are mostly in positions that make a car essential. After many years' experience of the ability of various car models to cope with the sometimes rough tracks, we have come to the conclusion that the type of car that travels fastest and best on these roads is - a hired car! We have arranged particularly good car hire rates this year with EuropCar. Check the prices here. Car Hire -->

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What's the easiest way to drive from the UK?

After years of ferrying up and down, we have found the fastest route to be through Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, down to Strasbourg and then through Switzerland, popping out into Italy through the Gottardo tunnel. You have to pay the Carnet for swiss motorways, but it still works out as the fastest and cheapest route. From Milan head down to Bologna and then across to Florence - unless you are going to the Cinque Terre, in which case you should cut across to La Spezia.

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Protecting the environment.

Like many people, we at Invitation To Tuscany are convinced of the importance of maintaining and protecting the environment. You can help even in small ways. Please do not ask for clean towels more than once a week, for example; it is a waste of precious water and electricity, and uses unnecessary, polluting detergents. The sunshine will dry a wet towel in no time at all. Remember to use water as sparingly as you can, and please switch off lights when you don't need them.

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What about bugs and stuff?

Bats, flies, ants, scorpions, wasps, hornets, mice, millipedes – no, there aren’t great hordes and swarms of them, and they won’t all be in full march, bent on entering your house and disturbing you; but they are all part of country life, and, sometimes, some of them find their way indoors. Ants and mice especially are attracted by even the smallest crumbs. It is a great help if you try not to leave scraps or crumbs around, and inform the custodian of your property if you see signs of mice, so that appropriate action can be taken to avoid infestation. Many properties have cats and these will be good at keeping the mouse population under order.

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What's in the house

Clean bed and bath linen is provided once a week. Usually there will be a shower or bath towel, a hand towel and a bidet towel per person. It should be noted that clean linen is not provided more often, in order to save water, detergent and energy. Swimming towels are not provided and you should bring your own. The properties we let are chosen for their position and typical local characteristics. They are usually stone built and have beamed or vaulted ceilings, whitewashed walls and tiled floors, and local ideas of comfort and equipment. They are not pretending to be English, French, Australasian or American, and hopefully they do not lose themselves in that bland category ‘International’. Probably this will increase your enjoyment of your holiday, but nonetheless there may be some items which you would prefer to bring with you. For example, while every property has ironing equipment, not many have a hairdryer. Swimming towels are not included and you must provide your own. Tea kettles, egg cups, high chairs and foreign coffee pots are not frequently found. Since however some houses do have these items, please ask your agent who will be able to tell you about individual properties. Since very few shops are open on Sundays, you will need to do at least basic shopping before arrival. Details of local shops for each property are included with your directions. You will find toilet rolls and soap in bathrooms to start you off; but replacements for these are not provided during your stay, and any detergents or foodstuffs, which you may find on your arrival, ought to be replaced as you use them.

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What about housework?

Properties are consigned clean and tidy for your arrival, and you are responsible for leaving them in such a condition that normal cleaning will prepare them for the guests following you. Even if some cleaning is included during your stay, you should remember that you will probably need to do a little housework yourself, even if only washing the dishes and sweeping up! When extra cleaning is included in your rent, please note that this does not usually include time for guestsÂ’ personal laundry,and this ought to be arranged and paid for separately with the cleaner. Cleaners and maids really appreciate a small gratuity at the end of your stay!

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Are credit cards accepted?

Credit cards are not yet so widely used in Italy as in other countries. In particular it is rare that petrol stations and food shops will accept credit cards or cheques. However if you remember to bring your PIN number it is easy to obtain cash from bankcard machines.

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What about Euros?

It won't have escaped your notice that most countries in the European Union are now using the Euro as a common currency. If you have Lira left over from past visits to Italy, after February 2002 you can only exchange these for Euro through the bank of Italy. The exchange rate between the Italian Lira and Euro was 1937.26. To accustom yourself to the difference, think of dividing the main number in two and deducting three noughts; e.g. 10,000 lire is approximately 5 euro.

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Can I use the trains to get around?

Italian Trains are still publicly owned and are cheap and efficient. The EuroStar service is a fast InterCity train and will get you from Florence to Rome in an hour and a half, to Milan in two and a half hours and to Venice in a couple of hours; fast enough to go just for the day! Because of the hilly landscape in Tuscany, getting around the smaller towns is usually more efficient by bus. Link to italian train service: http://www.trenitalia.com Direct link to italian train timetable search engine: http://www.ffss-online.it

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Can I use buses to get around?

