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Frequently Asked Questions:

Florence

Are museum tickets included in the guide's fee?

No, museum tickets are not included. You will pay them just before entering the museum. However we can make a reservation for you, without any extra charge.

Which is the best way to visit Florence?

Walking is the best way. If you arrive by car, check with your hotel to find out if they have a parking lot or where the best place to park is.

Which is the nearest car park to the historical center?

The nearest is the multi story underground parking lot, below the train station Santa Maria Novella. About 15 minutes walk from the Cathedral Square.

If our hotel is outside the historical center, which is the best way to get there?

You can call the taxi service (0554798 or 0554390). You cannot flag down a taxi in the street. Hotels, coffee bars and restaurants can call them for you for free. You can also use the bus service: most hotel reception desks, tobacconists or newsagents sell bus tickets.

How can we get from the Vespucci Airport to the historical center?

There's a shuttle service from the Vespucci airport to the Santa Maria Novella train station. You may pay the ticket directly to the bus driver, it costs 5 euros. Another option is to take a taxi (about 20 euros).

If we're travelling in a cruse ship and we want to visit Florence?

The best solution may be a round trip transfer from the port of Livorno to Florence. The transfer service may cost from 450 or more, if you want to stop at Pisa.
You can also take a train from Livorno, however it is very important to consider the time at your disposal. You may consult the time table at the official web site of Trenitalia: www.trenitalia.com for trains from Livorno to Florence. The main train station is Firenze Santa Maria Novella.

Siena

How can I get from Florence to Siena driving my car?

You have to drive long the Autopalio road (RA 03) direction Siena. After you pass the signboard "Siena Nord" you continue ahead and exit the main road where you find the signboard "Siena Ovest" follow the direction stadio and when you get to the Basilic of Saint Dominic, you will see the parking lot "Stadio" just opposite the big church (parking fares are variable).

When and where is the market day in Siena?

Every Wednesday they organize in Siena the local market in the area "Stadio" .Specially this days it is not easy to find a parking place near by. So when you arrive to Siena from exit "Siena Ovest" please look for the parking Santa Catherina in Fontebranda street or for parking San Marco (San Marco gate area).

How can I take a train from Florence to Siena?

The train service is continuous fom Santa Maria Novella almost every hour a train leaves Florence direction Siena. The trip takes one hour and a half and the view of the Tuscany landscape makes a real pleasant journey.

What do you suggest to wear visiting Siena?

Streets in Siena can be very steep, so it's better to wear comfortable shoes. Visiting churches you can not wear shorts so we even suggest to get a scarf to cover your shoulders. March and April may be raining months, it's a good idea to get an umbrella.

Open hours in restaurants

You must know in Italy almost all restaurants close at 14.30 during the day and at 22.00 at night. Only in the center of the city you can find open restaurants all day. We kindly suggest to make a reservation.

When can we visit the Cathedral of Siena?

It's possible to go inside the Cathedral to pray during the mass service with not charge. It is forbidden to have a tour during the mass.
During the weekday people can enter the Duomo after 10.30. On Sunday the mass finishes at 13.30 so visitors can enter after 13.40.There is a ticket to get before you go in.

Is there anything special in the Cathedral of Siena?

The floor is an extraordinary work of mosaics describing stories of the Bible. It is only possible to see it completely uncovered from the third week of August until the last week of October.

Fees for Siena and its territory

Fees for groups from 1 up to 10 pax "private guide":

  • Half-day up to 3 hours € 140
  • Full-day up to 6 hours € 280

Special fees for small families 2 adults and kids "private guide":

  • Half-day up to 3 hours € 130
  • Full-day up to 6 hours € 260

Fees for groups from 10 up to 30 pax:

  • Half-day up to 3 hours € 130 + € 2 for each extra pax
  • Full-day up to 6 hours € 260 + € 4 for each extra pax

€ 50 for each aditional hour


P. IVA 00980610521

The Visit of Siena (Basic Tour)

Our tour starts at the Basilic of Saint Domenic where Saint Catherine lived a life of intense mystical ecstasy, we will walk along the street to see "Monte dei Paschi di Siena", the oldest bank in Europe, the famous "Loggia della Mercanzia" and continue along the way to the Cathedral. Our tour ends in "Piazza del Campo".
Duration: 3 hours.

Additional tours are listed below:

- Sanctuary and Saint Catherine's house where she spent her childhood.

- The Public Palace with the City-Hall Museum, where you can discover the frescoes representing the Good Government and Bad Government and climb the highest tower in Siena, "Torre del Mangia".

- The Hospital "Santa Maria della Scala", the place where pilgrims were hosted, we will explain the old methods to cure people and the terrible consequence of "the black death".

