Travel to Tuscany

December 24, 2009 · Filed Under Destination Tips · Comments Off 

The transfer company representative was right there, on time, waiting for the group to come in from Toronto holding up the sign, Valerie Kent. Ten of us streamed towards the sign, luggage already in hand. We had been looking forward to this painting workshop all winter. A couple of the artists had been to Italy previously, and the rest of us were Newbies.

Joanne Epworth said, “We were all so excited that I thought we would all levitate, but actually all we did was board the pleasant little van which headed right up the mountain to the lookout and took in our first, but no means last, astounding vista. Beneath our feet stretched the city of Florence and the Arno River. It took our breath away. You just could not stop looking. Everywhere you looked it was so beautiful. It was unbelievable how beautiful the view was.”

Our hotel, the Monna Lisa, was tucked away in the historic centre of the city, with its narrow streets and cars practically touching the walls of the ancient buildings as they zipped by. Joanne Epworth said, “The hotel which had been a grand residence of the Medici family, was approximately 800 years old. It had a romantic entrance, a garden and a courtyard patio for breakfast when the weather was good. Some of the group painted out in the courtyard in the afternoon. It was a great location in that it was close to many restaurants, attractions and piazzas.”

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the place that the sun never tires to smile on…

December 8, 2009 · Filed Under Hotels · Comments Off 

When going on vacation we have a tendency to have high expectations of our accommodation, after all everyone prefers their own bed but when on vacation you have to make compromises which can be an issue for some travellers. Apparently the higher price and more stars the hotel is rated to will determine generally how luxurious your holiday accommodation will be.

The trouble with this is that luxurious 5 star hotels are great for a short break and special occasions but for family holidays you’ll tend to not be looking for 5 star luxuries. This doesn’t mean you’ll be expecting anything less than perfect for your needs, travelling as a family means you’ll need more beds and possibly more rooms. Family rooms may have multiple bedrooms but some hotels end up having to split the family up into two or more rooms.

At La Mucchia casa vacanze in Cortona, Tuscany, the focus is solely on family groups and so you can be sure that you’ll get exactly what you need at wish to have for reasonable price.

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