Buses are the most efficient way of getting around the small tuscan towns - be warned however that services often stop for two or three hours around midday, and at seven in the evening. Also, in some of the smaller villages the timetable is still designed with farmers early market times in mind, leaving at around 5:30 am! The two main bus services are TRA-IN and SITA. There is a good bus service to Rome from Siena by SENA.

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Illness and accidents

In case of a Medical Emergency call 118.
In a serious emergency call 113 (Fire, Police, ambulance).

Like you, we hope that you enjoy your holiday in the best of health; but in the unfortunate event of accident or illness, here is what to do. If you feel at all worried or uncertain about managing on your own, 'phone your local representative listed at the foot of the directions to your property and they will advise you as far as possible.

HEALTH INSURANCE.
Last but not least, please do not forget your health insurance certificate and if you are coming from a European country, bring your form E111 or equivalent with you as well. Often small illnesses or accidents are best seen by local doctors and for that, you need form E111 despite what your local Social Security office might say to the contrary. In case of uncertainty or an emergency or serious problem the best thing to do is to drive straight to a hospital and go to the "PRONTO SOCCORSO" (emergency) department.

EMERGENCY. Telephone 118
In case of uncertainty or an emergency or serious problem the best thing to do is to drive straight to a hospital and go to the "PRONTO SOCCORSO" (emergency) department.
Tel n°. 118 is the medical emergency number, which will send out an ambulance with a doctor on board, but in case you think it easier and quicker to go in your own transport, you can use your car like an ambulance, driving with something white held out of the window such as a handkerchief or shirt, keeping your lights on and making for the hospital as fast as you can. When you arrive at the gates, sound your horn, keeping your lights on and waving the white whatever you have out of the window. The gates will magically open and you can drive straight up to the ambulance entrance at the emergency department, where you will be seen straight away. Take your EHIC (if you are resident in an EEC country) or other insurance/medical certificate with you if you have time.
At nighttime and weekends when ordinary doctor's offices are closed there is a special country medical service, Servizio Guardia Medica Tel. 118 which copes with all out of hours or ambulance and emergency medical matters. Call 118 and a doctor & / or an ambulance will be sent out for you.
For the Siena area numbers are listed in the 'phone book under Azienda Ospedaliera Senese. For the big Nuovo Ospedale Scotte (Siena University hospital) the main switchboard number is 0577 585111
For the hospital at Poggibonsi the main switchboard number is 0577 9941

In Florence and Siena the ASSOCIAZIONE VOLONTARI OSPEDALIERI has volunteer interpreters on call who can help with medical matters. The service is free and available in French, German and English.
Associazione Volontari Ospedalieri Florence.
Tel (055) 403 126 or 234 4567
Siena Tel (0577) 299 362 The Tourist Medical Centre in Florence has English and French speaking doctors and specialists. Tourist Medical Centre, Via Lorenzo Magnifico 59, Firenze.Tel (055) 475 411

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Can you help me organise my wedding in Tuscany?

Yes! We have built up relationship with organisers, chefs, musicians - and many of our properties make wonderful locations for films and advertising; weddings, conventions and other functions. We can also help you arrange and find any necessary permits, churches, documents, etc. Contact us for details.

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Festivals and events

Tuscany is full of festivals and events during the summer - ranging from full-blown medieval pageants to contemporary art events, through to classical music concerts.

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Cycling in Tuscany

Cycling is a great way to explore the tuscan countryside - particularly in May/June and September. In August it can be a case of Mad Dogs and Englishmen, as the midday heat goes into the forties. Many Italians cycle and the cars will avoid you and people will be delighted to see you finally get to the top of the hill and to their village. Many roads are still untarred, and in the summer the paths in the woods are beautiful to cycle down, so a mountainbike is usually a better option. You can bring your own on the plane - airlines usually simply require that the handlebars are turned and that delicate parts are wrapped in cardboard. Ring to check first however, as in high season they may not be so accommodating. You can rent a bike from Gippo, in Colle Val d'Elsa. Tel. 0577 920870.

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Climbing in Tuscany

There are proper mountain routes just north of Florence, in the Alpi Apuane. And if you just want crags then there are little ones dotted all over the place - near Lucca, Camaiore in the north, south of Siena on the extinct volcano of Amiata. Bouldering is taking hold here now too and there are some excellent areas being developed. The best is Sassofortino, an enormous boulder area close to Roccastrada. If you are staying in Liguria, there is ownderful area called "Muzzerone" at the very beginning of the cinque terre. close to Porto Venere, La Spezia. It has one pitch walls and some great 600 feet multi pitch routes, up to about F7b.

Links:
Alpine Guides in Florence (also organise walks - in italian)
A site with some basic information in english

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