Soggiorno in Toscana,Appartamenti in Affitto,Ville e Case Vacanze in Toscana

AN INSIDER'S POINT OF VIEW

communicart.it

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From : Katja Meier, July 2012

 

A GUIDE BOOK TO TUSCANY'S HIDDEN TREASURES

No please! not another guidebook about Tuscany, was what I thought when I first met Veronica Ficarelli, author of yes, another Tuscany guide book. But once she mentioned the title of her book - Tuscany, A Great Reason for Every Season I perked up my ears.

Guidebooks about Tuscany normally start off with Michelangelo, take in Botticelli and end with Leonardo da Vinci. And quite rightly so. But after admiring all those people and landscapes rendered immortal by the great Renaissance masters, you may wonder what life is like down South in the 21st century. And the best way to find out is by meeting the people who live on the land.

But where to go and above all when to go? Try leafing through your Lonely Planet or Frommer's guide for some advice on the matter. Nada. You'll get great Tuscany maps, info on museum opening times, the region's history and hotel bookings. But the small scale events and artisan shops have a hard time appearing in any of the big brand guide books. It's easy to find a travel guide or website that informs you about ice-cream shops and the Uffizi in Florence. But a book that tells you about the chestnut festivals in the Tuscan hinterland?



Summer night village dinner in Buonconvento near Siena



Veronica Ficarelli is a true local who knows where to take you. Apart of events and festivals, she provides plenty of information about Tuscany's artisan shops, crafts, nature, sport, food and (last but not least!) wine. Following in her footsteps you're prone to end up with a glass of Tuscan red at lesser known but fabulous wineries. Or you'll be sharing a table with the locals at a sagra - Tuscany's village food fairs that take place all through the year.


Tuscany - A Great Reason for Every Season is not just well researched but also lovingly designed. Being in its first edition a few minor mistakes can still be found in the English version, but if anything this confirms that the guide book is written by a thoroughbred Tuscan and not by an English speaker who just spent a few weeks in the area.
Some of the places recommended in the guidebook may ring a bell (like the famous Dante reciting butcher in Panzano in Chianti), many others will come as a real surprise (e.g. the wines of lovely Fattoria Resta in Buonconvento close to Siena and Montalcino). See you there!


You can order 'Tuscany - A Great Reason for Every Season' directly with the publisher Communicart or via the Italian Book Store on the internet. The book is also sold at selected libraries in Florence and the rest of Tuscany. If you happen to be staying in Florence only, go for the sister version of the guide by the same author: 'Florence - a great Reason for Every Season'.

The guide book publisher Communicart is also a great address if you need tickets for the Palio in Siena, a Tuscan villa right next to Florence or a Renaissance location for your next film set in Tuscany.

Katja Meier

 
 
 

From : Oma, Osservatorio Mestieri d'Arte- ottobre 2011

 

Stagione che vai, Firenze che trovi

Si intitola Stagione che vai, Firenze che trovi – Almanacco di Eventi & Specialità Fiorentine il nuovo volume di Veronica Ficcarelli. Un vademecum imperdibile per chiunque voglia visitare Firenze in qualunque stagione dell'anno.


Un formato pratico e maneggevole per quasi cinquecento pagine di informazioni utilissime che vanno dall'artigianato, all'enogastronomia, agli alloggi, alle tradizioni, la natura e lo sport, diligentemente suddivisi per i vari mesi dell'anno in modo da poter pianificare un soggiorno a Firenze e dintorni sapendo esattamente cosa posssiamo aspettarci. Non solo. Una ulteriore suddivisione per argomenti, permette al lettore di orientarsi con grande facilità all'interno dei passatempi preferiti: artigianato, musica, feste popolari e ovviamente enogastronomia.
Il volume, uscito lo scorso luglio, è disponibile in doppia lingua italiano e inglese (A Great Reason for Every Season – Events & Specialities Guide). Dato il grande successo, l'autrice sta già lavorando all'edizione toscana.

