Over the last 30 years most of these shops and professions have disappeared. Finding someone to fix a heel is practically impossible: it’s much easier to throw your shoes away and buy a new pair.

Three great craftsmen’s shops in Tuscany

In our village there is still a very skillful carpenter, Biagio Lampoglia, who has a workshop near our Casina di Rosa. He specializes in restoring old pieces of furniture, and the way he works is absolutely fascinating. His wife has a shop in the nearby village of Paganico called “La Medievale“, where they sell these restored antiques.

My great-grandfather and my grandfather were also carpenters. They actaully made the front door, the windows and some of the pieces of furniture that are still in Casina di Rosa. When we renovated the property, we asked Biagio to restore them and he did an amazing job. He brought them back to their old splendour, in a way that only a gifted craftman could do.

Another amazing “artigiana” is Lorella, the local florist. She is such a talented artist! Not only does she create beautiful flower arrangements but she actually makes beautiful crafts and decorations. She has a shop in the village called Fiori e Dintorni, where she also sells the traditional Tuscan ceramics by another local craftsman.

(Many thanks to Cristiano Brizzi for letting me use his beautiful photo)

In Pisa, “botteghe artigiane” have practically desappeared. There is one, though, which has been one of my favourite since I moved to the city to study at the University there in 1994: Max il Cuoiaio. Max il Cuoiaio is a leather shop which belongs to a craftsman who has been in the business for 30 years and who personally makes every single piece sold in the shop. If you ask him, he will proudly explain that he works according to the ancient local tradition.

I find extremely fascinating the fact that the workshop is in the heart of the ancient quarter of Santa Maria, which used to host the leather workers in the Middle Ages. The location was ideal, being close to the river banks where they could find abundant water, necessary to dress leather.

At Max il Cuoiaio you can find both coloured and natural leather bags, wallets, planners, keychains and suitcases and if you want anything special, they will be happy to custom make anything you want. Many students have the front cover of their graduation thesis (tesi di laurea) custom made.

Besides making leather goods from scratch, the shop also repairs damaged goods, but only if they are made of pure leather.

Contrary to what one would expect, prices are very reasonable. And they have an online shop (both in Italian and English): tradition meets modernity!

Old Trades of Tuscany

Slow travelers to Tuscany might find the “albo degi antichi mestieri di Toscana” interesting. It is an online database listing all the “artigiani” in the region who are keeping alive some ancient trades. I wrote a post about it a while back: “Antichi Mestieri”: Old Trades in Tuscany. It could provide some good ideas for alternative day trips which will take travelers to beautiful places off the beaten path and provide them with a great learning opportunity. There is no better way to get to know the culture of a place than to learn about its history and the way local people used to live.

I can’t wait to take my child to visit some of those workshops, hoping that in a few years they are still thriving and a great living reminder of Tuscany as it used to be.

Italy Blogging Roundtable

This is the eigth post in a monthly series called The Italy Blogging Roundtable. Here you can find the posts of the other bloggers who participate in the roundtable. Our topic this month was “crafts“:

Alexandra (Arttrav) – Stefano Giusti, Modern Luthier

Jessica (Why Go Italy) – The Guide to Crafts in Italy

Melanie (Italofile) – Marble Run: Shopping for Traditional Marbled Products in Italy

Rebecca (Brigolante) – Crafts in Umbria

Pisa is one of the cities in Tuscany (along with Florence) where such complaints are most frequent. This post will hopefully clear up a few points.

What is a ZTL?

ZTL is an acronym which stands for Zona a Traffico Limitato, meaning Limited Traffic Zone. It is an area of the city center that is closed to non-residential traffic. Only city buses, taxis, residents with a valid permit and other authorized vehicles (i.e. delivery vehicles, couriers, etc.), can drive there.

What is the point of having a ZTL?

ZTLs are not created to mess with drivers, either locals or foreigners. There are three main reasons for having ZTLs in cities.

1. Italian cities are old, and the centers of most of them boast historical buildings of great value which are inevitably damaged by traffic. This is undisputable: everybody knows that traffic is bad for old monuments and buildings. It covers them in black powder, it produces vibrations that destabilize them and damages façades.
2. Streets are narrow and pollution is not easily dispersed in the maze of roads that constitute the center of most Italian cities. This impacts badly of the health of the residents of the cities that are most popular with tourists.
3. Cars are noisy, and messy. In order to fully appreciate the beauty of the city center of an old city, you need to be able to reduce the amount of traffic and create pedestrian zones or zones with a low number of vehicles zooming by. It’s safer. It’s prettier. It’s healthier.

For these reasons, most municipalities have decided to create “protected” areas where only the most inevitable traffic is allowed: only residents can drive and park in ZTLs, if they have obtained a special permit from the City. Otherwise, they are not allowed either.

Everybody else, Italian, local or non local, or foreigner, has to stick to the alternative routes where driving is allowed.

How do I know if I am in a ZTL or where they are located?

A common myth is that ZTLs are not clearly marked, on purpose. This is simply false.

ZTLs are clearly marked with large signs, lane restrictions and cameras on big poles. You simply have to know what to look for, so do your homework before coming to Italy.

If you didn’t notice when you passed through one of the ZTLs gates, there is no way to know that you are in a ZTL for sure. Some good clues, though, are:

1. all the parking spaces on the side of the road you are on are free (marked in white)
2. all the cars parked there have local plates
3. all the cars parked there have a special sticker on their windshield
4. you are driving by outstanding monuments and tourist spots
5. there are only few cars moving on the road where you are driving and many pedestrians

What happens if I drive through a ZTL?

