Event Listing
LAIKA Factory Visit
A rally to Tuscany combined with a tour of the LAIKA factory
At Camping Village Il Poggetto, Troghi, Firenze
Via Fiorentina, 212 – 50067 Troghi – Firenze - Italy
Approx 160 Euros, Deposit £50 (non returnable)
Organiser: Paul Lawrence
The club are delighted to announce details of our much anticipated trip to Tuscany to incorporate a visit to the state-of-the-art LAIKA factory. Our visit will be incorporated with a 5 night rally in Tuscany near the historic city of Firenze.
Tuscany Rally – 28th April, 5 nights, departing 3rd May
Site: Camping Village Il Poggetto, Troghi, Firenze (ACSI site 2604)
Date: Arrival 28th April, Departure 3rd May 2025
Approximate Cost: €29 per night
Additional Costs: €1 per person per night City Tax
Included: Pitch, Electric HU, 2 persons, 1 dog, WiFi, (maybe a charge for second dog – we’re checking)
Facilities: Restaurant, Swimming Pool, Shop, Bike Rentals, Bus stop outside site
Payment: £50 non-returnable deposit, payable by bank transfer to club account. Final payment of balance must be paid to club account 14 days prior to first night (no later than 14th April 2025)
Places: This rally is limited to 12 units on a first come basis. After this number the club will operate a waiting list should there be cancellations.
Factory Visit
Our factory visit will take place on 30th April 2025. For safety reasons this visit will normally be timed for the end of the working day. LAIKA are very proud of what they do and of their facilities and will be keen to show you just how your pride and joy is put together.
The factory is built on the site of ancient ruins (discovered during, and delaying, the build of the factory). We will explore whether there is an option to view this site during our visit.
Useful Information
The rally will span over the Italian ‘Labor Day’ holiday, and unlike the UK this always falls on 1st May regardless of the day of the week. Alert: if you are planning on travelling and staying in Italy ahead of the rally you should be aware of the preceding bank holiday which is ‘Liberation Day’ and falls on 25th April. Liberation day is an Italian holiday that commemorates the victory of the Italian resistance movement over the Nazis and ultimately the liberation of Italy from German occupation. Liberation Day is a major holiday in Italy and is regarded as one the most important historical dates. There are many celebrations on the day and the period is a popular holiday time for Italians. Public buildings, banks, and many services will be shut on this day. The club recommends that if you are staying in Italy over this holiday you should make advanced arrangements for a suitable site, Sostas (the Italian equivalent of French Aires) may be busy during this period as will coastal resorts.
There are no plans for a ‘convoy’ to or from the rally location but is it is likely that various members will meet up at various locations either side of the rally. We would encourage members to share travel plans so that members can hook up along the way if that is of interest to those attending.
