Saturday ~ Arrival Day Tips

many of you have told us you're spending 
a few days in Rome before or after Tuscany

 So it's usually at this point, just a couple weeks out that it starts getting real to everyone and our guests start getting really excited about their upcoming adventure!   And we can tell in talking with many of you guys, that folks are really looking forward to getting away!  And what a time we're gonna have!  While we've been traveling throughout Europe for over 40 years, this year marks our 24th Anniversary since we've started Adventures to Tuscany...  And we've learned a lot over the years!  One of the things we've learned well, is that the more information we can provide you, the more you'll be able to visualize the Tour... And by giving you all the tools & resources to visualize the Tour in advance,  we think you'll know what to expect and ultimately have a much better time!   The worst thing that could happen is for you to get there and say to yourself; this isn't at all what I expected! And with that in mind, we're going to set out over the next few days to briefly go over the itinerary, day by day so that you can visualize how it all unfolds...

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence...

We know that many of you have different plans for the days before the Tour... Some of you are are flying into Rome a few days early to do a little sight-seeing... Some are flying into Rome on Saturday morning and driving up to the Villa... others are doing the same thru Florence or Pisa... And a whole bunch of you have told us you're going to Lake Como for a few days before or after the Tour...

So Saturday is "Arrival day"  at the Villa –   Most of you will pick up your pre-arranged rental cars either at the airport when you arrive or probably in the city if you came in early...  Whether you chose to get Italy’s classic red Fiat Cinquecento, or perhaps a sporty Alfa Romeo convertible, you’re sure to have an exciting time driving thru Italy!  There's always that spark of adrenaline as you get on the the winding roads of Tuscany and head in to Chianti!  As you get close,  you'll start to gradually notice the climb in elevation as you drive up into the Chianti Hills... The roads get windy and you start to see vineyards & olive groves everywhere you look!  

We always caution our guests to watch out for, and be aware of bicyclists on these back roads... The Chianti region is one of the world's premier locales for bicycle tours/vacations... and in most years, there are cyclists everywhere,  typically in groups of 8 to 12 and often spread out a bit, especially in the hills...  But again, and we can't say it with enough emphasis; these roads are very, very windy & very narrow... and we caution you to go slow until you get used to them...   

You'll come up on cyclists very fast and you can't always see far enough ahead to just immediately pull out and go around them... Often, you'll just need to carefully trail them until you get a small straight-away...  The group leaders & experienced cyclists are good at this, and will often stay out in the middle of the road, and only move to the side when the coast is clear for you to pass...  but we can't stress it enough, please be careful! Know that they have the right of way!  Wait until you can see far ahead... and then pull the whole way out into the other lane to pass...  If you force them off the road, they will get your license number and report you... There are hefty fines for this... We urge you to be considerate, polite and safe...

you typically encounter the cafe racers on the weekends

The other thing we caution guests to be aware of is motorcyclists...  The Chianti region is also one of the world's premier locales for amateur café racers...  These are your locals who race Chianti's windy back roads just for the thrill of it... Machismo is an Italian word for a good reason - Going fast is in their blood! Be it on a Ducati, in a Ferarri, a Lamborghini, a Maserati or an Alfa Romeo... On the weekends especially, they're out on their bikes, and they go really, really fast... They will ride right on your bumper and pass you on the winding corners... The best thing to do to drive at a steady speed and let them pass you at the first chance.

So not unlike a hotel, a resort or even a cruise ship, our Villa has a check-in time...  it's 4pm. All guests should plan to arrive at the Villa between 4pm to 6pm. As we've mentioned in past posts, and as politely & courteously as we can possible say it; please arrange to arrive no earlier than 4pm...  We know you'll be excited to get here, see the Villa, and relax with a glass of wine, but we will have a crew there all day cleaning, doing laundry, preparing, and sanitizing  the Villa, the grounds, the pool, etc...  and our chefs will be cooking for your arrival day dinner... 

No matter how many times we tell everyone this, someone says to themselves; oh, let's just go a little bit early and walk around... Please don't be this person. It has never in 24 years worked out well... There are two electronic security gates to go thru to get up to the Villa, and they will not let you thru them before 4pm... and this will lead to you getting upset at us, and we unfortunately can not control this...   If you find yourself in the area early, we suggest you stop in at a cafe in one of the beautiful, quaint & charming little hilltowns for a nice relaxing glass of wine... and do what the Italians do - some fun people watching, or perhaps have a little charcuterie... If you feel there's an urgent situation or some type of emergency & you think we can help - by all means, call us: 610-657-7894

This Estate will knock your socks off! This is just a very small part of it! It's 2200 acres!

This crew does a fabulous job and when you do get to the Villa, it will be freshly cleaned & sanitized, and we will be waiting for you with open arms!  We'll have cold Proseccos, Wines, and ice cold beer waiting for you, as well as a huge tray of Italian specialties!  As we get you into your rooms, there will be free time to unpack, relax, go swimming,  perhaps take a nap, freshen up, and meet with others...  and we’ll get together around 6ish for our “Welcome to Tuscany” orientation party on the Terrace and around the pool…   We’ll enjoy a little wine and sample local Tuscan specialties as we get acquainted with each other,  stroll around the Estate, and tour the Villa as we outline our amazing adventure for the upcoming week.  We’ll stop by the kitchen to introduce you to our private Chefs, Angela & Giuseppe, and get a sneak peak at what they’re preparing for tonight’s Dinner… Our dinner this evening will be served outside on the Terrace under the loggia.   After dinner we’ll get together with guests on the Terrace over a glass of wine or two to discuss  people’s experiences on their trip over to Italy, and also discuss what to expect for tomorrow’s adventure, and how to get the most out of your Villa vacation here in Tuscany. Our all-inclusive Wine, Prosecco  & Beer bar will, of course, be open throughout the evening and usually the excitement of our first day arrival always ends up as a very festive party! Get excited guys! We're almost there!