A Guided Tour of Pisa

During the 4 years I have been working as a tour guide I have always found myself trying to convince people that in Pisa there isn’t just the leaning tower (not only tourists but also Italians!). The city is to blame in many ways, because they count on the advertisement of one of the most famous monuments in the world and couldn’t care less about the rest of the city…as an obvious result, so do most of the tourists that come to visit. I have noticed that many people don’t even know that the famous leaning tower is nothing more than the bell tower to one of the most stunning cathedrals in Italy and that it is located in the so called Miracle SQUARE…hence, there are another 3 monuments and 2 museums in the same square; of these three monuments, all of them hold a historical and/or an architectural record and are all breathtaking. The fact that the square is surrounded by an array of cheap-looking, touristy market vendors that sell the same ‘made in China’ souvenirs (that nowadays you can find everywhere in the world) does not help the projected, world-wide, image of it at all. To make things worse, the main streets, that lead in to the square, are again filled with foreign, ‘in your face’, knick-knack vendors, bars and cafes that are way past tourist-traps, one of the most ‘historical’ McDonalds… and typical New York, Little Italy style restaurants… with the waiters desperately trying to pull you in, so they can feed you one of the most expensive pizzas that are around. So I fully understand the first impact people have when they arrive in Pisa…speaking of arriving, the station closer to the tower is Pisa San Rossore… You can literally read on people’s faces what they are thinking when they get off the train…’Where on earth have we landed? In the middle of nowhere?’, ‘Which way do we go now?’, ‘Where is someone we can ask for directions or even a map of the city?’… So at this point, you are probably thinking, why in the world is she trying to convince people to come to Pisa??!! One of the miracles of the so called Miracle Square (which by personal experience only works on people who are interested in history, art, architecture etc. and not by Cheap knick-knacks or McDonalds) is that it will enwrap you into a cocoon of beauty and amazement. Once you are in front or inside these architectural wonders, with someone (hopefully me) explaining and showing you all the details, that otherwise you’d miss, you will automatically forget about the surroundings of the square. So I can totally guarantee that you will not regret one little bit visiting this beautiful square accompanied by a tour guide, who will not only explain and make you appreciate the city, but will also save you from all these tourist traps and in my case, will come and pick you up from the station, so you don’t get lost! Finally, even if after all this, you are not totally convinced by my reasons, you still can't miss seeing one of the most famous monuments in the world! If you'd like to read further information on Pisa follow this link: http://www.mlftuscantours.it/en/itinerari/citta/pisa By Maria L. Felice

Don't Suffer in Silence!

Today I have added a new clause in my rental agreement.
I really want all my clients be very happy while staying in my properties!! that's my main aim.. and I strongly work for that. I mean.. I try to convince owners to provide the villa with everything you may need... but it can happen.. sometimes.. it can happen that a small items is missing... maybe something we haven' t tought to! or something special for you which is unusual for us... well don t worry! In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with your villa don’t suffer in silence! We want you to be as comfortable as possibile and really and enjoy your stay. So call me or call my colleague or call the owner immediately!!! if you don t speak I cannot know it! Tell me what the problem is, tell me what is missing... and I will do my best to provide it as soon as possible... if for any reasons the matter cannot be improved to your satisfaction, please go and buy it! I will refund you the amount.... :-))
It happens that you don' t call me during your stay so I suppose that everything is going smoothly.. then once back home you email to tell me that everything was fine except for that somewhat missing... I don t want you stay without the items you like. So don t hesitate to contact me!... Well, not everything will be possible.. so if you really need something very special please ask before making the reseravtion...
Another thing... each country has its own style of life.. way of life... and I think that travelling means respecting the host country's way of life.
The most of my guests ask me for a coffee maker and for a kettle. well now the most of my properties have them. but please keep in mind that it is out of our normal ways.
In italy you don t use a coffe maker nor a kettle. In Italy you use a MOKA for a (much more better!!) coffee!! try it! and in Italy you don' t boil water for tea in the kettle but into a small pot on the gas or into the microwave... it's easier! try and let me know...

Ah! last thing: you hardly find a dryer in your italian villa... but please don t go and buy a dryer. It is out my budget for the refund!! :-)

My Exclusive Lucca...

Have a Look at this wonderful property in our wonderful countryside

Al Casino Dei Papi Slideshow Slideshow: TripAdvisor™

Enjoy it!

We Are All Well!!!

During this holiday season I’ve received hundreds of wishes from all over the world, and I have to say that it was a great pleasure and I was very touched. Therefore, I return the good wishes with great warmth and I wish to all of those who wrote to me, friends, clients and future guests in Lucca, a wonderful New Year.

I’ll take this opportunity also to reassure everyone…I have noticed that many season wishes that arrived to me also expressed worry for “Our” political and economical climate…

Well, I have to admit that the Italian situation isn’t at its best. Italy isn’t going through a great moment…it’s all very confused and chaotic…but is this situation only in Italy? I’d say that we are all in the same boat…

Anyway, one of the few certainties we have is that there is no danger of civil rebellions, revolts or uprisings of any kind. From all the Christmas wishes that I received, I seemed to detect that we are pictured by the rest of the world as if we are on the edge of a cliff…like the north African countries and Syria…or like Greece, some months ago… I felt people are afraid for us… our Bella Italia!

