! day in Rome-Should we get an earlier start?

You can do it. You CAN do it! Yes, late July is really crowded at the Colosseum (and everywhere else). I know, I'm there the last 2 weeks of July every year. The RS walk isn't bad by any means. I wouldn't think too much in terms of "we have to keep a schedule" because the temperatures and humidity can knock you for a loop. Shade, water, gelato will help keep it all bearable. And go slowly, slowly! Rome is a great walking city, especially for the Centro Storico area. You'll find plenty to see which means plenty of places to stop and rest a bit. If 'Rome wasn't built in a day' it also cannot be seen in a day. So, do what you can, see what you can, and enjoy it! You don't mention the return trip. I suggest a leisurely dinner and evening stroll (you can actually see plenty of the important sites in the evening or even after dark) then, I guess, take the train back to Florence. You will all be tired, have great memories and stories to tell. Isn't that the point of a vacation? The security lines at everything can be a hastle. That's how our world is these days unfortunately.

If you have three quarters of an hour drive to Florence station (do you expect to use SMN or Rifredi or Campo di Marte station?) are you sure that that is the closest station to your house in the boonies?

Are you aware of ZTLs? Florence is infamous for them.

Of course you have your IDPs, right?

Have you driven in Italy? Do you know Florence like the back of your hand?

You will be driving into Florence at morning rush hour. It will be crazy. If you try this, you will need to leave at least an hour earlier IMO.

I would be very frustrated trying to do Rome as a day trip, much less traveling from Florence. There is just so much available closer to where you are staying. Save Rome for another trip.

I agree it's insane to do Rome as a day trip from Florence, let alone when you're staying 45-50 minutes outside of Florence. There are so-o-o many other beautiful places you could visit for a change of pace that are nearer to Florence. Or, you could spring for a hotel room in Rome the night before and give yourself a full day to do your "main sites" whirlwind.

hi diane
IMHO this is too much, (20 minutes to get out of bed and leave with 6 people??) plus driving almost an hour from your AIRbnb, hoping no issues come up (traffic, accidents, pit stop, etc). like other poster mentioned rent a room in rome for a night. The crowds, the heat, waiting in lines, tired and grumpiness from everyone, the metro and walking, getting lost. then your long ride back to florence and drive to "the boonies" per nigel. this is not a day in my vacation i would even think of doing or planning. sorry to burst your bubble. happy travels

So getting out of bed at 6:30 to leave at 6:50

A family of six will eat/shower/dress in 20 minutes?

Doing the Colosseum, Forum and Vatican all in one day, and commuting from Florence to do it, seems more like an endurance challenge than an enjoyable vacation touring day.

Not how I would choose to spend a day, but its your trip to do as you choose. Good luck.

I bought train tickets from Florence to Rome getting us into Rome at
10:17. The train leaves Florence at 8:52. Our Airbnb house is a 45 to
50 min drive away from Florence.

Diane, are you SURE you're not closer to a train station than Florence? It would help to know exactly where you're going to be as instead of changing to an earlier time, you might want to change your departure station to avoid rush-hour traffic. Or take a train to Florence from somewhere closer to you. Too late now but a rental an hour away from Florence isn't really "central" day-tripping distance from Rome, IMHO. Sounds like you're going to spend at least 6 hours of your day, if not more, with the transit process to do this.

Your other issue is trying to cover Rome's busiest - and in the case of the Vatican museums, the most time-consuming - attractions in approx. 1/2 a day. You don't have the FULL day, starting earlier in the morning through the evening, for Rick's "plan". For a less crazy visit to the Eternal City, you might want to consider the suggestion to write off one night at your Airbnb and stay the night in Rome? It will be additional cost but give you a tad more breathing room: you can spend part of the next morning exploring before heading back north. You'll also have the evening for taking in a few more outdoor attractions.

I bought tickets ahead for the Colosseum, Forum and the Vatican
museums to skip the lines, however I read that the security lines can
still make you wait maybe up to an hour. we are going at the end of
July during the busy season.

Yes, it's true that even with advance tickets the security queue line at the Colosseum can be an hour long during high season. If the arena is full to capacity, they have to wait to let people in until other people leave. The Vatican's security line moves pretty quickly but your advance tickets are time sensitive so you need to have eyes on the clock to be there whenever that is (what time did you book for?)

