Help planning a trip to Tuscany?

Many religious retreats actually have guests rooms........that are technially free to visiting "guests".......but of course, they appreciate a little "donation" on your way out the door. Try researching a few of those kinds of places, to save on Hotel costs. Youth Hostels are another option.

The main city in Tuscany is Florence (Firenze in Italian), but Pisa has an international airport. Pisa itself is not that interesting, the only thing is has going for it is the leaning tower complex (and each attraction in it is very expensive to enter) and a rather pretty church perched on the bank of the river in the city centre. Compared to other towns in Tuscany, it's quite boring. You can get around Tuscany on the trains, but also on the buses, quite cheaply. And there are hostels, budget hotels, and even convents where you can get cheap accommodation - clean but not fancy. Also, for food, rather than eating in 'ristorante', look for 'trattoria', 'spaghetteria' and 'pizzeria' a little off the beaten track - these are generally family-run places where you can eat well for relatively little money. And I strongly advise investing in a good travel guide book for Tuscany, it's well worth the money. Get it before you travel so you're prepared.