Ballooning over Tuscany: What better way to see Europe's most famous countryside than floating lazily over the olive- and vine-covered hillsides in a hot-air balloon while having a champagne breakfast? Many outfits offer this indulgent pastime. Rates start around 200€ for a sunrise 1 1/2-hour flight (champagne included). Contact Ballooning in Tuscany at tel. 0577-845211
(www.ballooningintuscany.com).
Cantiere delle Navi Antiche di Pisa (Pisa): If you've already been to the Leaning Tower, here's a much more educational alternative: an excavation of a fleet of Roman ships, buried in the silt of what was once a maritime power. The jugs of olives and wine are perfectly preserved and on display while the rest of the ancient haul is unearthed and cleaned.
Museo Stibbert (Florence): This former private museum of an eccentric Scottish-Italian is made up of the general clutter of more than 50,000 random items and a huge collection of armor from all eras and world cultures, including an entire regiment of armored mannequins.
Etruscan "Sunken Roads" (Maremma): No one is quite sure why the Etruscans of the Maremma carved a network of passages, some more than 20m (66 ft.) deep, into the tufa surrounding Pitigliano, Sorano, and Sovana. Many stretches of the Via Cave have survived the millennia, and you can follow them (sometimes up to 1km/ 2/3 mile) in what are kind of open-air cave tunnels.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
