Miscellaneous

Prada (23 km from RAPALE)

The outlet, close to the Prada headquarter, is one of the biggest factory outlets, sure to be full of Japanese tourists who arrive by the bus load! At busier periods, you have to take a numbered ticket and wait your turn just to get in. Pass the time in the stylish bar next to the shop. Men and women wear from Prada, Mui Mui and Helmut Lang. As well as clothes, you can also find shoes, bags and other leather goods. Discounts up to 50% of the items of previous year.

To reach Prada:

• Go down to the 540 main road and turn right
• Proceed straight until you find a traffic light at LEVANE
• Turn left and proceed for about 3 km until the next traffic light
• Turn right and follow indication SPACE (it is the name of Prada outlet)

Opening times: from Monday to Sunday from 10:30 to 19:30, on Saturday from 9:30 to 19:30.

Ambra Shoes - Calzaturificio F.lli Pratesi (10 km from RAPALE)

You may buy shoes and leather hand-bags of satisfactory quality for a reasonable price. To reach Ambra shoes:

• Go down to the 540 main road and turn right and proceed straight for 7 km
• The outlet is on the right of the main road. Address: Via Dante Alighieri, 83, 52020 Ambra

Parking is available for the customers. Opening times: from Monday to Friday 10.30-13 and 15.30-19, Saturday amd Sunday 10-13 and 15.30-19

Valdichiana Outlet Village (40 km from RAPALE)

An outlet village with dozens of shops selling products at discounted prices. Shops include: Guess, Calzedonia (tights, socks and swimwear), Mila Schon, Calvin Klein, Swatch, Nike, Benneton, and many many more. There are also plenty of bars to catch a quick snack to keep you going while bargain hunting!

• Take the 4-lane motorway Siena-Perugia direction ROMA
• Exit at the intersection with the toll motorway A1 Milano-Roma
• Follow the indication VALDICHIANA OUTLET

Opening times: every day from 10 to 20. Website: https://www.valdichianavillage.it/en/home

The Mall (55 km from RAPALE)

A large discount shopping mall near FLORENCE. Labels include Yves St. Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Giorgio Armani, Loro Piana, Sergio Rossi and Gucci. If you are not shopped out, Fendi and D&G are close by. To reach the Mall:

• Enter the toll motorway A1 at the inlet VALDARNO and proceed towards FIRENZE
• Exit at INCISA
• Follow the indication MALL.

Opening times: every day from 10 to 19. Website: https://www.themall.it/en/

• In Siena, Dante Alighieri School https://www.artandcooking.com/: they do cooking lessons in English from Monday to Thursday, both lunch and dinner. Prices are changing every year (in 2017 € 70), so check online for prices and availability. You can also book online. The prepared meal can be enjoyed by not only cooking class' participants, but also friends and relatives who, maybe, have just had a tour in Siena in the meanwhile (€ 20 per person)
• In Siena, Tuscan cooking class: https://www.viator.com/tours/Siena/Tuscan-Cooking-Class-in-Siena/d944-5919COOKING .   The class is in English and you can book online. The price per person is $ 92.56 and lessons fit for over 8 years old children.

• At the Farm Le Pietre Vive in MONTAPERTI, 20 minutes from Rapale. Price: € 100 adult, € 50 under 12 years old. https://cookingclassesintuscany.it Mobile +39 333 4663208 (Nicola)

  lepietrevive.it - info@lepietrevive.it

• A local chef (Mamma) can come directly to your apartment. She doesn't speak English, but we may somewhat help her. You make together the decision of the Italian menu to be prepared. Possibly, go together to an open air market for buying the ingredients. Prepare together the meals while the instructions are given. You pay for all the ingredients plus a fee (not per person, but all included except ingredients). Ask Luca for availability.

Valdambra

• Located in the hills of the Val d'Ambra at an altitude of about 300 meters, the Poggio Molina Farms, Tuscan Wine company, includes about 90 hectares, 16 0f which vineyards

To taste Chianti Classic (Gallo Nero) we suggest:

• BROLIO winery which belongs to the family of the Conte Bettino Ricasoli who developed the Chianti 150 years ago. (See "Chianti Classic Tour"). Booking is required at https://www.ricasoli.com/en/tour/ . Note that there are few tours a day, so to find availability you should book a few days in advance.

You can enjoy various kinds of tours (e.g. Sunset Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tour Picnic Day). Watercolor lessons and Cooking demonstrations are also available.