 
 
 

From : Repubblica.it 22 Nov. 2011

 

CULTURA

Stagione che vai, Firenze che trovi
Un almanacco di eventi e specialità fiorentine, dalle ricette enogastronomiche all'artigianato, dalle feste popolari ai luoghi da visitare. Un vademecum per turisti e non
di GERARDO ADINOLFI
La ribollita a dicembre, la GuardaFirenze a Maggio e la Biennale dell'Antiquariato a ottobre. Ma ancora la schiacciata fiorentina in inverno, la panzanella ad agosto e la festa dell'uva a fine settembre. E come non visitare Ponte Vecchio e il corridoio Vasariano, piazza Pitti e gli Uffizi, magari dopo aver assaggiato, a febbraio, le gustosità della festa del cioccolato artigianale. 'Stagione che vai, Firenze che trovi' (edizioni Le lettere) è il titolo del volume firmato da Veronica Ficcarelli, concept designer Nicola Natalizio. Un almanacco di eventi e specialità, un vademecum per chiunque voglia visitare Firenze in qualsiasi stagione dell'anno.

Tradizioni, feste popolari, artigianato, sport e cultura senza dimenticare l'enogastronomia, uno dei punti forti del capoluogo toscano. Una guida suddivisa in quattro stagioni, con sezioni dedicate agli eventi invernali, primaverili, estivi o autunnali. E, all'interno un'ulteriore suddivisione per categorie dall'artigianato allo sport ai prodotti tipici locali ai negozi. Suggerimenti, notizie utili, storia della città e, per i più inesperti, anche un itinerario turistico da seguire per assaporare Firenze in tutta la sua essenza.

E' un vademecum completo il lavoro, quello di Veronica Ficcarelli corredato da curiosità e ricette, per chi vuole imparare a cucinare la vera bistecca alla fiorentina o la pappa al pomodoro. Una guida che è una bussola per orientarsi in città anche per lo shopping. Non mancano infatti gli elenchi dei negozi,
gelaterie, ristoranti, bar e boutique particolari tra Firenze e la provincia. Un lavoro dedicato non solo ai turisti ma anche agli stessi fiorentini, che potranno riscoprire e, magari, apprendere qualche curiosità in più sulla Firenze di oggi e di ieri.

 
 
 

From : Travel + Leisure Magazine - May 2008

 

Tuscany’s Best Hotels

Tuscany’s Dream Villa

* Florence-based agency Communicart has a roster of 100 Tuscan villas, including the six-bedroom Fattoria di Prenzano (from $6,200 a week), an 11th-century country house. Well-connected owner Veronica Ficcarelli goes out of her way to book drivers, chefs, and cultural experts for her clients.
* Celebrities, royal families, and CEO’s turn to Windows on Italy, run by Salvatore Ferragamo’s son Leonardo, for the area’s most exclusive (and extravagant) properties. Book the six-bedroom Villa Le Rose ($64,500 a week), a frescoed Renaissance residence with marble baths and four-poster beds, owned by Leonardo Ferragamo himself.
* Owned by the Caire di Lauzet and Besana families, Dream & Charme isn’t your average rental agency: potential clients are vetted through a rigorous process, and most properties aren’t even advertised, including a five-bedroom villa (from $3,688 a week) with a botanical garden, on the island of Elba.—Valerie Waterhouse

Whether you’re looking for a sea-view villa or a lavish country estate, Tuscany has an infinite number of authentic retreats. T+L lists our top five picks.
From May 2008
Intimate Rural Retreat: Villa Bordoni
Overview

A Renaissance-era estate overlooking Chianti’s rolling vineyards and terraced olive groves, two miles from the market town of Greve.
Highlights

Whimsical details (lampshades fashioned from iron baskets, straw-brush curtain tassels), which add rustic flair to the 12 chic rooms.
Rooms to Book

The new Limonaia suite, on the first floor, has a private 215-square-foot veranda.
Old-World Hideaway: Relais & Châteaux Il Falconiere
Overview

Exquisitely restored 17th-century stone villa on a 25-acre vineyard just outside Arezzo.
Highlights

Excellent amenities, including wine tastings, cooking classes, and—coming in October—treatments at the 2,500-square-foot spa.
Rooms to Book

For the best value, check into a Classic room in the main villa, with views of the horse-chestnut-tree–covered hillside.
Country Castle: Il Borgo, Castello Banfi
Overview

