Airway Vacations
  • Home
  • Specials
  • Destinations
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Asia Tours
    • Canada
    • Canada Tours
    • Mexico >
      • Cancun
      • Puerto Vallarta >
        • Ixtapa
        • Caribbean >
          • Antigua
          • Bahamas
          • Dominican Republic
          • Puerto Rico
      • Los Cabos
    • Club Med
    • Dubai
    • Central America
    • Golf
    • Israel >
      • Israel Tours
    • Iceland
    • Europe >
      • Croatia >
        • Explore Croatia
      • Czech Republic
      • France
      • France Tours
      • Germany
      • Jamaica
      • Greece
      • Greece Tours
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Italy Tours
      • Netherlands
      • Portugal
      • Great Britain
      • Spain
    • Hawaii >
      • Hawaii Cruising
    • Scandinavia
    • South America
    • Tahiti
  • USA
  • USA-Tours
  • Insider Lounge
  • Contact Us
  • Want To Know?
  • Cruising
  • Italy Suggested Itineraries
  • Central America Tours
  • Las Vegas Specials
  • Blog
  • AMA
  • Untitled
  • christmasmarkets2019
  • Dubai2020Gray
  • USA

Tuscany, the list goes on and on.....

4/24/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Tuscany - one of my favorite places in the world, hands down. I’ve been there quite a few times and still haven’t seen it all. But who has? Most of us have a week, two if we’re lucky, to explore this jewel of Italy.


I recommend making a list of everything you want to see in order of importance to you. But before you do that, let me mention a few things you might not know about. 
Tuscany is the birthplace of the Renaissance and you can expect to see this influence in every village,  church and cathedral, castle, wall and bridge.  Everywhere you look is something worth noting.  So heads up.
Almost everyone going to Tuscany visits Florence and In my view, only second to Rome in remarkable things to see. Even the Italians consider it their most beautiful city. Be prepared to walk because many streets in the central part of Florence where you’ll find the museums are closed to traffic. The Piazza della Signoria is the city square surrounded by the Palazzo Vecchio and a number of historic buildings. The Uffizi Gallerie is one of the oldest and best museums in the world. And of course the Galleria dell’Accademia home to Michelangelo’s David. Don’t miss the Ponte Vecchio, the city’s oldest stone arch bridge with stores along the top. The Pitti Palace is the former home of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany houses of art, porcelain and costume galleries - incredible. But less known are the Boboli and Bardini Gardens from which you can get the most breathtaking panoramic views of Florence and a relaxing hour to sit among the statues and impressive greenery. 
Tuscany is known for its excellent wines, with Chianti Classico being its most popular. The Chianti area in Tuscany is one of the most beautiful in the region. It’s an area of green, gentle hills covered with vineyards. But it’s is only one of the great wine regions in Tuscany. Don’t miss Montalcino and Montepulciano. I recommend taking a guided tour to all three in one day from Florence. It’s nice to have a designated driver.
My favorite time of the year to visit any of Tuscany’s many vineyards is harvest time in September. The weather is a bit cooler and tasting a local wine on a sunlit terrace in the fall is about as good as it gets.
About an hour and a half from Florence or 25 minutes from Pisa is the town of Lucca. It’s famous for its well preserved Renaissance walls surrounding the historic center. Walk or ride a bike around this picture postcard town. This is also the birthplace of Puccini and a bronze statue of him sits in the center of town. There is usually a line of people waiting to take a picture of it, even as late as 10 pm! Who knew?
If you find yourself traveling between Rome and Florence I recommend a detour to Pisa. The bell tower of the Pisa Cathedral is beautiful on its own but the fact that it has a noticeable tilt makes it irresistible to travelers. And just so you know, you can climb to the top.  The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunto is sometimes overlooked but it is spectacular both inside and out and is located in the Piazza Dei Miracoli right next to the Leaning Tower and the beautiful Baptistry. 
Ask anyone who’s been to Tuscany what their favorite town is, chances are its Sienna. Smaller and less crowded than Florence, surrounded by beautiful medieval buildings, it has a romantic, almost magical feel to it. Have a cup of coffee in the Piazza del Campo, in the heart of the city. It is considered one of Europe’s greatest medieval squares. Climb to the top of Torre del Mangia, just a quick 400 steps, for breathtaking views of the city. If you’re in Siena on a Wednesday, visit the largest market in Tuscany at La Lizza. Come early, it’s always crowded. 
One last thing, you must try the pici while you’re in Sienna, it’s similar to spaghetti only thicker and is served with pepper and cheese like caci e pepe or with tomato sauce. It’s always freshly made and you won’t forget it. 
There’s no end of places to go and things to see in Tuscany. I'll be back with more later…..

