What the heck is that image above?
Could it be Tuscan DNA or a new kind of pasta... Actually it's an old hand rail attached to an old building, without the old building.

Should we buy travel insurance?
Yes... This is another subject you should discuss with your travel agent. Travel insurance could cover the cost of your airfare and your rental fee at Il Rifugio should a last minute cancellation of your travel plans be necessary. Check out the Travel Insurance category on our Links page.

Will we need to rent a car?
No... It isn't necessary to rent a car to participate in the workshops. We will provide all workshop related transportation while you are here. We can also provide transportation to and from the train station or Cortona on free days. Pick up at the train station on arrival day and drop off at the train station on departure day is also provided. Special arrangement for pick up and drop off at an airport can also be arranged for a fee.

How is the public transportation?
Good... The train and bus service is excellent. There are two train stations close to Cortona and both are less than 15 minutes from Il Rifugio by car. A train ride to Florence is little over an hour and to Rome a little over 2 hours. Busses are available that depart from Cortona to much of the surrounding area.

Do we need a special license to drive in Italy?
Yes... If you decide to rent a car for travel before or after the workshop, you need to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive and in most cases to rent a car in Italy. The IDP is a translation of your driver's license so you need to bring your actual drivers license when you go to get your IDP. You can get an IDP at the AAA (Automobile Association of America). It is good for one year. Here is a link to the AAA web site about obtaining an IDP.

What kind of clothes should we bring?
Comfortable... Unless you plan to attend a formal function, it is best to dress comfortably. It has been my experience that Italians are very fashion conscience but non judgmental and besides, they are not traveling. It is probably a good idea to bring clothes that you can layer such as a sweater in the Spring and Fall season, light clothing during the Summer and some worm clothes in the Winter. It's always a good idea to have a compact umbrella on hand just in case of rain. A good comfortable pair of walking shoes are essential.

What will the weather be like?
Seasonal... Tuscan has four distinct seasons, and in general the weather is delightful, especially in spring, summer, and fall. Expect a certain amount of Mediterranean heat in July and August, sporadic rainfall in October and November, and cold winter nights with an occasional dusting of snow (lasting no more than a day or two on the ground) from January through March. Each season, too, has its delights: waves of wildflowers all spring, a toasting sun in summer, the olive harvest in autumn, and the silent beauty of winter.

Are arrival and departure times strict?
Yes... We aren't control freaks. It's just that we need the time from departure of one party at 10:00 AM to the arrival of another party at 3:00 PM to completely clean the house, change and wash all the linens and restore order.

That being said we do understand that problems beyond our control happen all the time and we want to do our best to accommodate you. Please keep us informed of any changes in your schedule as soon as they happen, and we will do everything in our power to help you in any way we can. If you do arrive very early or very late, our best alternative may be to find a hotel room for you until we can get you back on schedule.

Is a house phone or cell phone available?
Yes... There is a telephone at Il Rifugio and we provide international calling cards for your use at no charge. We only ask that you be reasonable about use. We also have a cell phone available.

Is there Internet access at Il Rifugio?
Yes... If you bring your laptop with you, in most cases you can set up a normal dial-up connection to the Internet. We do not charge for use but we do ask that you be considerate to the others in the workshop and be reasonable about use.

Should we bring any electrical adapters?
Not necessary... We provide all of the necessary electrical adapters. Unless you have some special needs you should be fine.

Are there screens on the windows?
Most... All the bedroom windows and some of the other windows have screens.

Is there air-conditioning at Il Rifugio?
No... It is very rare to find air-conditioning in a private home in Italy and this is true for Il Rifugio to. If the weather happens to be hot while you are staying at Il Rifugio, you can follow this time-honored tradition: close all doors, windows and drapes during the day to keep the sun out. In the cool of the evening, open up everything again until morning. This works especially well in the country with houses such as Il Rifugio, where the tick stone walls act as insulation from the heat in summer and the cold in winter

Should we bring our own towels?
Not necessary... We provide you with plenty of clean wash cloths, bath, hand and kitchen towels. Save some room in your suitcase for any purchases you may like to take back with you.