A hilltop hamlet dating from the 1800’s alongside a medieval castle in Tuscany’s winery-filled Brunello region.
Highlights

Weekend culinary classes taught by chef Heinz Beck, from Rome’s Michelin three-starred La Pergola restaurant.
Rooms to Book

Designed by Federico Forquet, the Double and Classic rooms top our list—they’re a generous 432 and 540 square feet, respectively.
Historic Escape: Villa La Principessa
Overview

Only a five-minute drive from lively Lucca, the 13th- century building was once the private residence of a Luccan nobleman.
Highlights

With hunting prints on the walls, striped fabrics, and tartan carpets, the property is more English country house than hotel.
Rooms to Book

The refurbished second-floor suites have antique furnishings and vintage parquet floors (room No. 126 has a coffered wood ceiling).
Coastal Haven: Villa Le Luci

Great Value
Overview

A turreted villa with Art Nouveau touches and views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the town of Castagneto Carducci, in Alta Maremma.
Highlights

A pitch-perfect mix of antique furnishings and neo-Baroque accents such as beaded lamps enlivens the seven fashionable rooms.
Rooms to Book

Second-floor bedrooms are slightly larger and overlook forested hills and vineyards.


Travel + Leisure Magazine
Photo Deptartment
1120 Avenue of the Americas, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10036
212-382-5600

 
 
 

From : The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, Italian Cooking & Living, Cibo

 

March 2007

Magazines > Cibo

Below you can check out the cover recipe from our premier issue as well as cibo's other delicious and helpful features!

Go to page 10 in the Cibo Magazine and you will discover a beautiful article about our guidebook, Florence and its surroundings...from another point of view


To subscribe to cibo or for more information write to us at: cibo@italiancookingandliving.com

The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, Italian Cooking & Living, Cibo
and the Italian Culinary Institute

302 Fifth Ave., 9th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Tel: 212-725-8764
Fax: 212-889-3907
Toll-free: 888-742-2373



 
 
 

From : El Informador - GUADALAJARA, JALISCO, MEXICO - Domingo 16 de Febrero de 2003 -

 

La región de Toscana en Italia, Cuna del renacimiento


Es además esta hermosa región de la bota italiana, una de las más representativa de la historia, las tradiciones, el arte y la cultura en general de todo el país, por lo que recorrerla será siempre una experiencia inolvidable

Dónde dormir

La región de la Toscana como todos los lugares de Italia que son intensamente visitados por los turistas, dispone de una amplia infraestructura hotelera para todos los gustos y las necesidades, sin embargo, nos permitimos recomendarle en Florencia los apartamentos Pitti, frente al Palazzo Pitti, que fue residencia de la familia Médici por muchos años. Ahora en Italia se ha puesto de moda el llamado agroturismo, en el cual el huésped comprate con otros turistas las propiedades y son un poco más económicos pero también más pintorescos.
En Pisa: El Hotel d’Azeglio y el Piccolo Hotel Puccini, mientras que en Sienna, el Hotel Pensione Palazzo Ravizza y el Hotel Certosa di Maggiano, construido sobre lo que antiguamente fuera uno de los monasterios más antiguos de la Toscana.
Mayores informes en la página www.communicart.it
Brenda Godínez O.


Gastronomía:
La cocina toscana típicamente de origen campesino, se basa en el uso del aceite de oliva, la carne y los embutidos, los jamones acompañados de pan sin sal, el pescado y los quesos, entre los que destacan la ricota y los pecorini.
Pero la Toscana es famosa sin duda alguna por sus vinos, especialmente el llamado Montalcino rosado y tinto y el mundialmente famoso Chianti por la forma especial de sus botellas y su inigualable sabor.
Estamos seguros que una visita a la Toscana, así como a sus principales ciudades, le dará una experiencia gratamente inolvidable.


 
 
 

From : The Charlotte Observer, Sun. Dec. 15, 2002

 

In Michelangelo's footsteps
In Florence, Italy, you're surrounded by history and stunning works of art
JOHN BORDSEN
Travel Editor

Daniel Meredoni, 30, is in charge of public relations for Communicart.it, a firm in Florence, Italy, that leases villas and apartments in the Tuscan region.