You will be fined if you drive past the cameras at the entrance of the ZTL . They are clearly marked, you have to know what to look for, so do your homework before coming to Italy.

You won’t receive the fine until after you have gone back home. It will probably be the car rental agency that will forward it to you. The fines range between €76 and €100.

Please note that you can be fined several times in the space of a few minutes, that is every time you pass under a ZTL camera. Be careful when you drive in a city you don’t know.

Pay attention to the signs indicating mandatory direction or no entry.

How am I supposed to know that ZTLs even exist? Why didn’t the car rental agency warn me?

It is your responsibility to learn about the rules of the road in the country you are about to visit and where you plan on driving. Most guidebooks will have a section about driving at the end.

It is also your responsibility to find out if the road signs look the same, if what is allowed in your home country is also allowed in Italy, etc. Car rental agencies cannot be held responsible for your ignorance on the matter or for you not taking the time to learn about cultural differences before traveling. They might not even be aware of what the customs in your country are, or that ZTLs are a European thing. It’s you who are travelling across cultures, not them. They also have no way to know where you intend to drive.

Also don’t expect signs or warnings in any language other than Italian.

Here is an excellent article about ZTL Zones and Traffic Cameras on Roadways and in Towns in Italy. Please make sure you read it before driving in Italy.

If you are from a non-EU country road signs are different: make sure you learn them. Here is a useful guide to Italian road signs.

If you still have questions, ask your hotel or vacation rental owner about possible things you need to know to drive to your accommodation, e.g. special permits required to reach it or park nearby etc. They are more likely to have those answers than the car rental agencies.

What if I get fined and I am already at home?

You will receive a notification with details for the payment and contact numbers. Pisa has an English and German speaking call center too. You will be asked to pay by bank trasnfer.

You can try an appeal, but it will be rejected unless you can prove the camera was not functioning properly or that you were not driving that car.

If you live in France, you have no choice but to pay the fine, because of a special agreement between our two countries. If you live in any other country, it’s ethical to pay. But if you don’t, there is not much Italy can do. Some car rental agencies might have you sign a form to get permission to charge your credit card in case of fines.

UPDATE: Some one pointed out that first, the car rental agency sends you a notification it has charged you for giving your details to the police (or whomever sends the fine) and then you get the fine separately from the authorities and up to a year later. (Thank you Lynn!)

Not paying a fine is not a crime in Italy. It’s an administrative infraction, so you won’t be jailed next time you set foot in Italy again… The car rental agency might initiate a debt collection procedure against you.

The ZTL in Pisa

I have already written something about the ZTLs in Pisa a few weeks ago. Here is the official map of the access points of the ZTL in the city. And here is a google map I created – you have to watch out for the cameras in Via Roma and Via Mazzini.

Some people believe they are a scam for tourists, but they’re not. They support their thesis with the argument that the city council even has English and German speaking clerks helping people pay ZTL fines. That is a service meant to help people who were distracted or didn’t do their homework and entered one of these areas.

Italians get fined too. But not, as some believe, because ZTLs are so difficult to identify that not even Italians can see them, but because when you navigate an unknown city, you get distracted, whatever your nationality. So the first thing to do is to learn to identify the ZTLs.

SeeZTLs accesses in Pisa on a larger map.

Tired of reading about this, I asked for numbers. It is true that 70% of the fines go to tourists, the remaining 30% to Italians, 40% of which are not from the city.

90% of the fines given to tourists happen near the Leaning Tower in Via Roma. Some might say that then this is the proof that the ZTL is not clearly marked, and it’s tricky.

This is the access where 90% of the tourists get fined:

Should you still be wondering how can you possibly know that this is the access of a ZTL…

To avoid this, you need to turn in Via Salvi, the street that you can see on the left, before the pedestrian crossing. If you end up in Via Santa Maria, you are in the ZTL.

The remaining 10% of the fines are received by tourists trespassing the ZTL access in Via Giuseppe Mazzini, a street that veers off the Lungarno.

Again, it is pretty obvious that this is where the ZTL starts:

As I mentioned in the other post about parking in Pisa, this access can be a bit confusing, because you only see the ZTL cameras once you have already turned into Via Mazzini, and backing up into the Lungarno is not an option. However, if you pay attention to the signs on the Lungarno, you will see that you will have passed signs indicating that you must go straight.

These two accesses together make up for 100% of the ZTL violations by foreign drivers. Learn to recognize them and you will be fine.

You will be fine if you drive along the Lungarni (these roads that run along the river banks) without taking ANY side roads. Stay on the Lungarni, or outside the city walls.

Italians, on the other hand, are more likely to be fined on the Lungarni in the summer. The ZTL on the Lungarno is only active in the summer after 9pm when the locales on the river are open and thriving. There are usually traffic policemen too, so as to reduce the number of confused drivers, and flashing signs say “varco attivo” (active cameras). When the sign is like this “varco non attivo” (inactive cameras), it means you can drive there.

I had a GPS system: it’s not possible that I drove through a ZTL

GPS Navigation Systems are totally unreliable when it comes to identifying ZTLs. First of all, the software is often not up to date with the change in traffic in the cities. Second, they can be used by residents and taxis too, and are programmed to show the easiest way to get from point A to point B, independently of whether such points are included in a ZTL or not.

Do not rely on GPS systems to avoid ZTLs: it’s proven that they do not work at all.

I have booked accommodation located within a ZTL: what should I do then?

Write to the reception and make sure that you can drive to your hotel. If not, ask them where you can park your car nearby. Most hotels in limited traffic zones will have special agreements with the local traffic police offices to allow their guests to safely reach the hotel. If this is the case, make sure you let them know your plate number as soon as possible so that they can file it with the dedicated offices to get you a special permit to drive in the ZTL. The cameras will still take pictures of your car but you will not be fined because the system will know that you had a permit.

