Long time no see! how are you? Hope you had a cool summer in the warmest sense of cool. “A change is as good as a rest” so they say, so during the summer we moved to our very own semi ruined Tuscan farmhouse and if I ever meet the man who writes the proverbs I’ll ……… Anyway the International HQ of Rent a Villa in Tuscany is now half way up a hill surrounded by a jungle with a 50 mile view over the countryside. I’m getting pretty nifty with a chainsaw so watch out! In our first few months in our new abode our house has been warmed by more friends and family than you could shake a stick at. Great to see so many of you. It was a pleasure helping you choose the best sun burn cream for feet and scribbling little maps showing the fastest way to the local casualty department to get the contents of a swimming pool siphoned out of small boy No. 2’s lug hole!

It’s Autumn time now, one of the most rewarding seasons to visit Tuscany according to the wee woman who sells surgical appliances in the local chemists, and she should know, probably. She insists you just can’t miss the everchanging myriad of tones and hues in the swathes of vineyards, centuries old oak forests and quintessential rolling Tuscan hillsides as they swap wardrobes for the long winter ahead (the word on the street this season is “the new black is a sort of brownish yellow colour”) or the magical early morning rays of light piercing through the mist hanging in the valleys like the frosty breath from some giant mid winter bus queue waiting patiently for the number 33 from Hackney to putter along or even the aroma of freshly roasted chestnuts wafting across tiny village piazzas and in through open windows , where local peasant people chew the fat in online chat rooms in front of roaring log fires whilst watching old episodes of Eastenders dubbed into Italian. I reckon she’s been sniffing the Vick vapour rub again, however the streets are knee deep in grapes and there is an buzz of excitement in the air “will this be a vintage year?” and more importantly “who’s going to clean up all the mess?”

In this special cut out and keep” F’word” issue of Discover Tuscany (F as in Flights, Footie, Film, Festas etc etc) we’ve bunged a pile of stuff together that could be fun in Autumn and we’ve also got lots of early booking discounts for those of you who decide to disregard it all this Autumn stuff as the inner workings a deranged mind. Enjoy!

To “DISCOVER TUSCANY!” the www.rent-a-villa-in-tuscany.com Newsletter. We hope you enjoy reading it and find the information and advice useful when planning your holiday in Tuscany. We have lots of great ideas for the content but if have any ideas, comments or suggestions, please feel free to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you, just email us. Maybe there is something you need to know before you arrive or a great tip you’d like to pass on after your holiday, (when you get home don’t forget to sign our guest book on the site to tell us about your holiday).

Flights – Free!! Yes Ryanair are up to their old tricks yet again. They are giving away thousands of flights free. Book now and use before 9 feb. www.ryanair.com If you don’t catch this one, don’t worry, they’re sure to have another “never to be repeated sale” soon!

Footie – check out this Channel 4 website www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/ticketinfo.html for all the info on your favourite team, Juve, Milan etc. why not treat the old man to couple of tickets to an away game, the flight’s are free, the shops are open and the Italian version of half time pies and bovril are, are well nothing like pies and bovril!

Film – a surprising number of top films were actually made here in Tuscany. Room with a view, Hannibal, the English patient, Under a Tuscan Sun, even Star Wars!! (according to www.italian-movie-trips.com ) to name but a few. Buy the movie and then nip over for a look at where it was filmed. The Tuscan region has published a book, which shows you where different scenes were shot and has a number of interesting itineraries to follow, it’s available in all good Florentine bookshops.

Festas - Autumn is harvest time and you haven’t lived until you’ve tasted a thick, green, spicy newly pressed, extra virgin Tuscan olive oil. Have a look at this great website dedicated to olive oil www.oleum.biz The streets are awash with new wine and many of the great Chianti wineries have tours and tastings and hot roasted chestnuts from Casentino or Monte Amiata are a simple treat that summer tourists never get the chance to savour www.chianticlassico.com/english/inchianti.asp . Restaurants all over Tuscany have special Autumn menus using the fresh seasonal produce, soups, risottos etc made with chestnuts www.chiantirestaurants.com

Find a bargain – Antiques www.arezzoantiquefair.com . Designer shopping outlets www.rent-a-villa-in-tuscany.com/factoryoutlets.html shops are quieter and the weather is cooler. Makes shopping a pleasure. Treat yourself or do a bit of Christmas shopping.

Fly – not a Ryanair hostess in sight! Hot air ballooning has to be one of the most spectacular ways to see Tuscany. Treat yourself to the experience of a lifetime, with champagne breakfast! www.ballooningintuscany.com Tell them we sent you!

Friends – Old friends, new friends, old friends who introduce new friends, new friends who tell someone who was an old friend but they didn’t know - got the gist yet? Discounts for all!

RETURNING CUSTOMERS - get a 3% DISCOUNT on any booking made for 2006 at any of our properties.
RECOMMEND A FRIEND - Any customer who has booked with us in the past and who recommends a friend will enable the friend to get 3% DISCOUNT on any booking made for 2006 at any of our properties. Just tell us the name of your friend who booked with us when you enquire.
EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT FOR LARGE FAMILY VILLAS -Book any of our large family Villas (costing €3,000 euros or more per week) for a week or more BEFORE THE END OF NOVEMBER. and receive a €100 Euro early booking discount.
"VALVONA & CROLLA" GIFT VOUCHER-Book any of our properties for 1 week or more BEFORE THE END OF NOVEMBER. and receive a fantastic £10 (sterling) gift voucher for top online store "VALVONA & CROLLA" (not available in addition to the early booking bonus for the large family Villas offer or together with the returning customer or recommend a friend offer).

Can’t say fairer than that. Pass the word,

Keep warm

Jim
Chainsaw in hand, halfway up a mountain, somewhere in Tuscany.

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