Q. In a nation that has cities like Rome and Venice, why visit Florence? Because it brings you back to the Renaissance: You can walk the streets that Michelangelo walked; where Machiavelli and the Medici family lived. You're right smack in the middle of history. To give you an idea: I live a block from the Duomo -- Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral -- which was built in 1290, I believe.

The city is in sort of a valley, and the Romans used the site as a point for controlling the routes that connected Rome with the northern part of their empire. Everything evolved from the Arno River, and the city has grown along it.

Florence is filled with small streets. I don't have a car: I go everywhere on a bicycle. I go to a baker a block away, then a grocery store two blocks away. This makes for a very different atmosphere.

Q. In English, the city is called Florence. Should you call it Firenze, which is the Italian name?

It's nice to adapt. Pronounce it 'fee-REN-zay'.

Q. With all the Renaissance heritage, do you have something like a Renaissance fair? We do, in June. It involves 'calcio storico' -- historical soccer -- which for Americans is a bit like a mix between rugby and football without helmets; it is played in the Piazza Santa Croce. Everyone gets dressed in medieval costumes and people from the city divide into four traditional neighborhoods and compete against each other.

Q. Are there still Medicis around?

There should be. Let me look in the phone book. Hmm. ... I'm surprised! There are 25 people and a travel agency.

Q. If you had to pick one art work to see, what would it be?

I would go see 'David', the Michelangelo statue, in the Galleria dell'Accademia. David has a totally different expression depending on where you stand when you view it. From one side, he looks like he just threw the rock and doesn't know what's going to happen. He looks scared. From the other, he looks very defiant -- self-assured and in control. From side to front to side, you see his face change and his muscle change.

Here's a tip: A lot of people go in the morning. The Academy closes around 6, so go see 'David' around 4:30 or 5. There'll be no lines. You can also call ahead to make a reservation.

Q. Where should you go for the best food? Downtown, there's a really nice trattoria away from the main tourist area. It's in a small square called Piazza della Passera, near Pitti Square, called Quattro Leoni, which means 'four lions'. Their menu is in Italian -- a good sign. Beef eaters might try the classica bistecca alla Fiorentina -- a big slab of meat. Also the bruschetta -- toasted bread with tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil on top -- or the pappa al pomodoro: soup made from bread and tomato sauce. Also the funghi porcini -- porcino mushrooms with pasta.

Q. What about a people-watching place?

Revoire, a coffee shop in Piazza della Signoria.

Q. Night life?

A place that has nice wine and isn't so touristy would be the Fuori Porta -- meaning 'outside the San Niccolo gate'. It has a nice terrace overlooking one of the old fortress walls that surround the city.

When they have happy hour, from 6 to 9 p.m. in Florence -- you go to the bars and they have appetizers. Buy a beer and try the free snacks. They serve calamari with sauce, cheeses ... not your basic American chips and things.

 
 
 

From : Berlitz florence pocket guide

 

in suggested Accommodation:
Rental villas (and apartments within villas) are available just outside Florence for those who intend to rent a car. The following web sites will help you with more information:

www.communicart.it

 
 
 

From : USATODAY.COM

 

Shop.USATODAY.com - Easy Shopping for Brand Name Products
Agenzia Communicart
City apartments, farmhouses, bed and breakfasts, and high level villas ...

 
 
 

From : Style Magazine - Il Giornale giovedì 24 Maggio 2012

 

Si chiama 'Toscana, almanacco di eventi e specialità', ma soprattutto ha un sottotitolo - 'stagione che vai, Toscana che trovi'-che spiega il succo di tutta la guida. In pratica: in questo manuale di oltre 700 pagine pensato e progettato da Veronica Ficcarelli ed edito da Communicart.it (il prezzo 16,90 euro), troverete tutto quello che vorrete sapere su tradizioni e feste popolari, arte, artigianato e musica, natura e sport, enogastronomia. In pagine originali e ben vestite dove non mancano consigli e notizie poco conosciute. E a proposito di Villa Dianella Fucini, ecco quello che si legge alla pagina 586:' è una splendida villa medicea del XVI secolo immersa nel paesaggio rilassante e rigenerante delle dolci colline toscane a pochi km da Firenze e da Pisa. La sua posizione al centro della regione la rende sistemazione ideale per l'uomo d'affari di passaggio o per il turista che intenda usarla come base per scoprire la natura e l'arte dei dintorni. L'azienda è aperta al pubblico per la vendita dei prodotti e per le degustazioni e visita delle cantine su prenotazione. Si consiglia la visita della vinsantaia e dell'orciaia'.
Villa Dianella Fucini
Via Dianella, 48
Vinci (Firenze)
Tel. 0571508166