Be aware that having permission to drive through a ZTL to reach your accommodation does not give you the right to drive through all the ZTLs in the city. If you are staying in a hotel near Via Mazzini for example, you will still be fined if you try to enter the ZTL near the Leaning Tower. Pisa is divided into four distinct ZTL areas, each requiring a different permit. The permits are only valid insofar as they allow you to get to your accommodation and back to the free driving zone.

Did I forget anything?

If you have a question about ZTLs in Pisa or in general which is not answered here, please leave a comment and I will try to find an answer! Thanks!

“Pane e coperto” literally means bread and tableware but it is essentially a service charge that restaurants add to the bill for each guest.  It can be as little as 50 cents and as much as 3 or 4 euros in more touristy places. If the restaurant applies these service charges, the amount is always indicated in the menu. Please note that it will be charged at village festivals too.

Up until a few years ago, restaurants were obliged to charge for “pane e coperto“, but now restaurant owners may decide whether to charge their clients or not. As a matter of fact, many of the restaurants that cater to locals or where people go for lunch on work days don’t charge it anymore. In Pisa, I haven’t paid any service charges for a long time at either Vineria di Piazza or Osteria dei Santi.

The most common complaints I have read online are…

Why should I pay for bread if I don’t eat it or if I didn’t order any?

The fee doesn’t really have anything to do with bread per se, even if the word pane is in the name. It’s is simply a service charge. It is part of the Italian way of life… you simply have to know that you might be charged for it, so make sure to check how much it is on the menu and deal with it.

Bread is brought to you whether you eat it or not. If you ask for more bread, you will not be charged extra, similarly to what happens with water in most north American restaurants.

Why should I pay for unsalted bread that I don’t like?

Bread in Tuscany is mostly unsalted. Restaurants serving you with unsalted bread are not trying to give you the cheapest stuff they could get: that’s what people eat here. Tuscan bread is not to be eaten alone. It is meant to accompany savoury food, such as cured meats, game meat, or crostini sauces.

The charge is too expensive

Charges will be higher in the most touristy areas. Restaurants have the right to choose their own prices. The only thing you can do is avoid restaurants in very popular spots (where people invite you in, or where you can see pictures of food…) and always check the prices on the menu before sitting down. Many restaurants publish their menu outside, and there is nothing wrong with asking to see a menu if this is not the case. Most smaller restaurants or restaurants outisde the touristy areas will in fact not have menus on display because they assume you know the average price for food in the area. If you sit down and you order, you commit to paying the service charge if applied.

I had no idea that I would be charged for pane e coperto

As I always tell our guests, if you don’t like finding out about cultural differences once you are already here, you need to “do your homework“. Most guidebooks will mention these charges. Every country has its own habits: when you visit you need to adjust to the local way of life. Please see my post about “Expecting the Unexpected” for further cultural differences which might come as a surprise to you.

Being charged for service is unacceptable

It always amazes me when I hear this comment from North American guests. I always need to point out how tricky it is for an Italian to go to a North American supermarket or restaurant and find out that the prices advertised are before taxes and that tips are mandatory, only when the check comes. All in all, pane e coperto is incredibly cheap compared to adding taxes and a tip to the final bill, and this way the price list is much more transparent.

It’s the way things are done in the States and Canada though, just like pane e coperto is how things are done in Italy. As we say… paese che vai, usanza che trovi, that is, when in Rome, do as Romans do… which is particularly appropriate in this case!

But at least at home I can choose not to tip for bad service

The “pane e coperto” service charge is not a tip.  The money goes to the restaurant, not to your server. Tipping your waiter is optional in Italy. Waiters, as a rule, don’t expect tips although they do appreciate them. If you get bad service you can choose not to tip your server just like you would back home, but you’ll still need to pay the “service” charge. It’s just the way things work here.

Where to park in Pisa

The first thing to remember is that most parking spots in Pisa are pay and display parking spots. Pay parking is marked by blue lines; white lines are for free parking spaces and yellow lines are for reserved parking spaces (incuding parking spaces for the disabled).

Parking is generally unsupervised, even in the private parking lots.

If you park in one of the pay parking spots along the road, you need to go to the nearest parking meter and pre-pay for the parking, estimating the amount of time you will need to leave your car there. Most of the automatic machines only work with coins, so remember to keep some change in the car. They are usually located under white and blue and white and black signs with the symbol of a parking meter and the cost per hour of stay which varies from 60 cents to 2.50 euros per hour, depending on the zone. There is a minimum amount you must pay (usually 60 cents or 30 mins – whichever is higher) depending on the zone. Of course, the closer you are to the tourist areas, the more expensive parking will be. You need to insert coins and you will see on a small display the amount of time you are allowed to stay. When you are done, you need to push the green button and the machine will print a ticket that you need to leave clearly on display inside your car on the dash.

Another option is to go to one of the enclosed parking lots: the two largest ones are on Via Cameo (Parcheggio di Piazza dei Miracoli), just a few steps away from the Leaning Tower, and just around the corner from that, by the Pam Supermarket (turn left at the roundabout at the end of Via Cameo). There you need to obtain a ticket when you go in, but you only pay when you are ready to leave the parking lot. There are actual parking attendants. A tip: the entrance to the Parcheggio di Piazza dei Miracoli can be tricky because there are two identical entrances, but one is for the university cafeteria. I see tourists stuck there trying to reverse all the time. The entrance to the parking lot is the one on the left.

