Archive for 'Travel Tips'

Having recently spent hours in the Uffizi Gallery, I have learned a lot through error from the experience and picked up some great tips for making sure I have a much more relaxed time during my next visit. If you have found a vacation rental in the Florence area, the Uffizi is, no doubt, on your itinerary. Read up on my tips and tricks in the last post and this one and make sure that you have a lovely day at one of the world's most incredible art galleries.

4. Avoid the groups

I suggested booking as a group but I would also try avoiding the big groups as they can really hamper your experience. Every time I spotted them, I changed direction as they get in the way and it is impossible to see anything.

Visiting the Uffizi Gallery was one of the highlights of my recent trip to Tuscany but having read so much about it in the past, I found that it was a very different experience actually going there and I learned quite a few things in the process. Here are my practical tips for visiting the Uffizi once you have found a vacation rental in the Florence area.

1. Book Tickets In Advance

I always say this in guides but it really is true. We had booked our tickets in advance and we still found ourselves approaching a rather depressingly long line. However, it moved quite quickly and we were in in no time.

In this final post in this series on tips and tricks for having a pleasant trip in Tuscany, I am sharing my last bits of advice for those travelling to the region. Having just returned from Tuscany, I reaffirmed lots of my thoughts on holidaying in Italy and learned a few new things about Tuscany, in particular. If you want to avoid stress caused by cultural differences and confusion that can take away from a vacation, be sure to keep these things in mind!

9. Book in advance. Plan in advance.

Opening hours, as we have discussed, vary in Italy and attractions can also be open or closed on different days during the week. Also, as Tuscany is home to a multitude of the world's most popular and famous attractions, you can meet large queues and booked-out venues.

This series of posts is all about practical tips and advice that have been reaffirmed in this author's mind after her most recent trip to Tuscany. While Tuscany is beautiful and I had an incredible time, things are done rather differently to home (Ireland) and those cultural differences and confusions can lead to stress that can ruin a vacation. As I had lived in Italy before, I was prepared for much of it but there were some new things I learned, especially about travelling in a large group and with family. If you want a stress-free time in Tuscany, here are some more key tips and tricks to bear in mind!

7. Food, variation, intolerances

As I mentioned in an earlier post in this series, things are often done a little differently in Italy. Opening hours are wildly different in Tuscany compared to in Ireland and many other places I have been.

Continuing in this series, I am recounting episodes from my most recent trip to Tuscany and the refresher I got in tips and tricks for making your holiday as peaceful as possible. Cultural differences and confusion can lead to unnecessary stress when all you want is to relax during your vacation, so here are some key things to know, avoid and do in order to have the most pleasant possible trip!

5. Driving

Continuing with the theme of transport that we covered in the last post in this series, we come to driving: a car is essential for getting around Tuscany!

Okay, you could probably survive well enough without a car. If you are staying in a big city, for example, you can rely on public transport, taxis and walking alone. Likewise, if you are staying in a town and only plan to stay there or occasionally spend a day visiting other towns, you could likely get by with buses and trains. However, if you are staying out in the countryside or want to go see lots of attractions and attractions located in remote spots, in particular, your life will be very difficult.