Travel Tips
From Florence: Aeroporto di Firenze-Peritola (FLR)
70 km from Main Hotel (45-60 min drive).
This is the preferred airport to fly into. Bus Transportation will be coordinated from Florence city center for the group on October 8th and 9th. Location and time TBD
Renting a car and driving yourself is another option and very easy to navigate on the Italian highways.
From Rome: Roma–Fiumicino "Leonardo da Vinci" (FCO)
250 km from Main Hotel
When flying into this airport, it is recommended to take a high speed train into Florence city center (1.5 hr). Trains leave nearly every hour and can be booked on www.omio.com
Renting a car and driving yourself is another option and very easy to navigate on the Italian highways. Total trip will take approximately 3 hours, with many sightseeing options along the way.
I have found that flying into Rome is generally cheaper than Florence.
From Other Airports in Italy:
International flights are available from various other major cities, like Milan and Venice. Driving, Training or Taking a domestic flight into Florence are all easily possible.
www.rome2rio.com is a great tool to see an overview of all transportation options, routes and times within Italy.
October is the start of low-season in Italy, and the weather can be inconsistent with both days of sun and rain.
The temperature ranges with highs of 62-80F and lows of 42-60F.
Please bring an umbrella, coat and closed-toes shoes for your trip in case!
Renting a car in Italy is actually very affordable, and recommended if you are planning to drive throughout the Tuscan countryside.
However, It is recommended to only rent your car when you leave your major city to start your drive, because driving/parking in the major cities is extremely difficult and tickets are very common.
Most of the same American rental car companies are located in major Italian cites as well. In the past, I have used www.kayak.com to make my booking. I have found that even if I have a reservation time, I have had to wait 1-2 hours extra after checking in. I think that "lack of urgency" is just an Italian thing!
Keep in mind that there are sneaky cameras along the highway, and speeding tickets are common - but you don't find out until after you returned the car.
Lastly, enjoy the drive! There are so many medieval towns to stop by that it will be hard to make your selections.
Italy has an extensive train system, and Trenitalio and Italo are the 2 trains companies in Italy. You can book your routes on www.omio.com
Keep in mind that they use both normal trains and high speed trains so pay attention to the duration time variance within the same routes.
Ticket prices can also increase as the date approaches, so you will get the best deals in advance. Refunds or changes are also easy to make at the station itself or on the website.
If you don't already know the best route to get from location A to B, www.rome2rio.com is amazing for figuring it all out. You can also buy your air/train tickets through their site.