If you plan on spending the day and want to save on parking, there is a private parking lot behind the Agip Gas Station in Via Bonanno, opposite the former Emergency Room. They apply a daily fee which is much lower than hourly parking rates. Also, in the same area, the parking spaces in Via Padre Bruno Fedi and in the Via Lucchese area are free after 2pm.

The cheapest option of course is free parking, which is available in the two park and ride parking lots called Parcheggio Via Pietrasantina (ideal if you come from the Autostrada and exit at Pisa Nord – there is a Tamoil gas station at the entrance of the parking lot that you can use as a reference point), and Parcheggio del Brennero (ideal if you arrive via Lucca).  The former is only a 10 minute walk to the Leaning Tower, and the city bus line LAM Rossa stops there every 10 to 15 minutes so it’s very convenient. The latter is a bit farther away, but it is served by the city bus Navetta E, which will take you right downtown to Piazza Santa Caterina or Via Santa Maria. Something to remember: Parcheggio del Brennero is where the city market is held, so it is taken up by the market stalls on Wednesday and Saturday morning.

Here is a Google map with some of the most accessible parking areas in Pisa.

A word of caution: if you are in an area with white parking spots (except in the two large parking lots that I have just mentioned), you are probably where you should not be… they are usually only for residents and therefore in areas restricted to non-residential traffic.

ZTL – Zone a Traffico Limitato… or Limited Traffic Zones

This is another very common topic in forums, especially those which deal with Pisa and Florence.

ZTLs are a way to reduce the pressure of non residential traffic in highly touristic destinations. They are also a way to guarantee that some areas stay exclusively pedestrian, and that traffic does not damage the oldest parts of the cities more than is strictly necessary.

Some people believe they are a scam for tourists, but believe me: they’re not. They support their thesis with the argument that the city council even has English and German speaking clerks helping people pay ZTL fines. This is such a stupid argument… it’s a service that is meant to help people who were distracted or didn’t do their homework and entered one of these areas.

Italians get fined too. But not, as some believe, because ZTLs are so difficult to identify that not even Italians can see them, but because when you navigate an unknown city, you get distracted, whatever your nationality. Any car, Italian or foreign, that enters a ZTL without a valid permit for that ZTL will be fined. And it is expensive. So the first thing to do is to learn to identify the ZTLs. They are all clearly marked with (very confusing) signs and most of them will also have cameras on big poles and well marked entry lanes…

What I always recommend is that you learn about Italian road signs before getting behind the wheel on an Italian road.

In the photo above, I have added the standard sign you find before entering a ZTL, the ZTL entrance to the Santa Maria Quarter, and a third sign that might be confusing. The rightmost sign is found at the entrance of the Lungarno for those who come from the airport. They will also see cameras. The ZTL on the Lungarno is only active in the summer after 9pm when the locales on the river are open and thriving. There are usually traffic policemen too, so as to reduce the number of confused drivers, and the sign says “varco attivo” (active cameras). When the sign is like this “varco non attivo” (inactive cameras), it means you can drive there.

In Pisa, you will be fine if you drive along the Lungarni (the roads that run along the river banks) without taking ANY side roads. Stay on the Lungarni, or outside the city walls. I am not sure where people get fined the most in Pisa, but I am ready to bet it is in Via Mazzini, which is a relatively big road off the Lungarno where buses are allowed to drive, but not cars. Stay on the Lungarno and outside the city walls and you will be fine.

Here is the ZTL entrance to Via Mazzini:

It can be a bit confusing, because you only see it once you have already turned into Via Mazzini, and backing up into the Lungarno is not an option.

However, if you pay attention to the signs on the Lungarno, you will see that you will have passed signs indicating that you must go straight.

Here is a map of the ZTL access points in the city and here you can read more on ZTLs in Italy and Pisa.

Where to park in Siena

The same general rules apply in Siena. There are several main areas where you can park at the street level: near the city gate Porta Camollia, near the city gate Porta Romana, near the city gate Porta Laterina, by the Soccer Stadium and the Fortress, and by Fontebranda.

We always recommend parking at the Soccer Stadium-Fortress area, but keep in mind that on Wednesdays it is taken up by the weekly market.

There are several other underground parking lots such as Parcheggio Il Campo and Parcheggio il Duomo, and also the parking lot at the train station.

I thought it might be useful to collect in one single post some links to older posts that can help travelers to plan their next vacation in Tuscany.

Happy Planning!

1. Where should we base ourselves in Tuscany?

Tuscany is a varied region, with many different interesting areas, each with its own specific character and features: a post which I hope will help some travelers to choose among the many destinations that Tuscany has to offer.

2. What to see in Northern Tuscany

A very quick presentation of what travelers can see in the provinces in the north of Tuscany.

3. What to see in Southern Tuscany

A very quick presentation of what travelers can see in the Siena and Grosseto provinces.

4. To drive or not to drive in Tuscany? That is the question.

It depends on where you want to go and the type of traveller you are. Here are some thoughts on this popular question.

5. 10 “alternative” things to do in Tuscany

Most travelers to Tuscany don’t venture outside the major landmarks.This region, though, has much to offer beyond the popular spots. If you are ready to venture off the beaten path and see more than what you find in guidebooks, you will go home with a completely different image of this amazing region.

6. Those little acts of kindness and cross-cultural awareness…

…which make all the difference in the relationship with your host when you travel. Please read this post if you are planning on booking accommodation! Thank you!

7. Expecting the unexpected

There are many cultural-specific aspects of a destination which we are often unprepared to face. Here are 20 points discussing aspects of the Italian lifestyle which might puzzle the traveler, but which you are likely to have to deal with if you visit Tuscany or any other region of Italy.

