Florence is serviced by two airports; its own and Pisa International Airport. Although the latter is located a good 80 kilometres from the centre of Florence, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for travellers to the city as it is used by many budget airlines including Vueling, Easyjet, Wizz and Ryanair. On the other hand, Florence airport is serviced by the bigger airlines such as KLM, BA and, of course, Alitalia. Both airports are connected to central Florence (S. M. Novella train station) by bus. From Pisa Airport, the Terravision (www.terravision.eu) transfer bus leaves from the Elenco Corse outside the arrivals hall. The full journey takes 70 minutes and costs 10€ one-way (16€, return) for adults. Buses run from 8.40am to 12.20am but the bad news is that there are long gaps between services. Whilst these have been designed to coincide with flight arrivals, flight delays may cause you to miss your connection, so brace yourself for a wait before you finally arrive at your holiday apartment. Arriving at your accommodation from Florence Airport is a lot quicker. The Volain bus (operated by the local company ATAF, www.ataf.net) departs every half hour and the journey takes 15 minutes. ...

There is a wonderful choice of day trips that can be taken during your Florence holiday, whether travelling by car or by public transport. Here is an un-exhaustive list of day trips you can easily take from Florence: CASTELLO DI VERRAZZANO For example, Castello di Verrazzano is about an hour’s drive from Florence through delightful scenery. The first sight of the castello is its silhouette which rises up above the horizon and welcomes you to one of Tuscany’s most charming and traditional wineries, where you can taste the wine and take a tour. LUCCA The walled city of Lucca which is protected on three sides by mountains and original defensive walls. In the heart of the town is a Roman racetrack that is now the central market square where you will find the town’s magnificent cathedral. Lucca is a beautiful place to visit and the Palazzo Ducale is definitely worth a tour as it is rumoured that Napoleon Bonaparte stayed there. During your visit to Lucca, you could also visit one or two of the local grand villas which were once home to some of the region’s most noble families. SIENA Located on a hill to the south of Florence is the remarkable city ...