Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
hotel with swimming pool (Le Silve Hotel, p. 210). This topic includes many
agri-
turismo
options; you may also want to also look at the following two sites for addi-
tional information:
u
www.agriturismo.regione.toscana.it
A helpful, government-run site
focused on
agriturismi
in Tuscany with a searchable database by sub-region.
u
www.agriturismo.com
A privately run site with direct links to a number
of “farms.”
CONSIDER A HOME EXCHANGE
House-swapping is becoming a more
popular and viable means of travel; you stay in their place, they stay in yours, and
you both get an authentic and personal view of the area, the opposite of the
escapist retreat that many hotels offer. Many people simply do this informally,
staying at the homes of friends or friends of friends. If you don't know anyone in
Italy, though, try
HomeLink International
(www.homelink.org),
the largest and
oldest home-swapping organization, founded in 1952, with over 11,000 listings
worldwide ($75 for a yearly membership). A recent listing showed over 250 home
owners across Italy specifically requesting exchanges with the owners in the
United States.
HomeExchange.com
($50 for 6,000 listings) and
InterVac.com
($69 for over 10,000 listings) are also reliable.
RENTAL CARS
Italy has the most expensive car-rental rates in Europe, partially because by law
you must purchase more insurance there than in other countries. But there are
ways to get a good deal. I've always found that
AutoEurope
(
%
888/223-5555;
www.autoeurope.com)
significantly undercuts the prices of the major interna-
tional car-rental agencies, sometimes by as much as 30%. I would suggest pricing
its vehicles before looking at the other sites.
Travelers should also remember that smaller cars are not only less expensive,
but they'll also be cheaper to gas up (gasoline is heavily taxed and therefore quite
expensive throughout Europe) and easier to drive in the narrow cobblestone
streets of Italy's ancient cities. Keep in mind, too, that manual transmission vehi-
cles are significantly less expensive than those with automatic transmission.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Check your existing insurance policies and credit card coverage before you buy
travel insurance. You may already be covered for lost luggage, canceled tickets, or
medical expenses.
The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the price and length
of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you're taking, but expect to
pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. You can get estimates from vari-
ous providers through
InsureMyTrip.com.
TRIP-CANCELLATION INSURANCE
Trip-cancellation insurance will help
retrieve your money if you have to back out of a trip or depart early, or if your
travel supplier goes bankrupt. Permissible reasons for trip cancellation can range
from sickness to natural disasters to the State Department declaring a destination