8. 5 romantic things to do in Tuscany on Valentine’s Day

… or on any other day!

9. How to travel from Pisa to Florence…

…or from Pisa airport to Pisa Central Train Station, or from the station to the Leaning Tower, or… have you considered using Pisa as a base?

10. 5 things to do in Tuscany in the fall

My favourite time of the year, perfect for discovering the best products of Tuscany.

11. Sightseeing int Pisa

There is so much more than the Leaning Tower!

12. Off-the-beaten-path Tuscany: A Slow Drive in Tuscany

An itinerary for a scenic drive in the inland areas of the Maremma, perfect also for walks, bike tours and horseback rides.

13. 10 things to do in Tuscany when it rains

Nobody likes rainy days when we are on holiday. But Tuscany has much to offer even when the weather is not as good as you have hoped!

14. New Year’s Eve in Tuscany

The traditions of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in our corner of Tuscany.

15. Things to see in picture-perfect Tuscany

Ideas on places to see in our area.

16. Things to do in picture-perfect Tuscany

Courses, tours and activities.

17. Parking in Pisa and Siena

A (hopefully) useful post about where to park in Pisa and Siena, and some info on how to avoid being fined in the ZTLs. And no… they are not a scam for tourists. You just need to do your homework before getting behind the wheel and pay some attention to road signs.

18. ZTL: Limited Traffic Zones

All you need to know about limited traffic zones in Italy, and Pisa in particular, and on how to avoid fines.

19. “Pane e coperto”: service charges in Italian restaurants

“Pane e coperto” literally means “bread and tableware” but it is essentially a service charge that restaurants add to the bill for each guest. It is one of the most controversial issues in travel forums. I say it’s part of the Italian way of life, and we have to learn to live with it.

Of course, there are common features, but there are also very distinctive characteristics that make each one of these areas unique and clearly distinguishable from the other ones.

Here is the map of Tuscany again, with the area where my village is marked in white, to show its location relative to the other destinations. It quite a good home base in southern Tuscany, I believe, because it is a short drive away from many different areas of southern Tuscany, so that visiting most of the most popular sites takes only a 30 to 60 minute drive. And you can always go back to a non-touristy, quieter village in the evening and make yourself at home in Tuscany!

Like last time, I have marked down some of the most popular destinations, so that people can have some reference points.

And here is some information on each area!

Val di Chiana. It is the area where a beautiful city like Arezzo, and famous hilltop towns like Cortona, Montepulciano, Chianciano Terme and Chiusi are located. It borders with Umbria and is characterised by breath-taking views.

(Piazza Grande in Montepulciano – Photo by zu78)

Crete Senesi. One of the most spectacular and most representative areas of Tuscany. Famous for truffles and for beautiful towns such as Asciano, Buonconvento, San Giovanni d’Asso, Trequanda and Rapolano Terme. Other attractions include thermal baths, art sites (e.g. Jean-Paul Philippe’s Site Transitoire), and the beautiful Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore.

Valdorcia, the green heart of the region and the place you want to go to to see picture-perfect Tuscany. Home to the hilltowns of Montalcino, Pienza, San Quirico d’Orcia, Bagni San Filippo, and Castiglion d’Orcia; to the Abbey of Sant’Antimo famous for the Gregorian chants; to one of the most popular Tuscan wines, Brunello di Montalcino; to beautiful castles and mills. This is the area of the rolling hills, of the open countryside, of the stone houses dotting the countryside. Contrary to what many believe, the Valdorcia is shared by the provinces of Siena and Grosseto.

(Pienza)

The city of Siena and immediate surroundings. Siena deserves a mention on its own. It’s such a spectacular place. It is also the city of the very famous horse race called the Palio di Siena and of the most traditional Christmas sweets in Tuscany: ricciarelli and panforte!

Val di Merse. The wildest area of the province of Siena, with remote villages, forests, rivers and the beautiful Abbey of San Galgano, cradle of the Arthurian legends and home to the original sword in the stone. Val di Merse is a paradise for hikers, horseback riders and cyclists. And if you happen to be in the area in summer, you should not miss the Opera at the abbey.

Chianti. The most popular area of Tuscany, famous for its wine, for small picturesque villages such as Greve in Chianti, Gaiole, Radda and for castles such as Meleto, Brolio and more. The Chianti area covers parts of the provinces of Siena, Florence and Pisa, but the most popular part of it is the region called Chianti Classico, between Siena and Florence.

(Chianti – Photo by TonyDuckles)

Val d’Elsa has some densely populated areas and other areas that are essentially rural. It boasts famous towns such as Certaldo, Castelfiorentino, Gambassi Terme, which are actually in northern Tuscany, but I have included it here because it also encompasses areas such as the “montagnola senese” (literally “the sienese hill-land”) with villages such as Sovicille and towns like Colle Val d’Elsa, famous its crystal, and the popular villages of San Gimignano and Monteriggioni.

(Monteriggioni – Photo by Paolo Sammicheli)

Casentino. It is a mountain area, mostly woodland. It’s quite wild, and very well preserved since the Middle Ages. For its quiet and beauty this area is almost mystical. It boasts famous hermitages such as Eremo di Camaldoli and Saint Francis’ La Verna. It is also a land of pievi, castles, and medieval villages such as Poppi. A large nature park preserves the forest.

(Parco delle Foreste Casentinesi – Photo by Sheilasan)

The inland hills of the Maremma, also known as Alta Maremma (Upper Maremma). My home village, Civitella Marittima, and our vacation rental in Tuscany, Casina di Rosa, are here. The area is mostly rural and has traits of the Siena area and the Valdorcia and traits of the Maremma. It is very beautiful, a nature paradise with small hilltop hamlets, olive groves and the famous Petriolo hot springs.

