FAQ Frequently Asked Questions at La Scuola di Furio in Tuscany
Getting here, at La Scuola di Furio, and around: Airports and Train Stations
Grocery Shopping & The Markets In Tuscany
Tipping in Italy
Getting here, at La Scuola di Furio and around: Airports and Train Stations
"Where should I fly to?"
The short answer: Pisa (and Florence, maybe)
The most convenient airports to fly into are the Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa (PSA) and Amerigo Vespucci Airport, also known as Peretola, in Florence (FLR). La Scuola di Furio is located only 50,4 km (41 minutes drive, check on GoogleMaps) from Pisa airport and ONLY 48,1 km (35 minutes drive, check on GoogleMaps) from Florence airport.
The nearest train station is San Miniato - Fucecchio, on the line Firenze - Pisa. La Scuola di Furio is located only 9,5 km (14 minutes drive, check on GoogleMaps). Please bear in mind that in Italy there are 2 train companies: Trenitalia and Italotreno. While Italotreno only has high-speed trains, Trenitalia has both, long-distance and local trains.
Grocery Shopping & The Markets In Tuscany
"Do I need to bring groceries from home?"
The short answer: NO!
On arrival at La Scuola di Furio in Tuscany you will receive our Welcome Folder, full of information and maps.
You will find that the local market is Fucecchio takes place on Wednesdays, only in the morning.
You will find the addresses of Coop, IN's, DPiù and MD supermarkets in Fucecchio, Conad in nearby Cerreto Guidi and Lidl in nearby Santa Croce Sull'Arno supermarkets, with some what-to-buy-here and when-to-buy-there suggestions, Coop and Conad are both very well stocked, large grocery stores. You will find many of the brands and articles that you find the stores at home. Should you wish to know if a special article is stocked here, please let us have the name and we will look for it. Sometimes there is no need that you bring a bottle of shampoo (Johnson's Baby Shampoo is the same all over the world) from home, especially if you fly, if you can buy it here. While we do not have any 24/7 supermarket (yet), we can assure you can be surprised by some extended opening hours! Smaller grocery stores will still close for lunch, as well as Sundays or Mondays. As our local supermarket Coop is open until 9 PM, we feel that most travelers can avoid bringing their Leerdammer cheese from home, driving under the Tuscan sun! It is sold in 130 Countries in the world, Italy included, we promise! Of course, you can take advantage of our Advance Shopping Service, if you like.
Tipping in Italy
What about tipping when in Italy? How much should I tip?
The short answer: NO!
Our impression is that tipping for Italians is not as common as it used to be before the euro was introduced. Of course, if I feel very welcomed somewhere or is the service is outstanding I would gladly leave a tip.
At a Bar or a Café:
Bartenders and waiters will be nicely surprised if you leave the change or round up to the nearest euro on the total bill when having a good cappuccino (or any other drink, of course).
At a Restaurant:
Our advice is that you stay clear of those restaurants where the service is a % of the cost of the plates. These are usually tourist traps. Look for "service included" (servizio incluso or servizio compreso) on the manu that HAS TO BE found outside the restaurant (it's the law). So, check the bill first before deciding how much to tip. If the service isn’t included, a tip of 10 to 15 percent is encouraged. If you ignored my advice and went to a place where the service is included AND your meal was truly outstanding, you can round the bill up to the nearest 10 euro.
At the Hairdresser's, Beauty Parlour or Spa:
Tipping in salons is not too common, but it doesn't mean you will be given a big smile if you round up to the nearest 10 euro if you liked the services.
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