 
 
 

From : Il Nuovo Corriere Fiorentino 30 dicembre 2011

 

Turismo di qualità

Veronica Ficcarelli ha realizzato per Le Lettere un almanacco che si ispira a una pubblicazione inglese di successo che è poi lo stesso libro versione inglese:
A Great Reason for Every Season. Florence

A fine gennaio 2012 uscirà il medesimo Almanacco ma di ben 704 pagine interamente dedicate alla Toscana!

Stagione che vai, Toscana che trovi

 
 
 

From : Travel + Leisure Magazine - February 2010

 

My Favorite Place: Emily Mortimer
Mortimer’s Travel Tips

Must-Eat in Siena

'Homemade Malfatti pasta at Osteria Le Logge (33 Via del Porrione; 39-0577/48013; lunch for two $103).'
Tuscan Villa Rentals

'Try Communicart (39-055/233-6920; communicart.it), an agency that represents 40 estates around Siena.'
Another Italian Art Gem/b>

'Sardinia’s Museo Nivola (Orani; museonivola.it) exhibits Abstract Expressionist sculptures by my husband’s grandfather Costantino Nivola.'
Most Romantic Destination

'Essaouira, Morocco, looks like the French Riviera in the 19th century. Stay at Villa Maroc (10 Rue Abdellah Ben Yassine; 212-524/47-31-47; villa-maroc.com; doubles from $130).'
A Taste of Russia

'I lived in Moscow and love Russian dumplings with sour cream. The best are at Tatiana (3152 Brighton Sixth St.; 718/891-5151; dinner for two $70), on New York City’s Brighton Beach.'
The English silver-screen actress tells T+L why family tradition keeps her coming back to Siena’s Piazza del Campo.
From February 2010 By Dani Shapiro

Like this article?
Recommend this article!

'When I was growing up, we always traveled to a rambling farmhouse in Tuscany. My dad [John Mortimer] was obsessed with Italy—in fact, he wrote a book called Summer’s Lease inspired by renting the house all those years. But within a few days of being there, we’d all be going a little stir-crazy, and we’d need to make an excursion to Siena, about 20 minutes away. Everyone would go, and we’d park in the nearby football stadium since driving is not allowed in the city center. In more recent years, even when my dad was in a wheelchair, he always insisted on a pilgrimage to see the Renaissance fresco of an equestrian painted by Simone Martini in the town hall, or Palazzo Pubblico, in Siena’s main square.

'Off we’d go, walking down quiet narrow streets with tall buildings on either side, until suddenly we were in this incredible setting—not a square, exactly, but a large, sloping, asymmetrical expanse with the Palazzo Pubblico on one side and a row of cafés on the other, where you can have an exorbitantly expensive Campari and orange juice. My family has visited the Piazza del Campo for generations, and I have such strong memories of my father there. The place remains beautiful and unchanged; it’s always filled with hundreds of pigeons. I have photographs of myself as a child feeding those pigeons, and now I also have photos of my young son, Sam, feeding them. The piazza has been meaningful to me all through my life.'

Emily Mortimer stars in Martin Scorsese’s new film, Shutter Island, set in New England and opening in theaters February 19.


Communicart
Florence, Italy

This Florence-based agency has a roster of 100 Tuscan villas. Well-connected owner Veronica Ficcarelli goes out of her way to book drivers, chefs, and cultural experts for her clients. The agency also represents 40 estates in and around Siena.

 
 
 

From : Italian Cooking and living >Book

 

Aprile 2007

Italian Cooking and living >Book

Book: Florence from a to z

There are thousands of guidebooks about the city of Florence, but Veronica Ficcarelli has written one that is different from most. Florence and its surroundings, from another point of viewexplores Florence from A to Z. The guide examines every aspect of the city from the Arno to Vin Santo. There are colorful photos to accompany the entries, as well as numerous Tuscan recipes and a weekend guide to Florence’s surrounding regions. If you want to experience the city like a Florentine, then this is the perfect guide for you! For more information or to order, log on to www.italiancookingandliving.com.