(Photo by Gianluca Giannone)

Monte Amiata. The highest mountain in Tuscany: very different from any other place in the region, with chestnut tree woods, mountain villages and towns such as Arcidosso, Santa Fiora, Castel del Piano, Castiglion d’Orcia and the pretty abbey town of Abbadia San Salvadore.

(Arcidosso – Photo by Carlo Tardani)

Colline Metallifere. Also part of the Upper Maremma, this area has very distinctive features and it has been inhabited since the Antiquity because it was very rich in minerals. Massa Marittima is located in the area and it is a real gem.

Maremma. Famous for the unspoilt coastline boasting both rocky and sandy coasts, pretty coastal towns like Castiglione della Pescaia and Talamone, luxury beach areas such as Argentario, a large nature park (Parco naturale della Maremma) and several Etruscan archaeological sites. It is also home to a popular wine: Morellino di Scansano. The Tuscan Archipelago, with the Isle of Giglio, the Isle of Elba and Giannutri, faces the coast of the Maremma.

Area del Tufo. The heart of the ancient Etruscan empire, with towns such as Pitigliano, Manciano, Magliano, Sovana, Sorano and the famous spas in Saturnia. There are many archaeological sites and the breath-taking Vie Cave, ancient roads carved in the stone. Pitigliano also has a ancient Synagogue.

(Pitigliano – Photo by Riccardo08)

Val di Cornia – Maremma Livornese. Val di Cornia includes beautiful towns such as Suvereto and Monterotondo Marittimo which are further north but also the famous Etruscan coast (Costa degli Etruschi). Ferries to the Isle of Elba leave from the town of Piombino. A very interesting place is the archaeological park in Populonia and the walk to the near cove called Golfo di Baratti.

(Golfo di Baratti seen from the Castle of Populonia – Photo by AlessandraElle)

Val di Cecina. This is the Valdorcia of Northern Tuscany. An area that is known to few travelers to Tuscany, and yet it boasts spectacular landscapes, characterized by gentle rolling hills and small hamlets such as Montecastelli and Castelnuovo Val di Cecina. It extends mostly in Nothern Tuscany but I have included it because it also boasts beautiful Volterra, which, contrary to what most people think, it is actually not in the province of Siena but in the province of Pisa.

(Volterra – Photo by Thomas Willemsen)

A final recommendation: take it slow! There is plenty to keep you busy for two weeks or more. You won’t be able to see everything anyway so choose according to your tastes, and remember to take enough time to actually experience Tuscany and its lifestyle and not just “see” it passing by its major landmarks.

Happy planning!

Pisa is believed to have been the first city in Tuscany where Jewish families settled as early as in the 9th century: a historical document records the purchase of a house by a Jewish merchant in 850 A.D. and Benjamin of Tudela’s recount of his journey to Jerusalem mentions 20 families living in the city in 1165. In the 13th century, Pisa was a bustling center with a Synagogue near Piazza dei Cavalieri, the political heart of the city, in the area still known as Chiasso de’ Giudei, literally “the alley of the Jews”.
Under the Medici’s rule, Jewish families were encouraged to settle in Pisa so as to boost its economy, and the population kept growing. The presence of a large community is evidenced by some beautiful landmarks in the city, such as the Synagogue and the incredible Jewish cemetery. The roof of the Synagogue, which has been in use since 1674, was severely damaged a couple of years ago, and the community is working to raise enough money to fix it and bring the place of worship back to its original splendor.

The Jewish cemetery is one of the best preserved secrets in Pisa. It is located just outside Piazza dei Miracoli and yet very few people visit it. We actually went on September 5th, the European Day of Jewish Culture, for the first time in all the time we have been living in Pisa… I had always wanted to go, but never got around to doing it. Now I am planning to go back because it’s is really beautiful and fascinating. Here you can read about our visit to the Jewish cemetery in Pisa.

Another place that is connected with the Jewish history of the city is Vitale Da Pisa’s home. In the 15th century, the building on Via Cavalca 36 housed the powerful Da Pisa family’s bank on the ground floor and a Synagogue on the top floor.

The Holocaust didn’t leave Pisa unscarred. In 1931 there were 535 Jewish people living in the city, 12 of which were sent to extermination camps and 8 more were deported but survived. The most terrible episode was the murder of Giuseppe Pardo Roques by the Nazis in 1944. He was a prestigious philanthropist, president of the local community and a local political figure. Eleven other people who were seeking protection at Pardo Roques’ house were murdered in the same attack. The house, in Via S. Andrea, is now a private residence but two plaques commemorate the terrible event as well as Rabbi Augusto Hasda and his wife Bettina Segre who were deported and died in concentration camps.

A thematic visit of the city is a good way to honour the memory of those who were murdered because of their ancient culture but mostly because of human madness.

A very interesting guidebook is the new Jewish Tours in Tuscany (pdf, 1oMB).

A lazy Italian, that’s what I am.

Pisa Arport or Florence Airport?

Pisa, Pisa, Pisa. Florence airport is small, dangerous, sad. That’s just my opinion of course, but I have travelled to and from both and Florence airport has always been a painful experience. Also, getting out of it by car is not easy and low cost airlines don’t fly there. Of course many Florence fans will disagree, but as I have already written, I’m stating my opinion here, not an absolute, universal truth.

Pisa and Florence are 1h apart and there are frequent trains and buses between the two cities, so I strongly believe Pisa is a much better choice.