- The Museum OPA, hosts a rich collection of art and offers us the possibility to reach "il Facciatone" part of the uncompleted wall Cathedral.

For a complete tour of the city we suggest one lasting 6 hours with a short lunch break.

Some of the monuments have a ticket to be paid.

Tour of Monteoliveto, Montepulciano and Pienza

Monteoliveto

Benedictian Abbey founded by Saint Bernardino Tolomei in 1313. We will admire inside the main cloister the frescoes with the narration of Saint Benedict of Nursia's life who applied the rule "ora et labora"(that means work and pray).
These magnificent frescoes were painted by Lucca Signorelli and "il Sodoma" in the XVI century.
Today the abbey is today considered an excellent book restoration laboratory.

Montepulciano

A famous Italian county known for the production of the "Vino Nobile di Montepulciano". The name "Nobile" (Noble) comes from the preference Popes and Italian nobility had for this wine. We offer you the opportunity to have a wine tasting experience in a cellar that reminds us the interior of a Cathedral.
When the "Medici family" dominated this territory, the most important architects transformed the little town in a real renaissance jewel. We will visit "Piazza Grande", the Cathedral and San Biagio Church built with the clear local travertine stone.

Pienza

"The Ideal City",built on top of a hill in Val d'Orcia, Pienza was created from a project made by the architect Rosellino to satisfy the wish of Pope Pius II to transform his birthplace into a city.
The Duomo square is a perfect example of this transformation, we will visit the interior of the Cathedral and some of the small shops that offer the local delicacy "Pecorino di Pienza" cheese.

For a complete tour of the city we suggest one lasting 6 hours with a short lunch break.

Tour of Montalcino, Sant'Antimo and Bagno Vignoni

Montalcino

The city of the most famous wine of Tuscany "Brunello di Montalcino". Montalcino was the last town to defend with proud and honor the freedom of the ancient Republic of Siena.
We will visit the Duomo and walking narrow and steep alleys, we will reach the massive fortress.

Sant'Antimo

Legend says the abbey was built after a vow made by Charlemagne. It preserves the most pure Cistercian style of the XIII century. The interior is all made of white stone and even some columns and capitals are engraved using precious onyx. The mass service is in Gregorian Chant…. We may participate.

Bagno Vignoni

Medieval town renowned worldwide for its thermal springs. The little church and houses were built around the hot water pool placed in the center of the town. The pool is supplied by the waters emerged from the volcanic field.
With a reservation visitors can swim in one of the open pools located in the magnificent scenery of the Val d’Orcia.

For a complete tour of the city we suggest one lasting 6 hours with a short lunch break.

Tour of San Galgano, Montesiepi Church, Monteriggioni and San Gimignano.

San Galgano Abbey

A unique church with no roof! It is one of the most amazing examples of a Cistercian Gothic church in Tuscany. Its solid massive structure is still evident today.

Montesiepi Church

The church has a unique round dome and in its center we find the sword of San Galgano that he thrust into the rock to renounce his status as a noble knight and become a simple hermit to live a lonely simple life.

Monteriggioni

"As a walled circle Monteriggioni has a crown of towers". The poet Dante Alighieri described the famous Sienese fortress that was used as a point of force to prevent the attacks of the Florentine troops. Today Monteriggioni has 14 guard-towers.

San Gimignano

"The beautiful town of the towers", today a UNESCO heritage of the world, an intact medieval city where saffron was produced and used as merchandise of exchange. Today it produced of famous white wine "Vernaccia di San Gimignano" (DOCG).
During our tour we will walk along the alleys that lead us to the main Cisterna Square, continue on to the Town Hall - "Palazzo del Podestà" with "Torre Grossa" and the Collegiata Church, where inside we can admire the frescoes showing stories of Santa Fina made by "il Ghirlandaio" XV century.

Some of the monuments have a ticked to be paid.

Chianti tour

"A shire made famous for the excellent wine". The territory offers the most picturesque landscape of Tuscany with gentle hills cultivated with olive groves and vineyards offering their grapes to produce the red Chianti Wine. Driving long winding roads with the traditional cypress we get to towns like Radda, Gaiole and Castellina in Chianti. Many country houses, villages, abbeys and castles have been transformed into farms where we can stop to taste the local wine.

Radda in Chianti

"A fortified town". It was a Florentine dominion where we can find the original well preserved city walls. The "Palazzo Pretorio" is still decorated with the coat of arms of the mayors who ruled the city.

Castellina

"Capital of the Chianti League", Castellina was an Etruscan town and later a feudal dominion belonging to Conte Guidi. Inside the massive fortress we find a small church and the Town Hall with an Etruscan museum. "Via delle Volte" is a characteristic fortified street with original loopholes from where we can appreciate the incredible beauty of the landscape.