How do we deal with our laundry?
Two ways... There are two ways you can handle your laundry needs:Do it at Il Rifugio or take it to a laundromat. There is a state-of-the-art washer and dryer at Il Rifugio; just be aware that washing machines in Italy, and Europe in general, take up to 3 hours to do a load.

How is handicapped accessibility?
Not so good... Handicapped accessibility is not as prevalent in Europe as it is in the US. You should be aware that most public buildings such as museums typically do not have wheelchair accessibility. In addition, city centers and train transportation can be extremely difficult. If you must travel with a wheelchair, consider bringing the smallest, narrowest chair possible as doorways often have small openings. In addition we suggest you have someone who can carry you up or down stairs in an emergency. If you have a handicap of any kind please let us know so we can inform you of some of the challenges and do what we can to help you overcome them.

Are the store hours the same as in the US?
No... This can really get tricky and could make you crazy if you don't pay attention. In general all shops except restaurants close at 1:00 PM every day and reopen between 4:00 PM and 5:30 PM, depending on the shop, the time of year and the whim of the shop owner. There are also seasonal half-day closings on Wednesday, when certain shops stay closed for the rest of the afternoon.

For future reference, it is best to jot down store hours of any shop that interests you as soon as you can. These are typically posted on the door or a window of the shop. However, we suggest you avoid critical planning based on the accuracy of the posted hours, especially with the smaller shops.

What can we do that doesn't cost much?
Lots... I'm glad you asked! Of course not everybody will be thrilled with the simple things that entertain me, but if you are interested please check out the Things To Do page on this web site. Here you will find a list of simple, free activities while visiting Il Rifugio or exploring Cortona. And just remember, for the price of a cappuccino or a glass of wine, you can watch the world go by on Via National, in Cortona.

Is it difficult to communicate?
No... The local people in Cortona are very friendly and patient with foreigners. They will do their best to make themselves understood and to understand you. Actually, many shop owners and younger people understand and speak English quite well. You may want to take an Italian language course while in Italy, for your own pleasure or for more in-depth conversations and ease of reading museum labels, etc. If you are interested, please mention this when you book Il Rifugio as we can arrange for group or hourly private lessons.

Are pets allowed at Il Rifugio?
No... Although we have a pet and understand the attachment people have to their pets, we do not allow pets to stay at Il Rifugio. There are several reasons, ranging from our belief that long-term travel is hard on most animals to the fact that you may be jeopardizing your pets health by bringing it to an area where there are potential health and safety issues (insects, wild animals, etc.).

We therefore ask that you leave your pets at home while staying at Il Rifugio. Send them a post card once in a while and bring them home a souvenir and I'm sure they will forgive you.

What is a Cinghiale?
A Pig... A cinghiale is a wild boar that roams the countryside. Cinghiale are highly sought after by local hunters and many Tuscan recipes, including the pasta dishes with "cinghiale sauce" found in local restaurants, feature cinghiale meat. Don't worry, even though cinghiale are in the neighborhood of Il Rifugio, they are basically shy, nocturnal animals, as eager to avoid you as you are to avoid them. In other words, you are less rather than more likely to have a cinghiale-sighting during your visit.

Is it difficult to exchange currency?
No... This can be done at any bank in Italy or better yet, you can use a 'bank-o-mat' (auto teller... Cortona has at least 3) to draw money from a credit or debit card. With the change over to the Euro (€) for currency, money transactions are much easier to understand these days. It's a good idea to have some Euro currency with you when you arrive. This will be useful to hold you over until you can get to a bank. Most banks in the US provide a currency exchange service (for a fee) but you might try a local coin shop. Some coin shops have enough foreign currency on hand to meet your needs and often charge a lower transaction fee than the banks.

What does the Euro currency look like?
Take a look...

What are the national holidays in Italy?
They are...
January 1 - New Year's Day
January 6 - Epiphany
Easter Sunday & Monday
April 25 - Liberation Day
May 1 - Labor Day
June 29 - Saint Peter's and Saint Paul's Day
August 15 - Ferragosto (The Assumption of Mary)
November 1 - All Saints' Day
December 8 - Immaculate Conception
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 26 - Santo Stefano

What does a Cinghiale's breath smell like?
Bad... Just want to see if you are actually reading all of the questions.