Truth be told, some central and northern European destinations are better connected to Florence airport, but in general, I do all I can to avoid Florence airport just out of fear that the plane might land on the nearby Ikea store…

How far is Pisa airport from the city?

Pisa airport, contrary to most low cost airline destinations’ airports, is in the city. Literally. You could literally walk to the train station.
Very convenient.

How can I go from Pisa airport to Florence?

There are three affordable ways.

1. By train from Pisa Aeroporto. Pisa airport has a small train station (Pisa Aeroporto) right by the departures area. When you arrive at the airport, you can buy train tickets from a kiosk to the right of the arrivals gate and then you have to walk to the opposite end of the terminal. As an alternative, you can buy your ticket from the automatic machine on the platform and you won’t have to pay the agency fees that the kiosk at the arrivals area charges. The train ride costs 5,80 euros.
   The first train from Pisa airport to Florence Santa Maria Novella leaves at 6:53 am, the next one leaves at 9:53 am and then there is one every 2 hours until 7:53 pm. If you take either the 8:18 pm or the 9:03 pm train, you will have to change at Pisa Centrale. The last (direct) train from Pisa leaves at 10:20 pm. The ride to Florence lasts 57 minutes, except for the last three trains which take 1h 30 minutes.
2. By train from Pisa Centrale. The trains mentioned in #1 are not the only trains connecting Pisa and Florence. Trains leave every 20 minutes from the Central Train Station (Pisa Centrale). So, if you happen to land in between trains from Pisa Aeroporto and you don’t feel like waiting for 2 or 3 hours for the next train, exit the terminal and get on the city bus LAM Rossa that stops right in front of the arrivals area. It will take you to the central train station in 5 minutes (literally). There you can get on the next train to Florence. The last train is still at 10:30 pm. The train ride costs 5,80 euros, the bus ride costs 1 euro.
3. By bus. Terravision buses leave from outside the arrivals area and can take you to Florence Santa Maria Novella (the central train station, right downtown) in 70 minutes for 10 euros. If you buy the return ticket, the fare is 16 euros. Buses run between 8:40 am and 12:20 am, so for late flights this is the only option. Since June 13 2011 a new busline has also been operating. It’s called Autostradale and offers one way tickets from 9.50 euros per person and round tickets for 15.50 euros. On the Pisa airport website you can find schedules and prices for both these companies.

Then of course there are taxis and they usually charge approx. 130 euros. Here is the official website for the taxi company in Pisa called CO.TA.PI. And last but not least, there are many car rental agencies and some of them offer transfer services in minivans with driver for groups of up to 7 people.

How can I go from Pisa airport to the central train station?

There are two ways:

1. By city bus. The airport and the train station are both on the “red line”, linea rossa, which is the itinerary followed by the LAM Rossa bus, which stops at the airport every 8 to 15 minutes according to the time of the day and takes you to the central train station in 5 minutes for a 1 euro.
2. By taxi. The taxi ride may cost between 5,30 and 8 euros. There is a fee for your luggage too.

If it’s a nice day and you don’t have much luggage you can even walk.

How can I go from Pisa airport or train station to the Leaning Tower?

The airport, the central train station and the Leaning Tower are all on the same city bus line (Linea Rossa). The LAM Rossa, the city bus that services it, runs every 8 to 15 minutes and connects the airport to the train station in 5 minutes and then goes on to the Leaning Tower in approx 10 minutes. The bus ticket is always 1 euro and it is valid for 60 minutes (that even gives you time to hop off at the station, leave your luggage, and hop on the next Lam Rossa). If you get on the bus at the train station, they stop outside the NH- Hotel Jolly dei Cavalieri, opposite to the station.

You can also walk from the station to the Leaning Tower. Pisa is flat and the city center is small and beautiful. Check our walking itineraries in Pisa.

As a last, more pricey alternative, you can get a cab. The fare is 8 to 12 euros.

What is the best station to go to the Leaning Tower?

Many people come to Pisa from Florence to see the Leaning Tower. I recommend they take the time to explore the rest of the center which is really neat. Pisa has two train stations: Pisa Centrale and Pisa San Rossore.

Pisa San Rossore is closer to the Leaning Tower but it is on a secondary line so, unless you are coming from Lucca, get on a train that goes to Pisa Centrale or it will take much longer. There are frequent buses between Pisa Centrale and the Leaning Tower (they leave from outside the NH- Hotel Jolly dei Cavalieri, opposite to the station). Or you can walk: the center is small, it takes 30 minutes or less and it is good for your heart and soul!

Use Pisa as your base…

Have you considered choosing Pisa as a base for your stay in northern Tuscany? The city is pretty, it’s a great transportation hub where you don’t need to rent a car and it’s excellent to visit Lucca, Florence, Cinque Terre and even to go to beach. It’s a lively university city, full of little restaurants and bars, interesting museums and beautiful buildings. June is no doubt the best month to be around. Oh, and I forgot to say that we have a really nice vacation rental apartment in Pisa, Behind the Tower… have I convinced you? LOL

I have also always wanted to visit the Jewish Cemetery in Pisa. Even if it is unknown to most, it is just outside Piazza dei Miracoli, comprised between the city walls and the ever-crowded area where large groups of tourists gather to be picked up by their buses.

I walk by it several times every week, and for years I’ve been too lazy or too busy to actually step inside. For this reason, when we read that today the cemetery would be open to the public and that it would even be possible to have a guided tour, we decided that it was the perfect opportunity to see another piece of Pisa which we didn’t know.

