November 23, 2004 -- A visit to Tuscany is perfect in any season, but winter brings the promise of lower prices, fewer tourists, shorter lines at museums and the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of Tuscan cuisine's winter fare. There are so many different ways to experience the highlights of Tuscany -- we have included a few options that should be able to whet your appetite.
The cheapest fares to Tuscan cities can currently be found at Airline Consolidator (tel. 888/468-5385; www.airlineconsolidator.com) starting at just $300 plus taxes on American Airlines, United or Lufthansa from Boston to Pisa or Florence. From New York, fares start at $320, or $430 from Los Angeles. These fares are applicable throughout December for midweek departures, including the Christmas holiday season. Airline Consolidator also has some great last minute deals if you are flying within three days so if you are traveling on impulse, call them for special discounts.
If you are happy to fly in to Rome and then drive up to Tuscany (usually under two hours depending on your destination and your Autostrada speed), then 1800-Fly Europe (tel. 800/359-3876; www.1800flyeurope.com) has perfect packages that include roundtrip airfare, seven-day car and cell phone rental.
Sample package prices to Rome:
- Boston or New York$447
- Cleveland or Dallas $487
- Chicago, Orlando or Miami $457
- San Francisco or Los Angeles $537
Valid for departures now through March 17, 2005 excluding December 13 to 24, 2004. Bookings must be completed and ticketed by November 30, 2004. Taxes are additional.
You can always rely on Go-Today (tel. 425/487-9632; www.go-today.com) to have some super Tuscan specials and the winter season is no exception. You can choose from a wide of selection of escorted and independent packages as well as land-only tours. An excellent way to see the Tuscan countryside and the historical cities is with one of their land-only bike tours. Go-Today has three such tours for Tuscany, the "Moderate Tour" (six nights), the "Treasures of Tuscany" (six-nights) and the "Treasure Mini-Break" (four-nights). The purchase deadline for these tours on December 22, 2004 and they range in base price from $1,049 to $1,389 per person. For example the Treasures of Tuscany Mini-Break includes four-nights accommodation, daily breakfast, bicycle and equipment, luggage transfers and detailed route notes. Highlights include visits to the medieval cities of Montelpulciano, San Gimignano and Siena, biking approximately 27-32 miles per day. The $1,049 base price is reduced to $889 if you book with two other people and is valid for departures from January 4 to October 31, 2005.
Or if you'd prefer to take things at a slower pace, how about a seven-day "Tuscan Walking Tour" from $1,099. This self-guided tour includes six-nights accommodation at three-star hotels, daily breakfasts, a local contact, luggage transfers, detailed route notes and maps. It starts in Florence and ends in Siena taking in an array of magnificent medieval villages, historic Etruscan sites, San Gimignano and the Chianti wine region. This price is valid between January 4 and October 31, 2005. Airfare is additional.
A quick escape can also be had with their three-day "Florence Getaway." Priced from $489 plus taxes, it includes roundtrip airfare from New York or Newark, three-nights accommodation, daily breakfast, hotel service charges and taxes. Valid for departures
until December 15, 2004 or from January 6 until March 12, 2005. Booking deadline is December 2, 2004. If three-days just isn't enough to do all your shopping, drink all that wine and visit all those sites, you have the option to extend your stay with or without additional hotel nights.
Gate1 Travel (tel. 800/682-3333; www.gate1travel.com) has a budget-priced "Italy Rail Combination" package that takes in two cities (Rome and Florence or Florence and Venice). The deal includes roundtrip airfare to Rome from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, or Washington DC, six-nights accommodation split between the two cities of your choice, daily breakfast, hotel service charges and taxes as well as roundtrip train tickets between the cities. Prices start at $599 plus taxes for weekly departures from December 2004 to March 2005. Some blackout dates apply. Airport taxes and fees are additional.
For something a little different and distinctly Italian, Vacation Europe (tel. 800/674-8883; www.vacationeurope.com) specializes in vacation packages with individual style, staying at villas in the Italian countryside. Their "Rent-A-Home" packages feature roundtrip flights on British Airways, seven-nights accommodation in the rental home of your choice, one week car rental with unlimited mileage, optional extra nights in major cities and the countryside, 400-page Michelin Green Guide, maps and detailed directions. Package number IT103 is priced from $925 per person for three people and includes roundtrip flights from New York to Pisa or Bologna, a villa in Tuscany for seven nights and an Avis rental car for a week including collision damage waiver, theft protection insurance, unlimited mileage and all VAT taxes.
For further information about Tuscany, visit our Italy Message Boards to talk with fellow Frommer's travelers.