Frommer's^® Tuscany & Umbria , 3rd Edition

by Reid Bramblett

• ISBN13: 9780764565045
• ISBN10: 0764565044
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

"Author Reid Bramlett really knows his subject. Bramlett2s book is much richer in detail than the [competition]. He does an excellent job..." -New Orleans Times-Picayune You2ll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer2s. It2s like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go--they2ve done the legwork for you, and they2re not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer2s Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You2d be lost without us! Meticulously researched by our expert author, Frommer2s Tuscany & Umbria is the only guide you need to discover the region2s artistic treasures, Renaissance architecture, rustic villages, vineyards, and fabulous shopping. This authoritative guide will reveal the best wines and hearty regional dining, tell you how to rent your own romantic villa, send you on scenic bike tours, and lead you away from the tourist crowds so you can discover the true flavor and leisurely pace of this sunny corner of Italy. We2ll show you the best of Florence and its treasure trove of art and architecture, then take you through the medieval alleyways of Siena, along the Chianti Road, and to lovely towns like San Gimignano, Lucca, Assisi, Perugia, and more. Every one of our honest, in-depth hotel reviews is based on a recent personal inspection; every restaurant has been tried personally; and every sight, shop, and stroll was checked out in detail. You2ll get the latest trip-planning advice, valuable cultural insights, wonderful tips for venturing off the beaten path, and detailed, accurate maps. With Frommer2s in hand, it2s a snap to design the Italian adventure that2s right for you.