0 Comments

The Ringling Brothers Circus Museum in Sarasota, Florida

4/17/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
If you find yourself in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and have some time to fill, drive down to Sarasota. At the eastern end of University Boulevard off Highway 75 you’ll find The Ringling.
It’s a beautifully laid out compound with a Museum of Art, 66 acres of spectacular gardens, Ca’D’Zan, the palatial home of John and Mable Ringling and the Circus Museum.

We took a 5 year old and she loved every inch of it. If you look closely you can see her standing in the banyan tree. 

John and Mabel Ringling built the mansion as a summer home in 1924-26 and when they died they left the mansion and the museum to the state of Florida. What a gift! Walking into the Circus Museum I felt someone should be saying, Step right this way!

The tiny little clown car had me trying to figure out how one grown person could fit in it much less 5. The parade wagons were beautiful, the posters, the costumes and the cannon that shot fearless and a little bit crazy performers through the air brought back many memories. And our five year old was just as fascinated. She took her time looking at every stateroom on the luxurious Ringling train car complete with a galley, bathrooms and sitting compartment. She was mesmerized by the 42,000 piece miniature Circus as we all were.

Ca' D'Zan, the mansion and the terrace overlooking the bay were like something out of Newport. Big rooms filled with period pieces and big windows letting in all that Florida sun. The large terrace is made of multi colored marble and is a perfect spot for a wedding. One of the docents told us it is booked for weddings from April to October. 

The gardens were lovely, and just beginning a show of spring flowers. The grounds are dotted with banyan trees and I’m always amazed when I see what I think is a big grouping of banyan trees to find out it is really only one. There’s also a playground with a 2 story slide and it deserved two visits. 

My favorite place on the property was the Museum of Art in a pink Renaissance style palace and the courtyard filled with copies of well known sculptures. A replica of the Statue of David stands majestically at the bayside end of the courtyard. There are lots of fountains there and sitting on a bench was quite the Zen experience. Each wing of the museum highlights a different exhibition and there’s something for everyone from modern, to Asian, to ancient and medieval works.  

It’s open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, Thursday until 8 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day. Go to ringling.com for more information. Well worth your time and the detour. 
Picture
Picture
0 Comments
    Picture

    Debbie Platke

    I have been in the travel industry for over 25 years, as a flight attendant, travel agent and travel writer. I think all travelers should have the kind of inside information that professional travelers have. The business has changed over the years and those on the front lines deserve a lot of credit. And what they know can help all of us get more out of our travel experience. 
    Welcome Aboard.


    Archives

    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015


    Categories

    All
    Travel Tips


    RSS Feed

Our most exclusive interline travel deals delivered to your inbox.
We'll never share your email address and you can opt out at any time, we promise.

Connect with us


Copyright © 2018 Caesar Hotels, All Rights Reserved - Term & Conditions 
Website by Website Heroes
Photos used under Creative Commons from Jordi Cucurull, Umnak
  • Home
  • Specials
  • Destinations
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Asia Tours
    • Canada
    • Canada Tours
    • Mexico >
      • Cancun
      • Puerto Vallarta >
        • Ixtapa
        • Caribbean >
          • Antigua
          • Bahamas
          • Dominican Republic
          • Puerto Rico
      • Los Cabos
    • Club Med
    • Dubai
    • Central America
    • Golf
    • Israel >
      • Israel Tours
    • Iceland
    • Europe >
      • Croatia >
        • Explore Croatia
      • Czech Republic
      • France
      • France Tours
      • Germany
      • Jamaica
      • Greece
      • Greece Tours
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Italy Tours
      • Netherlands
      • Portugal
      • Great Britain
      • Spain
    • Hawaii >
      • Hawaii Cruising
    • Scandinavia
    • South America
    • Tahiti
  • USA
  • USA-Tours
  • Insider Lounge
  • Contact Us
  • Want To Know?
  • Cruising
  • Italy Suggested Itineraries
  • Central America Tours
  • Las Vegas Specials
  • Blog
  • AMA
  • Untitled
  • christmasmarkets2019
  • Dubai2020Gray
  • USA