The Tuscany region of Italy has long been a favorite among lovers of wine, history and Italian dolce vita. The capital of Tuscany is Florence, with former rivals Siena, Pisa and Lucca continuing to play second fiddle. Getting to and from Tuscany can be done easily through either of its main airports, or by flying into nearby Bologna.
Florence International Airport, or Amerigo Vespucci International, isn't as large as its cousin in Pisa, but it welcomes an array of flights from departure points throughout Europe, including long-haul connecting flights through Rome and Milan. Airlines using Florence International include large state-owned carriers Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Air and Lufthansa, and smaller independents and budget airlines such as Air Berlin, Belle Air, Brussels Airline, Carpatair, Cimber Sterling, Elba Fly, Flybaboo and Meridiana. More suited to smaller and mid-size planes, Florence International doesn't handle the large planes required for trans-Atlantic or other long-haul travel.
The airport is about four kilometers from the center of Florence and can be reached easily by car, taxi or city bus service. There are car rental locations at the airport, including Auto Europa, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Italy by Car, Maggiore/National and Sixt. The taxi fare between the airport from a Florence hotel is about $26 as of December 2010.
Within the airport, you will a few standard shopping and service options, including clothing, banking, money exchange and food items.
Pisa's Galileo Gallilei International Airport is the main hub into and out of Tuscany for direct long-haul international travelers. The major airlines coming into Pisa are Delta, Lufthansa, Air France, Alitalia, Iberia and British Airways. In addition, there are several smaller airlines like Air Dolomiti, Albanian Airlines, Belle Air, Easy Jet, Jet2, Norwegian, Ryan Air, Transavia, Vueling, Wind Jet and Wizz. With so many budget airlines servicing European gateways, this sector has become a major part of the traffic at Pisa International.
The airport is located one kilometer from the city center and is easily reachable by car, taxi, train or bus. Rental cars are available from Auto Europa, Avis, Budget, Easy Car, Europcar, Hertz, Liberty Rent, Locauto, Maggiore/National and Sixt. The fare for a taxi ride to or from a Pisa hotel is around $8 to $10.50 as of December 2010.
Galilei Shopping Center at Pisa International has a good selection of shops and a boutique atmosphere.
About a 90-minute drive from the center of Florence, Bologna International Airport welcomes travelers to the heart of Emiglia-Romagna. Bologna can be a great alternative airport for those traveling to Tuscany but unable to locate a flight to their liking or convenience. The following airlines serve Bologna: Aer Lingus, Air Arabia, Air Dolomiti, Air France, Air Malta, Air One, Albania Air, Alitalia, Austrian Air, Belle Air. Blu Express, Blue Air, Blue Panorama, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Carpatair, CSA, Danube Wings, Easy Jet, German Wings, Iberia, Jet 4 You, KLM, Lufthansa, Meridiana, Neos, Royal Air Maroc, Ryan Air, SAS, TAP and Turkish Airlines.
Rental cars are available at the airport from Avis, Hertz, Maggiore/National, Sixt, Auto Europe, Autovia, Budget and Locauto.
The drive to Florence and Tuscany is a straightforward one, consisting of the A1 Autostrada and little more.
