Custom Itinerary Planning
Tuscan-Colors - THE Deluxe Travel Planner for Tuscany, has recently introduced an innovative concept in itinerary planning which allows the individual traveler to create a virtually TAILOR-MADE itinerary at OFF-THE-RACK Prices!
Dubbed MODULAR TOURING, the premise is based on a series of pre-arranged, expertly-designed modules or BUILDING BLOCKS - hotel stays, cooking lessons, wine tastings, spa days, guided touring excursions - with which YOU, the prospective traveler, build a customized tour suited to your specific tastes, time restraints and budget.
Tuscan-Colors has harnessed its extensive array of ground suppliers throughout the region and arranged special contract rates - the sort usually only available for large group bookings - to be made available to individuals and small parties through this system.
Normally, designing a custom itinerary from scratch is a time-consuming and costly undertaking with hefty consultant fees making an individualized product simply cost-ineffective for the more discriminating traveler. Now with a few clicks on the Tuscan-Colors extremely user-friendly website, Tuscany lovers like yourself can eliminate the guesswork in your holiday - getting the expertise of our regional specialists in well-designed activities and access to pre-vetted accommodations where a warm welcome is assured. You determine the destinations to be visited, the length of stay at each, the category of accommodation, the mode of conveyance and even the level of planned daily activity.
Design your Custom Itinerary Now!
Ready to get started? Just five easy steps!
- The first step is choosing your DESTINATIONS:
- The second step is selecting your ACCOMMODATION:
- The third step is selecting your DAY EXCURSIONS AND TOURS:
- The fourth step is selecting your ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES:
- The fifth step is selecting your TRAVEL OPTIONS, DATES OF TRAVEL and MODE OF CONVEYENCE:
- Galileo Galilei International Airport in PISA (PSA)
- Peretola International Airport in FLORENCE (FLR)
- Leonardo da Vinci Intercontinental Airport in Rome (FCO)
- Malpensa International Airport in Milan (MXP)
- Marco Polo International Airport in Venice (VCE)
These are the ANCHORS - or over-night stops - for your trip. Depending upon the time you have available, you may choose one, two, three or more. At each destination, you may decide how many nights lodging you would like. Our recommendation - to truly get a feel for the place and its inhabitants - is to plan a minimum of three nights in each locale. But you are the boss!
A typical Tuscany tour would be anchored with at least one major city stay and, of course, an obvious choice is Florence. However, despite the fact that gay-specific nightlife is limited, many travelers today are opting for refined Lucca or elegant Siena as their principal base of operations.
A true in-depth experience of Tuscany should also include at least one off-the-beaten-track destination. The most popular is the Chianti Wine Country - highly recommendable but certainly not the only choice. More and more travelers are also discovering the joys of Arezzo and Cortona, the wild and gorgeous Maremma, or the Alpine Mugello.
A good holiday should be part adventure, part leisure and if you cotton to this notion, you may want to include a stay at a spa resort like Monsummano or Chianciano. Another summertime option is the splendid Tuscan Coast at a jet-set resort like Porto Ercole or Punta Ala. A new gay hotspot is the Northern Tuscany Coastal Area of Versilia. Indeed the combined beach resorts of Torre del Lago and Viareggio are being touted as the Italian Ibiza with a popular gay beach, loads of nightlife and an impressive array of gay-friendly accommodation.
Many visitors envision Tuscany as one element of a more comprehensive Italian itinerary and, depending on your air gateway and past travel experience, you may wish to add a stay in Rome, Venice, the Lake District or the Amalfi Coast.
Click here for a description of all Tuscan-Colors DESTINATIONS
Once you have decided your destinations, you are ready to choose your accommodation. Tuscan-Colors has inspected literally hundreds of hotels to assemble a splendid collection of properties where our guests can savor the true flavor of Tuscany and be assured of a warm welcome. We have gathered unique accommodations - from high-style urban oases to palatial country estates to charming rustic inns - to insure our lodgings play a memorable role in the success of your trip.
In addition to our mainstream offerings - all of which fall in the de luxe category, - we have also assembled a notable range of gay-owned/gay specific and gay-friendly properties. From a high-design concept country resort near Cortona to a chic wine estate in the Chianti to charming bed-and-breakfast establishments at the gay beach resort of Torre del Lago, travelers wishing to add a rainbow-friendly component to their holiday won't lack for choice!
Tuscan-Colors has created a wonderful selection of day trips available at each of the various destinations we offer. These range from independent to escorted to fully-guided excursions. Some are walking tours others are operated with a private vehicle and English-speaking driver. They can be arranged for as few as 1 passenger or as many as comprise your party. Opt to travel by limo, van or minibus. Some are built around must-see attractions; others feature gastronomic or culinary experiences. Some include unique activities like thermal spa visits or even a hot-air balloon ride over the Chianti countryside!
We are also proud to have a series of Walking Tours in Rome, Venice and Florence which trace the gay history of those fascinating cities.
The best part is that you schedule yourself - slotting in excursions when and where you choose - so you can decide the level of planned activity in your itinerary which best achieves that highly-individual balance between sightseeing, shopping and leisure that makes or breaks a vacation!
As well as exciting day trips, Tuscan-Colors can also arrange a wide assortment of activities that are unique and fun and which add a whole other dimension to your touring experience - from cooking lessons to spa treatments, from wine tastings to even a hands-on lesson in Carnival Mask-making in Venice or pizza-making in Rome!
As well as exciting day trips, can also arrange a wide assortment of activities that are unique and fun and which add a whole other dimension to your touring experience - from cooking lessons to spa treatments, from wine tastings to even a hands-on lesson in Carnival Mask-making in Venice or pizza-making in Rome!
When you opt to travel will, undoubtedly, be based upon many factors - availability of frequent flyer seats perhaps or even school vacation times. Tuscany is beautiful at any time of the year and every season has its attractions. In the winter, weather is crisp and cool but crowds and prices are at a minimum. The spring brings fruit trees in flower and crops greening in the field - offering an unforgettable spectacle. Before school lets out, crowds are also reasonable. Summertime brings the droves but also gorgeous sunflowers, important art exhibits and summer sales! Many visitors adore the autumn when prosaic harvest scenes and turning leaves evoke a fairytale world.
Travel dates must be set - or at the very least, approximated - before Tuscan-Colors can provide a realistic quote or information on hotel availability.
We do not make air arrangements and would direct you to sites like www.kayak.com or www.itasoftware.com for extensive information on fares and availability.
The most popular gateways for Tuscany are:
Other handy gateways are:
Delta Airlines has recently announced commencement of non-stop service between JFK and PSA in spring 2007.
That out of the way, the next decision is how to travel from place to place.
A great solution is the extremely comfortable and convenient Eurostar train network. Particularly for city-to-city connections, travel times are greatly reduced. With the sleek Pinifarina-designed trains traveling at 186 miles per hour, travel time between Venice and Florence is just under three hours and from Florence to Rome is an 95 minutes.
Tuscan-Colors can assist in booking all EUROSTAR travel.
All transfers from airports and stations can be arranged by private vehicle as part of your package and, of course, all day-trips and excursions can be arranged with private vehicle transportation.
For the more adventurous, driving is another option. Roads in Tuscany are fast-moving and well-maintained.
A GPS-Equipped Vehicle is highly recommendable.
Tuscan-Colors can assist in arranging your RENTAL CAR needs.
Click here for a list of Tuscan-Colors RENTAL CAR CATEGORIES
Time to start planning!
Try our new, easy-to-use ON-LINE CUSTOM ITINERARY WIZARD for a quote!
Or contact us by phone at 1-888-TRIP-n-IT.