Well, you must know that here in Italy we have many, big problems, but we are fine…we are too fine…and this is probably the reason why Italians will never protest in the squares to truly fight… anyway, who against??? Italians won’t give up their life style and their comforts…Italians will confront this difficult moment with their heads held high, making some sacrifices if necessary, but there won’t be big disruptions…indeed, tourism is an area which will be of great help to the national economy.

Unfortunately, many times, journalists exaggerate and want to create panic, when it isn’t at all necessary. For example, here in Italy we read on newspapers and hear on the news that it is dangerous to go to Israel…but I’ve had many clients from Telaviv that started laughing when I asked them how the situation was over there…and they even invited me to visit them, because it is a beautiful country.

Here in Italy, in Lucca, we are all calm and serene…we are still worried about an economical and political system that doesn’t work anymore…but this doesn’t discourage us, instead it gives us one more reason to always do better, in order to resolve not only our own needs, but also the needs of an entire nation.

Therefore, as usual, we are waiting to welcome all of you, with the same smile and nice manners of always.

I WISH YOU HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Christmas in Lucca

I have to admit that every year that goes by, Christams in Lucca becomes more and more beautiful and lit up!
I thank those who have planned and carried out this decoration project!
The lights sounds and images that come together are so exciting... It is worth wrapping up warm to go out in the cold... to wander around the city and its squares and to take pictures of the churches and nativities!

A Saturday-Off

Due to my job I work almost every saturday of the year as on Saturday I have to manage guests departures and welcome people arriving.. so usually when you are your day-off I have to work. Never mind!
Thank goodness yesterday it was a day-off and having nothing to do... I decided to go to the beaches to see at the "big sea" after the storm. Friday night it was a frightned storm.. not only rain... a soooo high wind storm. I think I have never heard a so strong wind in my life. I was at home watching Television and I really felt afraid.... however at the end it's gone and saturday morning we woke up with the sun.
I was curious to see how it was at the beaches where usually the wind is also higher...
That's the result in Marina di Pietrasanta!

it was amazing!

Driving back to Lucca I though it would be better to go to Casa Valeria to check if on the terrace everything was in order... after such a high wind you never know...
It was 4pm, near the suset. Not only everything was in order... but there was a magic light from the sunset..

here you are - that's what the view from the terrace yesterday at 4pm. I was impressed from the beauty of the coulours...

The Gotich Line - A new possible tour ?

The other day I met up with Debora, at a really nice café in Borgo Giannotti called Angolo Dolce, which makes some of the best pastries (so it’s definitely worth a visit!), to discuss about an unusual tour which would be different from the typical destinations. Dedicated to those who have already been several times to the main attractions, like Siena, Florence and Cinque Terre, and would like to change and discover something off the beaten track. Because there are a lot of  people who come back to visit us many times over again, we need to offer something new and uncommon, so they can discover some of our ‘secrets’.. places that only the locals and in some cases, not even they, know of.

So here is something that might take your interest. It would be great if you could let us know what you think of this tour and if you believe it could be interesting and popular.

 In 2008 the famous movie-director Spike Lee, tried to captivate in his film ‘Miracle at St. Anna’ a fraction of the war that took place in the Tuscan valleys.

Take a trip back in time discovering some of the last traces of the Second World War.

On the 8th of September 1943,  the German army occupied Italy, preparing to counterattack the arrival of the Anglo-American troupes advancing  from the south of the country. While in the South, precisely in the Montecassino and Garigliano area, the Germans were fortifying the Gustav Line, in the North-Center the Wehrmacht Commando started to localize the strategic spots  to be defended.

Under the orders of the TODT Organization (from the name of its creator , the engineer Fritz Todt), which was specialized in hard labor, thousands of Italian workers unwillingly started to build a strong fortification channel from Viareggio to Rimini, along the 320 km c. that crossed the country, from the Tirreno to the Adriatic coast. Within this fortification they created an antitank wall called the Gothic Line. The mountain chain of the Appennino was the perfect habitat to create a defensive system. Along with the wall, bunkers, pillboxes, trenches and moats where hidden amongst the thick vegetation .

In the area called Garfagnana, there are still well-kept bunkers, gun emplacements, tracks, antitank valleys, etc. This site is the only part in Italy where it is possible to see the last standing parts of the Gothic Line and therefore represents an important documentation and National Trust, which must be maintained and kept alive.

Together we will follow the footsteps of the war that took place in one of the most beautiful and picturesque Tuscan Valleys and discover the last parts of the Gothic Line, which still stand to tell this chapter of history. Discover the hidden bunkers, galleries, tracks, gun emplacements  and the pieces of history kept within them, trying to imagine what these soldiers and civilians went through and how their lives were changed forever. Find out how it altered the history and lives of the local villages and their people, and while walking along the winding cobbled roads and stone houses, notice the still visible scars of that war, the bullet holes on the facades, the alteration of the surrounding valleys caused by bomb attacks.

Finally, listen to the stories of those who still remember and can never forget how they managed to survive through those hard times.