I should probably start by saying that the Jewish community has a long history in Pisa: a 1150 year-long history to be precise. The first official mention dates back to the year 859 A.D.. The area of Pisa was among the first areas in Europe where Jewish communities settled and it is only second to the community in Rome in order of importance. The reason why so many Jews chose the Pisan area as their home is probably that at the time, Pisa was a major commercial center and they worked as intermediaries between the Christian and the Islamic communities in the trades in the Mediterranean.

The guide who showed us around told us that the presence of the Jewish community in Pisa in the Middle Ages is also evidenced by inscriptions on the city walls by the cathedral, which were probably a way to remember some members of the community who, for various reasons, could not be buried in the sacred ground.

At that time, the cemetery occupied an area of what is today property of University Hospital Santa Chiara, which was then outside the city walls. Moreover, a document of the 13th century obligated Jews to live all in the same area, which, by the way, was already occupied by the community. That was not a ghetto: everybody could live there, and trade could be carried out freely. At the beginning of the 14th century, as a matter of fact, the community moved to the area comprised between Via San Martino and Piazza Chiara Gambacorti.

Over the centuries, the city has always seen the presence of a Jewish community, who for hundreds of years controlled the financial life of the city, until the 17th century, when their activities were declared illegal by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Most of the Jews in Pisa became merchants, and many moved to Livorno, where the harbor was a livelier trade center.

In the 19th century the community started to grow again and it has been deeply integrated in the cultural scene in the city ever since.

The cemetery in Pisa is one of the most ancient Jewish burial grounds still in use. It was created in its present location in 1674 after Cosimo III de’ Medici decided to use the area where the older cemetery was located as a hunting area. Some of the old tombs were moved to the new locations.  The oldest tomb stones of the 16th and 17th century are still standing. Their peculiarity is that on one side, they have Hebraic inscriptions, and on the other they have Spanish or Portuguese inscriptions because these people were the descendants of the families who had been expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century.

The visit was very interesting. There are tombs of very different styles and epochs and inscriptions in many different languages which evidence the cosmopolitan character of the Pisan community.

Many tombs are damaged: like everything else in the city, the ground tends to sink, and many tombs have sunk or are broken.

I particularly liked the older part. It’s impressive, with many stones under the tall trees: it looks like you are far from the most touristy area of Pisa.

The area with the tombs of the many children who died during the plague in the 17th century is also impressive. We learnt that Jews don’t move their dead people, unlike Christians, so the old little tombs are all there. Many have stones on top. I thought they were just random pieces of other damaged graves, but they are in fact the equivalent of flowers. We were explained that bringing a stone to the grave of a beloved one is the same as bringing flowers, but contrary to flowers which fade easily, stones remain to witness the love of the living ones left behind.

I also found fascinating the double format of the dates in the inscriptions: the “normal date” and the Hebraic date. The new year begins on September 8th, and it will be 5771 if I am not mistaken.We naively asked how they start counting: the guide looked at us with a smile and calmly told us “the creation of the world of course“. Of course.

We bought a book about the community: the money will go towards the restoration of the old Synagogue of the city, dating almost 500 years: it was heavily damaged by a bad storm a few years back. Hopefully, next year, on the European Day of Jewish Culture they will be able to open the Synagogue to the public too.  If you are willing to make a donation, here is the information: http://pisaebraica.it/cms/2008/12/09/emergenza-tetto/.

We really enjoyed the visit. I highly recommend a visit to this interesting, little-known place in Pisa, which is definitely on the beaten path and yet well off it!

Planning a trip to Tuscany? Check out our self-catering apartment in Pisa!

Not sure why I expected more than I expected from Under the Tuscan Sun from this movie… maybe because I had read somewhere that this was a decent romantic comedy set in Italy for a change. Well, it is not. It is the usual movie that contributes to stereotypes about life in Italy, love in Italy, Italian men, travel to Italy, etc.

That is good and bad at the same time. It’s good because these movies usually prove to be the best promotional campaign for the locations where they are filmed: no advertising has brought more people to Tuscany than Mrs. Mayes’s book’s silver-screen treatment.

It’s bad because there are in fact people out there who believe that if you come to Italy on holiday, and you follow a woman to her office, you will be welcomed by her and her colleagues and asked to join in instead of being kindly asked to leave. Others might believe that every old person can in fact speak English. Or that somebody might in fact be upset if, after politely inviting a perfect stranger to stay for lunch, that person refuses: it is much more likely that they will feel relieved.

And last but not least… if you are so lucky to find your Lorenzo again, and he asks you to marry him 50 years later in front of his family, don’t expect a cheerful toast and lots of big smiles at the dinner table, unless you are loaded or you have previously signed a prenuptial agreement in which you renounce all rights to the inheritance of the beautiful vineyard… older people getting married here come with a crowd of worried relatives! The only thought that saved me from falling asleep at that point was the idea that Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero have in fact been together for over 40 years… so some of those looks must have been authentic!

If you manage to get past all the stereotypes and misconceptions, well, at least the views and panoramas portrayed in the movie are fantastic. There are a few weird things: the Sienese mansion where they meet one of the “Lorenzos” is in fact near Verona (Villa Arvedi) and not in Tuscany, and the last place where they go is also the first place they visit (everybody knows that Tuscany has a shortage of nice locations, so that had to reuse the same one, just on the other side of the road…), but all in all the locations are fantastic.

If you are wondering where the scenes in Tuscany were shot, well, I am not sure where the picnic table under the oak tree is but I must find out! The place where they are staying is the beautiful Relais Borgo Scopeto, near Castelnuovo Berardenga. The other places should be the farmhouses of the Caparzo estate (which also includes the Relais) that extends over a large area near Montalcino. The beautiful estate of Cantina Argiano is also included.

Bottom line: enjoy the movie, but don’t believe that is everyday life here.