CAP Bus from Florence

Kris, I just Googled 'cap bus florence' and got......... http://www.capautolinee.it/Default.asp.........Click on "Orari", then on the fuschia-colored "I", and there is a route map and all possible combos of hours (M-F, S-S, Holidays, etc.). I hope this helps!

I get a server error with that URL [INVALID] and even if I shorten it before "default." That may be the site I found before in which I saw the map and the "I" line, but because it was in Italian I didn't know where to find the schedule! Even the link for ticket info seemed to take me to what I believe is the ticket office... I'll try your link again later and see if I can avoid the error message. Thanks!

Kris, I just tried it and it's working now; it may have been down for the night. Some of these European sites can be tricky, too. When you get to that route map, you have to scroll down for the schedule.

Okay, so I got the link to work and I saw the route map AND I even found the schedule. I don't mean to appear so dense, but from what I see on their PDF schedule is that there is no service between Florence and Impruneta on Sunday. Is that true?!?! We were hoping to attend the Grape Festival on Sunday, Sept 26th! Granted, my Italian is very rusty, but I did use Google Translate to verify the days of the week they listed on the schedule...

Ooooh, sorry about the Sunday no-bus 8^(. That's not terribly unusual in Italy - you should be home eating Sunday lunch with Mamma...The fact that it's only 30 mins b/n Florence and Impruneta by bus means you may be able to work out a deal with a taxi driver - maybe get a Florence driver to take you there, get his business card, then call him for a pick-up. Or, maybe you could get a ride back from someone in Impruneta...I don't know if they are large enough for taxi service, but probably so if they're having a wine festival.

The Festivo schedule may be the Sunday schedule, as it appears the only days the "I" bus doesn't run are New Years, Easter, May 1 and Christmas. Once in Florence, you might ask your hotel to call CAP and confirm the Sunday schedue.

Many thanks to you both. I think we will get to the festival (and back) some way or another! IF the CAP bus isn't in service, I found taxi cost estimates at 25-30 Euro each way. We are determined!

Kris, come back and lets know your impressions of the wine festival - AND the transportation situation. And I'm with Frank; I oh-so-briefly had the same thought, but I was trying to type while fighting off our new kitten...OY! (perhaps she had the answer you were looking for; now we'll never know)

I WILL do that! Thanks again!

Okay, so I'm back and I have the scoop: A previous poster is correct. As far as the bus schedules are concerned "Festivo" not only means holidays, but also Sundays. The CAP bus WAS running on Sunday, Sept. 26th - the day of the Grape Festival in Impruneta - but on a limited schedule. Even then, it wasn't going into the center of the city because the city center was closed for the festival. The limited schedule didn't quite jive with our schedule (though if we really tried we could've made it), so we didn't take it. I found taxi estimates beforehand, which are a few Euros more on Sundays, that were 30-35 Euros. A few days before leaving for Europe, I also researched tour/transfer companies for prices, which were as high as 100 Euros and as low as 70 Euros. But, I negotiated a rate and we got there and back for 50 Euros during times of our choosing that better fit our schedule. It was still about double the cost of the CAP bus for two people, but I'm okay splurging for those special times. The transfer service ended up bringing a Mercedes minivan, so imagine the savings had we been going with a few other couples! The Grape Festival was AWESOME. I'm so glad we went.

Kris, thanks so much for coming back and reporting what you did AND the other options you looked at. Were the grapes tasty?!? Sometimes they squish them all and make a juice out of them...bummer ;-) And thanks a whole bunch ('bunch' - get it?!? sorry) for yet ANOTHER item to add to my 'Want To Do in Europe' list...

We had a blast - and the grapes were yummy and straight off one of the floats! Here's a bit from a report I posted on another travel site for folks considering a future Festa dell'Uva di Impruneta: Impruneta blocks off most of the city center to traffic. Tickets are sold on the streets as you enter the portion of the city that is dedicated to the festival. This year, tickets were 7 euros. The parade started at 3:30 p.m. Even though there are only four regions that compete in the fesitval's parade, this is NOT just a bunch of people in costumes escorting floats. These floats are elaborately decorated, some practically coated in grapes. There are pyrotechnics, confetti, music (a lot of American music), and choreograped dance routines to tell the "story." The floats and parade participants enter the town's center, circle around and end up front and center for their main performance. This year, the parade ended around 6:20 p.m., but I figure it usually wraps up closer to 6 p.m. There was an accident [INVALID] I think somebody fell from a balcony onto the crowd below, but even though we were less than 100 feet away from the commotion, we never confirmed that [INVALID] and three people were injured and rushed off in ambulances, so that [INVALID]d a distraction and delay. After the parade concluded, security opened the gates surrounding the center and the festival was "officially" over, though the vendors remained open, people socialized, and attendees could go down the street and see the floats up close [INVALID] and if they're lucky, could be given some grapes from off of the displays. (YUM!) We estimate attendance in the thousands and by the time we got there, around 3:15 p.m., it was a madhouse and we had a difficult time finding places to see the parade. So, if you want a good view in the stands or along the street, go earlier than we did!