September, 3rd, 2011 — Elisa & Matt got married!
Photos
The Venue
Pieve de´ Pitti
Villa Pieve de´ Pitti is the venue for our wedding ceremony and reception. The Villa is located in the countryside of Terricciola, in the heart of Tuscany, surrounded by the vineyards of Sangiovese and Malvasia.
The nearest town (9 miles away) is Casciana Terme, a small, unspoilt town, famous for its natural thermal spa. Larger towns, Volterra (15 miles south) and Pontedera (14 miles north) are also nearby.
Getting there
Address
GPS: 43.506293, 10.708644
Email: guest@infinity-weddingsandevents.it
Flying
Pisa
Pisa (Galileo Galilei) International Airport is the closest airport to the venue. It is located one mile north of Pisa city centre. The airport is relatively small and easy to get to (by train, bus, taxi or car).
There are a number of car hire companies operating out of the airport (Auto Europa, Avis, Easy Car, Eurocar, Hertz, Liberty Rent International, Maggiore Budget, Thrifty Italy and Sixt) and you can be on the main motorway (Superstrada Fi-Pi-Li) in minutes.
Florence (Firenze) can be reached by train in less than one hour from Pisa airport. The train station is a short walk from the airport arrivals area.
RyanAir, Jet2, Easyjet and BA all fly to Pisa Airport.
Bologna
Bologna (G. Marconi) International Airport is approximately 4 miles from Bologna city centre. You can take a shuttle bus from the airport to the central station (about 20 mins away) where trains regularly depart to both Florence and Pisa.
Florence
Depending on where you are flying from, Florence (Firenze) Airport might also be an option. A shuttle bus operates from the terminal to Santa Maria Novella railway station (Firenze SMN).
Trains
The Italian railway network is a great way to get around. The trains are on-time, affordable and can be booked online in advance of your journey.
One important piece of advice, always remember to validate (stamp) your ticket before boarding the train. Look for the yellow boxes inside the station before you get on (conductors will ask to see your ticket and will enforce fines on non-validated tickets). For printed tickets bought online, read the advice on the ticket regarding validation and proof of ID.
The nearest station to the wedding venue is Pontedera, where a taxi can take you directly to the venue (9 miles away).
Click here to read more about traveling by train in Italy, or here to book tickets online.
Where to stay
Booking
We recommend that you book accommodation as early as possible, since September is still part of the Italian summer holiday season. The closest towns to the wedding venue are Casciana Terme and Volterra.
On our wedding day we hope to provide a shuttle bus to and from the venue (for guests staying in the nearby area). Once you have booked your accommodation please do let us know if you would like to make use of this service, so we can arrange a pick-up.
Feel free to contact us if you cannot find accommodation that suits. Our wedding planner has been very helpful in providing us with alternative recommendations.
Hotels
The nearest town is Casciana Terme, a charming medieval town about 20 minutes drive from Pieve de´ Pitti. Due to its popularity, accommodation may be difficult to secure. We have checked, and (at this time) Hotel La Speranza does have rooms available. Again, early booking is recommended.
Voterra, is a larger town close to Pieve de´ Pitti (16 miles away) and may have more options and availability. The following hotels have been recommended to us:
Apartments
If you are interested in extending your visit for a week (prior to, or after the wedding) you may want to consider staying in an apartment on the grounds of Pieve de´ Pitti.
Il Poggetto, a renovated farmhouse and Il Selvino, a country house, both have apartments available (however they both require a minimum booking of one week).
Please note that we have pre-booked all six of the regular rooms in Il Selvino (for family and friends).
Schedule
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd
We'll be adding more information here soon. We expect the wedding ceremony to begin around 3.30pm.
Things to do
Local area
Casciana Terme is a charming unspoiled medieval town famous for its thermal spa. The Termedi Casciana wellness centre provides a range of therapeutic and beauty treatments. Gran Caffé delle Terme is also a great spot for a morning coffee in the Piazza.
Activities & Day Trips
For information on local activities (Italian cooking lessons, wine-tasting, cycling, horse riding or even hot air ballon rides!) you can contact Sara (our helpful Italian wedding planner).
Nearby towns & cities
Florence
Florence (Firenze) is a beautiful city that is definitely worth a visit if you have the time. It can be easily reached by car or train from Pisa or Pontedera. You can also take the bus directly from Pisa airport (via the Terravision bus service).
Florence is a gem for art lovers, it is the home to Michelangelo's David, Botticelli's Birth of Venus, and Raphael's Madonnas. Other must-sees include the Duomo, Campanile & Bapiststry, the Piazza della Signoria (for people watching), the Ponte Vecchio (laden with jewellery shops) and Piazzale Michelangelo.
Pisa
Pisa is situated at the mouth of the River Arno on the Ligurian Sea and is the main gateway into Tuscany. It is famous for its leaning tower, art, architecture (and many tourists).
Siena
Siena is one of Italy's best preserved medieval towns, located in the heart of Tuscany. Built on three hills and surrounded by well preserved walls, it is filled with fine examples of Gothic architecture and has one of the world's most unique piazzas, Piazza del Campo.
Volterra
Volterra ('Vol' meaning volcano and 'Terra' meaning land) is a beautiful medieval walled town (about 16 miles from the wedding venue). It is full of narrow cobbled streets and quaint shops. Recently the latest film in the Twilight Saga was filmed here.
Other
San Gimignano is a pretty medieval walled city, famous for its beautiful towers and great art. It's small enough to be visited as a day trip from nearby cities.
Pontedera is home to a Vespa (scooter) factory where there is a small but pretty Piaggio Museum. Finally, you can visit a beautiful hill-top castle, Il Castello dei Vicari di Lari in the small village of Lari.