There was a direct bus to Florence. We took our own bags today because other than the included hotel, the trip was over. Sherpa booked us into the Hotel Adam, well-situated and extremely busy. Florence is one of those places that I would hesitate visiting in season without a reservation. This was our third trip [...]
“Travel Tips & Advice on Tuscany”
Panzano-in-Chianti to Florence, Italy
June 5th, 2006 
Sheila Simkin 
Posted in Italy, Tuscany 
Tags: accommodation, adventure, Chianti, culture, events, Florence, food, hiking, hotels, islands, Italy, log, Panzano, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany 
1 Comment »
Volpaia to Panzano – Chianti Country, Italy
June 4th, 2006 Sheila Simkin On Day 10, we chose the Radda to Panzano route via Volpaia. There were four other ways to go but one was inadvisable because of HUNTING SEASON. (I’d hate to be mistaken for “Little Bunny Foo Foo.”) leaving Radda, Italy
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, Chianti, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, islands, Italy, log, Panzano, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany, Volpaia No Comments »
Radda-in-Chianti, Italy
June 3rd, 2006 Sheila Simkin On Day 8, a taxi ride to the beginning of the walk (cost included). This was one of my favorite walking days because we were in the Chianti Classico region, and it was grape picking season. (Move over, Lucy, and we’ll help stomp those grapes!) There was vineyard after vineyard (some fenced off), and one [...]
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, Italy, log, Radda-in-Chianti, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany No Comments »
Visiting Siena, Italy
June 2nd, 2006 Sheila Simkin Day 6 had two walk options and called for three maps to navigate, but both walks ended up on a road to take a public bus into Siena. (Sherpa even tells you to carry bus tickets with you for the ride.) Started off on way-marked tracks (waymarks means there is red paint – blazes – [...]
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, Italy, log, Siena, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany No Comments »
Moving On Toward San Gimignano, Italy
May 31st, 2006 Sheila Simkin Day 3 started with a taxi transfer (included in the cost) and a choice of two walks to San Gimignano. We chose the Pignano variation, through the village of San Donato. The restaurant in San Donato lets you taste wines and, of course, sells them. The Fattoria San Donato (Fattoria means “farm”) also sells wine, [...]
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, Italy, log, San Gimignano, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany 1 Comment »
Easy Rambling in Volterra, Italy
May 30th, 2006 Sheila Simkin Another public bus from Lucca to Volterra (our two-night stay), which is where our Inn-to-Inn would start. Volterra was a Stone Age settlement, enclosed within Etruscan and Medieval walls. It stands on a hill, and its two main industries are working of alabaster, and saltpans where table salt and soda are produced. All towns we [...]
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, islands, Italy, log, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany, Volterra No Comments »
Discovering Lucca and Viareggio, Italy
May 29th, 2006 Sheila Simkin We took a public bus directly to Lucca from Florence, walked to the Information Office and asked them to help find a hotel for three nights. They found a beautiful hotel (that would ordinarily be too expensive for us) at a low rate because of all the 9/11 cancellations. The hotel, Palazzo Alexander is in [...]
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, islands, Italy, log, Lucca, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany, Viareggio No Comments »
Walking (or Biking) Tuscany , Italy
May 28th, 2006 Sheila Simkin Treasures of Tuscany is either booked as a seven or 11-day tour with options to build in extra days or rest days. Before departure, Sherpa sends an exceptionally detailed route book with: – Arrival and departure possibilities – Comprehensive local train/bus schedules with approximate costs, where and how to purchase and validate tickets, etc. – [...]
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, islands, Italy, log, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany No Comments »
Walking Through Tuscany, Italy, Inn-to-Inn
May 27th, 2006 Sheila Simkin When I think of Tuscany, fascinating old towns, wine growing regions and wonderful food come to mind. Recent movies have moved Tuscany to the forefront of travel wish lists by their depiction …Tea With Mussolini…and Under the Tuscan Sun to name two. Tea With Mussolini incorporated stupendous views of San Gimignano and that was it…I [...]
Posted in Italy, Tuscany Tags: accommodation, adventure, culture, events, food, hiking, hotels, islands, Italy, log, sightseeing, transportation, Tuscany 1 Comment »