 
 
 

From : Meeting and Conventions Magazine, Sept, 2003, by Lisa Grimaldi

 

Following is a list of companies that handle rentals for incentive groups. They offer a range of choices to suit various budgets and group sizes.
Communicart, Florence, Italy

All properties are in Italy; the largest selection of venues is in Tuscany.
Prime offerings: the firm has a number of properties suitable for small and large groups.
Among them: the terra-cotta-hued villa Santa Lucia di Sopra in the picturesque Chianti region. Communicart also rents charming apartments, perfect for individual incentives, in Florence and other cities.
Maximum group size: 20
Contact: +39-0552336920 www.communicart.it

 
 
 

From : www.regione.toscana.it

 

---------------------------------------
Settimana dal 14 al 20 dicembre 2002

---------------------------------------
Sui passi di Michelangelo
In un'intervista, Daniel Meredoni, PR di Communicart, azienda fiorentina che
affitta ville e appartamenti in tutta la Toscana, dice: A Firenze si torna
indietro nel tempo, fino al Rinascimento. Si può camminare nelle strade dove
camminava Michelangelo, vedere dove vivevano Machiavelli o la famiglia de
Medici.
Charlotte Observer, Stati Uniti, 15/12/2002

 
 
 

From : Miami Herald , Sunday 28 July 2002

 

FINDING LODGING ALTERNATIVES

There are many other options including hostels (many of which welcome older travelers), camping, home exchanges, apartment rentals and college dorms.

A number of companies specialize in apartment and rental villas throughout Europe. they include:

• Communic art works with villas throughout the Italian countryside (they're actually the supplier for some other well-known sources for villa rentals). (011-39-55) 233-6920; www.communicart.it.

 
 
 

From : PC OPEN N. 51 - may 2000

 

Un vero cammeo che abbiamo scoperto all'ultima edizione della Bit, è Communicart un network italiano che raggruppa sotto il suo marchio una buona varietà di agriturismi, appartamenti e bed & breakfast localizzati in tutta l'Italia. Questa organizzazione vuole promuovere questo nuovo tipo di turismo attraverso qualità e servizi efficienti per il turista. Nel sito di Communicart non sono elencati tantissime offerte, tuttavia quelle presenti sono molto dettagliate ed arricchite da foto e descrizioni molto curate.

 
 
 

From : Budget Travel Magazine Nov. 2000

 

For a source closer to the action, try Veronica Ficcarelli, the vivacious 30-year-old owner of Italian firm Communicart , (Viale Machiavelli, 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy; tel./fax 011-39-055/233-6920, www.communicart.it). Ficcarelli, a former advertising and public relations executive in Florence, started out acting as agent for her family's country house--a spectacular eight-bedroom, fifteenth-century mansion--and, through passaparola (word of mouth) among owners, now represents 25 homes in the Tuscany area. Although she works with other European agencies that tack on their own commission, Ficcarelli also deals directly with renters and speaks fluent English. Her best deals are apartments on large, glamorous estates. One example: Quercia al Poggio is an imposing eighteenth-century stone pile on a farm that produces wine and olive oil, in the heart of Chianti country. One-bedroom units in the building start at only $484 in high season, less in other months, and are equipped with full kitchens, some with dishwasher and washing machine. Also ask about Ficcarelli's selection of bed-and-breakfasts starting at $70/day and guided day trips to local wineries.

 
 
 

Communicart è un'agenzia di comunicazione e marketing che promuove la Toscana, specializzata nel settore del turismo, dell'artigianato, dell'enogastronomia e degli eventi unici organizzati nella nostra regione. Il nostro slogan, è "the insider's point of view", proprio perchè abbiamo creato un meccanismo di promozione delle proprietà e di creazione/pubblicazione di mappe e guide cartacee e digitali attraverso la collaborazione e partecipazione di proprietari, produttori ed operatori dei vari settori, che hanno condiviso con noi il nostro progetto.


Cosa ci rende speciali