• FELSINA winery having a magic old cellar with wood barrel. You can have guided tours in English every day from 10 am to 19 pm. Booking is needed calling +39 0577 355117 or at https://www.felsina.it/en/contact/ (See "Chianti Classic Tour")
• CANTALICI winery offering guided tours of the wine cellar and the ancient kiln with tasting of wine and olive oil. Open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tel. +39 0577 731038 https://www.cantalici.it/en/ Ask Gisella for a free wine tasting voucher.

To taste Brunello wine, go to MONTALCINO (See "Crete Senesi and Val d'Orcia").

At 14 km from Rapale, there is the renowned thermal baths of RAPOLANO TERME having swimming pool with natural hot water, beauty treatments and mud massage.

You may choose between two options:

• Terme San Giovanni: wide pools and nice panorama: check prices at https://www.termesangiovanni.it/en/thermalpools/timetable-rates
  
• La Querciolaia, smaller but less expensive thermal bath

Website in Italian: https://www.termeaq.it

To reach this hydro:

• Go through the whole town of RAPOLANO TERME
• Follow the indication ASCIANO until on your right you find the sign for TERME SAN GIOVANNI.

"VAS" Accademy": Polo Experience - Riding lesson Horse riding sourrinding the Polo Club and the Vineyards, finishing with a pick-nick offer by the Organitation. Contact instructor Pepe Paseyro +39 3334825120 – ppcasares01@gmail.com

- CHIANTI RIDING for  Expert at Within 5 km from Rapale - You need advanced booking at 0039 339 8318519

- SALTALBERO - - Rapolano - For children a not expert at Rapolano - Reference

Ruben + 39 388 9338333

- RENDOLA RIDING - Close to Bucine tel + 39 055 9707045

- PARADISO DEL CAVALLO  - Localita' la Locaia, str. di Lecceto - +39 3913728621

Saltalbero - Rapolano Termne

Saltalbero is an adventure park near Rapolano Terme, immersed in nature, and full of games and attractions for children of all ages and for adults too. The Adventure Park consists of a set of acrobatic courses suspended at different heights from the ground, generally installed on tall trees or, in some cases, also on wooden poles or rock walls. The park is equipped with 7 acrobatic courses differentiated by age and level of difficulty. There is also an area for the youngest, equipped for them to have fun in freedom and safety, enjoying a full day immersed in nature.

Crocodile,  MONTE SAN SAVINO (14 km from Rapale)

Waterpark with pool games and slides

Circuito di Siena

At about 14 km from RAPALE there is a go-kart circuit used for international races Karts for all different age - from 10 years old and so on - may be rented in this circuit.

You may find, on weekly basis, the following open-air markets where you can buy fresh vegetables and any other kinds of merchandise.

• Monday: PERGINE, LATERINA
• Tuesday: AMBRA
• Wednesday: SIENA, MONTE SAN SAVINO, BUCINE
• Thursday: MONTEVARCHI, CASTELNUOVO BERARDENGA, RAPOLANO TERME
• Friday: BADIA AGNANO
• Saturday: AREZZO, SAN GIOVANNI VALDARNO

At 20 km, 20 minutes, from Rapale you may have a fantastic trip by hot air balloon with Chianti Ballooning . The "ballooning season" is approximately late spring to early autumn with annual variation. From the vantage point of a hot air balloon, you can admire luxuriant woodlands, ancient cities, hills and vineyards. You really get a fabulous perspective from a hot air balloon.

Check on the web site to find the instructions to reach the taking-off sites. The one near Siena is a small parking area just off the Casetta-Monteaperti junction on the motorway Siena- Perugia, direction Siena.

At about 30 Km from RAPALE there is the Chianti Sculpture Park, a permanent exhibition of contemporary sculptures. The main characteristic of the Park is the integration of art and nature. Each artist visited the wood and made a site-specific proposal for the place chosen. The harmony of the sculptures with the trees, the sounds, the colors and the light is total.

During the months of July and August it's also possible to enjoy beautiful concerts of classical music, jazz, opera, tango and other styles in the intimate setting of the Amphitheatre.

Usually every Sunday in the Church of Rapale there is the Catholic Mass. Since sometimes the priest cannot come, please check with Gisella about the hour of the Mass.

Five minutes before the beginning of the Mass, the bells of the church tower ring.

At Poggio Molina Know and find the truffle through a simulation with Tartufaio and his faithful companion Lagotto. The truffles collected will be used in the preparation of dishes and combined with our wines by our sommelier tel +39 393 932 7573

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Painting courses, individual or group with Giancarlo Arrigucci , +39 348 700 9110 giancarlo.arrigucci@gmail.com. Per information - https://giancaarrigucci.altervista.org/
WHAT WE WILL Do: Workshop (individual or collective) or the techniques that interest you. Creatillg and using colors. Acrylic, oil, tempera or watercolor. -

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