Author Biography

About the Author Reid Bramblett learned Italian on the playground of a Roman parochial school when he was 12, explored Italy with his parents for 2 years in a hippie-orange VW camper, and spent a year studying there during a break from the anthropology department at Cornell. After a stint in Frommer's editorial offices, Reid vaulted over the desk to write Frommer's first guide to Tuscany and Umbria and hasn't stopped exploring, learning, interviewing, taking notes, and reporting it all in guidebooks since. He has also written Frommer's Memorable Walks in New York, is a coauthor of Frommer's Italy from $70 a Day, and contributes to Frommer's Europe and Frommer's Europe from $70 a Day. When not on the road, he lives in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	viii
What's New in Tuscany & Umbria	1	(2)
The Best of Tuscany & Umbria	3	(18)
The Best Tuscan & Umbrian Experiences	3	(1)
The Best Hill Towns	4	(1)
The Best Festivals	5	(1)
The Greatest Artistic Masterpieces	6	(2)
The Best Offbeat Sights & Experiences	8	(1)
The Best Wines & Vineyards	9	(1)
The Best Museums	10	(1)
The Best Etruscan Sights	11	(2)
The Best Luxury Hotels	13	(1)
The Best Moderately Priced Hotels	14	(1)
Florence's Best Rooms with a View	15	(1)
The Best Countryside Retreats	16	(1)
The Best Restaurants in Town	17	(1)
The Best Trattorie in Town	18	(1)
The Best Countryside Trattorie	19	(2)
Planning Your Trip to Tuscany & Umbria	21	(47)
The Regions in Brief	21	(4)
Visitor Information	25	(1)
Entry Requirements & Customs	26	(2)
Money	28	(3)
The Lira, the U.S. Dollar & the U.K. Pound	29	(2)
What Things Cost in Florence	31	(1)
When to Go	31	(8)
Tuscany & Umbria Calendar of Events	32	(7)
Cooking Schools & Special-Interest Vacations	39	(2)
Health & Insurance	41	(1)
Tips for Travelers with Special Needs	42	(3)
A Note for Families & Seniors	44	(1)
Getting There	45	(7)
Countries Honoring Train Passes	50	(2)
Getting Around	52	(6)
Tips on Accommodations, Villa Rentals & Farm Stays	58	(3)
Tips on Dining	61	(7)
Getting Your VAT Refund	62	(1)
Fast Facts: Tuscany & Umbria	63	(5)
Settling into Florence: Birthplace of the Renaissance	68	(49)
Essentials	68	(13)
The Red & the Black	72	(1)
Neighborhoods in Brief	73	(5)
Fast Facts: Florence	78	(3)
Networks & Resources	81	(1)
Where to Stay	81	(18)
Family-Friendly Hotels	88	(11)
Where to Dine	99	(18)
Family-Friendly Restaurants	104	(4)
A Big Step Above Ice Cream: Florentine Gelato	108	(9)
Exploring Florence	117	(56)
Seeing the Sights	117	(43)
A Man & His Dome	122	(2)
Around Piazza della Signoria	124	(7)
Rising from the Blast	131	(10)
The Master's Doodles	141	(4)
Michelangelo: The Making of a Renaissance Master	145	(15)
Shopping	160	(6)
Florence After Dark	166	(4)
Cafe Culture	168	(2)
A Side Trip to Fiesole: A Perfect Summer Escape	170	(3)
A Countryside Stroll in the City	171	(2)
The Chianti, Siena & the Western Hill Towns	173	(60)
Wine Tasting in the Chianti	173	(14)
Siena: A Taste of the Tuscan Middle Ages	187	(26)
Siena's Cumulative Tickets	197	(16)
San Gimignano: The Medieval Manhattan	213	(8)
Volterra: City of Alabaster	221	(8)
In Search of Alabaster	225	(3)
The Encroaching Edge of Town	228	(1)
Massa Marittima: An Overlooked Gem	229	(4)
Lucca & Northwestern Tuscany	233	(36)
Prato & the Virgin Mary's Girdle	233	(9)
Relic Hunting & Prato's Most Holy Fashion Accessory	236	(4)
Italy's Best Biscotti & Tuscany's Top Theater	240	(2)
Pistoia: Where Romanesque Meets Renaissance	242	(6)
Montecatini Terme & Monsummano Terme: Spas & Saunas	248	(4)
Lucca & Its Mighty Medieval Walls	252	(14)
Walking the Walls	257	(9)
North of Lucca-The Garfagnana & the Lunigiana	266	(3)
Pisa, Tuscany's Coast & the Maremma	269	(29)
Pisa & Its Tips Tower	271	(13)
Campo dei Miracoli Admissions	274	(2)
Pisa's Perpendicularly Challenged Tower	276	(3)
Pisa's Sunken Archaeological Treasure	279	(5)
Livorno: A Busy Port City with Great Seafood	284	(4)
Elba: Tuscany's Island Resort	288	(8)
The Maremma: Tuscany's Deep South	296	(2)
Southern Tuscany	298	(27)
Montalcino: Home of the Mighty Brunello	300	(7)
Sampling the Vino	302	(5)
Pienza: The Ideal Renaissance City	307	(5)
Montepulciano & Its Noble Wine	312	(7)
Underground Tunnels & Noble Wine	315	(4)
Chiusi: In the Footsteps of the Etruscans	319	(6)
A Famous Spa Town En Route to Chiusi	320	(5)
Arezzo & Northeastern Tuscany	325	(26)
Arezzo: Where Life Is Beautiful	327	(8)
Sansepolcro: Artistic Treasures Off the Beaten Path	335	(5)
Cortona: ``City of Art''	340	(8)
The Western Valdichiana: Exploring the Chiana Valley	348	(3)
Perugia, Assisi & Northern Umbria	351	(42)
Perugia: Capital of Umbria & Quaint Hill Town	351	(16)
Perugia's Medieval Pompeii	358	(9)
Assisi: An Artistic Pilgrimage	367	(15)
The Genius of Giotto	374	(8)
Gubbio: Town of Festivals	382	(11)
Lunacy & Death, Eugubian Style	388	(5)
Spoleto & Southern Umbria	393	(28)
Spoleto & the Spoleto Festival	393	(10)
Todi: A Taste of the Middle Ages	403	(5)
Mad Monks & Christmas Carols: Fra Jacopone	406	(2)
Orvieto: Etruscan Ruins & Fine White Wine	408	(13)
Orvieto's Liquid Gold	412	(3)
Tunnels in the Tufa	415	(6)
Appendix A: Tuscany & Umbria in Depth	421	(29)
1 A Look at the Past	421	(11)
Dateline	421	(11)
2 Art & Architecture 101	432	(10)
3 A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria	442	(6)
4 Recommended Books & Films	448	(2)
Appendix B	450	(11)
1 Molto Italiano: A Basic Italian Vocabulary	450	(1)
2 From Antipasti to Zuppa Inglese: Italian Menu Terms	451	(5)
3 Knowing Your Apse from Your Ambone: A Glossary of Architectural & Art Terms	456	(5)
Index	461