Archive for 'Localities'

Tuscany is home to lots of unique traditions and interesting local festivals that take place throughout the region. These are wonderful, colourful events, that combine history, tradition, elaborate costumes, delicious food, live music, performances, parades, and much more. One particularly fascinating festival that takes place each summer is the Battle of the Bridge in Pisa. Held annually on the last Saturday of June, just after the San Ranieri festival celebrations, the Battle of the Bridge brings the whole city alive in a unique way and is a must for those who have found a vacation rental in Pisa.

Taking place on the Ponte di Mezzo bridge, one of several that cross the Arno in Pisa, the event sees the neighbourhoods of the city divide into two teams – the Mezzogiorno for districts south of the Arno and the Tramontana for those north of the Arno – to try and take over the side of the bridge occupied by the other team. This is done by trying to place an iron cart on their side of the bridge and while it sounds a little silly, it is actually a wonderful traditional event that locals adore and really get involved with.

The area of Val di Lima is a part of Tuscany that is located in the province of Lucca, nestled between mountains and the coast, that is exceptionally beautiful and, with its mountainous areas, wild rivers, valleys, and canyons, is ideal for exploring and having adventures. This is a place to raft, trek, hike, cycle, canoe, and more. For those who have found a vacation rental in Lucca and are looking to have a bit of an adventure while spending time in Tuscany, it is where you need to be. Continuing on from the previous post, here are more of the companies and services that can allow you to make the most of this verdant land full of possibilities...

3. Lucca Quad

Lucca Quad offer a new way to experience the hiking trails around Val di Lima and the Apennines by quading off-road in guided groups across various routes. They also offer paintball, which is especially fun in the natural wooded setting of the area.

Lucca Quad
Via Cappella,
San Cassiano di Controne,
55022, Bagni di Lucca,
Italia.
info@luccaquad.com/info@luccapaintball.com
+39 3494753482

Those who are planning a trip to Tuscany and are looking to have an adventure while they're at it, they should be sure to find a vacation rental in Lucca and spend some time in the Val di Lima. Located in the heart of the beautiful Garfagnana area, between the Apuan Alps and the Tuscan Coast, the Val di Lima is home to some wicked torrents and is the place to go for hiking, exploring, rafting, kayaking, canyoning, and riverplay, an activity that sees adults and children to explore the area on foot and by swimming in and diving into the Cocciglia canyons. If you're looking to plan your own adventure in Val di Lima, these are the activities and companies that you need to know about...

1. Garfagnana Rafting

Located in Chifenti, near Borgo a Mozzano, Garfagnana Rafting offer guided canyoning in two different parts of the Val di Lima, trekking in sections of the Apuan Alps and Apennines, various rafting excursions, kayaking, and riverplay trips. There are four different rafting experiences including the Rafting Lungo, Rafting Classico, Rafting Soft, and Rafting & Zip-line packages. The Lungo lasts three hours and goes down four different sets of rapids, the Classico lasts an hour and a half and goes through four other sets of rapids, the Soft goes down two smaller sets of rapids and lasts an hour and a half, and the Zip-line is a package executed along with a trip to the respected zip-line of the nearby Vagliapark. For more detailed information and special requests, just contact them directly.

Florence is always increasing the number of fully-accessible museums and attractions, ways to avoid architectural impediments, themed sensory tours, helpful elements in public transport, places to park, and more. They are working to make it a more accessible destination for all and it is a great place to choose if you or someone in your group have particular requirements but don't want to miss out on a wonderful holiday or have to stress out overly about the details. Just find a vacation rental in Florence and continue to read our guide to the helpful initiatives making Florence more accessible for all...

5. Special Tours, Exhibits, Attractions & More

The Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, Gallery of Modern Art, Palazzo Davanzati, Marino Marini Museum, Galileo Museum, Museum of Natural History, and Botanical Gardens all offer special tours and ways of exploring their attractions for those with special requirements or needs and there are also many guides that offer special tours and personalised routes through the institutions. Very few museums are inaccessible and those that are are only this way due to unalterable historical features of the buildings in which they are housed. Most attractions also have sections of their websites dedicated to accessibility but this PDF offers a good guide to the main ones that tourists might be interested in visiting.

The city of Florence has made lots of efforts in recent years to ensure that it is more and more accessible to all, no matter their needs or requirements. This “Florence Without Barriers” initiative has put measures into place for those with limited mobility, the blind, and others with special requirements in order to make sure that any and everyone in your group can enjoy a vacation in Florence. If you or someone among your party falls into one of these groups, know that you can find a holiday rental in Florence and expect to be catered for. With that in mind, we have been listing some of the special services that you can avail of. Here are more of those initiatives....

3. Traversing the city with a wheelchair

As Florence is an old city with a beautiful but not consciously planned historic quarter for those who may have mobility issues, there may be some difficulties for those with reduced mobility. However, in order to deal with this reality and best navigate narrower sidewalks, uneven surfaces, and more, there has been a special App created to show the best routes through the city center, in order to avoid the architectonic barriers. Called Kimap, it can be downloaded on the Apple Store and Google Play.