Next point: you only have 3 nights at the airBNB to do "everything" you want to from there? Without knowing where you're coming from first or what the rest of your itinerary is, that's 2.5 days, tops. With 1 exhausting day spent in Rome, that only leaves you 1.5 days for that "everything" else. Gosh, it's a little concerning that you may have overextended what you can do, and especially having to herd 6 people around? (20 minutes from bed to car? Really?) Depending on your itinerary, do you really need a remote location + car or would trains and accommodation closer to a major hub possibly serve you a little more efficiently?

I don't think any of us mean to throw a wet towel on your plans but there's just enough in this single post to raise some red flags. We care that Rome is a positive experience for ya'll and not an overwhelming, exhausting, clock-watching race! :O)

Hi Diane

I know it sounds redundant since you already have a car but would you consider hiring a car service to drive you to/from your Airb2b and the Florence train station? A professional driver could take you door to door, possibly manage the traffic better, and you wouldn't have to worry about parking. I think anything to simplify the day you have planned is worth considering!

I've never been to Europe and none of us have been to Italy. This could be our only trip to Europe, so we're hoping to get to see just a few select places; Venice (different house) Day 1, Florence-Day 2, Rome-(Day 3) Tuscany-Day4, Pisa (Day4 and driving north to Switzerland). My husband is an extreme type A person and runs from one thing to the next anyway. We will need to lower our expectations after we get to Rome and not have to see everything or listen to every tour. We'll use the Rick Steve's audiotours. Our kids are young adults and teenage, so they can help navigate streets (when walking), maybe not even have to stay together, but just plan a meeting point. I do have to see the Vatican museums and sistine chapel though, a top priority for me. I just want the train to get us to Rome in time to see a few things. Part of the experience for us is riding a high-speed Italian train which would make the trip in 1.5 hrs instead of the 3 hrs to drive. We're renting a house between Florence and Pisa, near San Miniato. There's a train station in San Miniato, but I don't know that a high speed train leaves from there and goes to Rome. I think it's more of a regional train station.

Avoiding driving in Florence, especially at the rush hour should be priority NUMBER ONE. Really, trust us on this. Please.

Up out of bed to S.Miniato-Fucecchio station (parking should be way easier, but I've never been there. Regional train at 6:27 coming from the Cinque Terre and going to Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella station) arrives Firenze SMN (the third Firenze station, don't get off until the end) at 7:13. That will 6 stops in total.

25 minutes in the station for a coffee, a corneto (like an Italian croissant) and a quick look around and onto your fast train to Rome. 7:38 onto the train, a FrecciaArgento which goes all the way to the Rome airport. Get off at Roma Termini (that's where the train will empty out) at 9:10 and you have the day ahead of you!!!!

That train comes from Venice and will call at Roma Tiburtino and then at Roma Termini.

You'll love that extra hour. And no stress. And no €100 ZTL ticket after you get home.

So Nigel, I'm interested in your train suggestions. This means trading the ticket I bought for a new, earlier one, which I'm Ok with doing.(The earlier train out of Florence to Roma Termini and driving 10 min. to the regional station and getting the 6:27 train at the San Miniato station to Firenze SMN. Where do I look on-line for those schedules and would we just wait until the morning of, if we want to take that regional train? What about for our return trip? Do the regional trains continue to run late? It could be 22:00-23:00 till we need it

Diane, you and your family are setting yourselves up for a very frustrating and disappointing trip. Given the time of year, the places you want to see and your timeline your plans are very unrealistic. You can’t see it all and you will ruin what little you get to see. You scampering hither and yon reminds me of a chicken with its head cut off.

I don’t know where to begin. If you must keep Rome, drop Venice and Pisa and probably your day in Tuscany. Spend at least two nights in Rome so you can day the early entry to the Vatican with Walks of Italy. Even at that, Rome will be very hot and very crowded.

Your motivation of “we may never return” is driving you to make very poor decisions. If this is truly the case, don’t screw up the one chance you have.

Where do I look on-line for those schedules and would we just wait
until the morning of, if we want to take that regional train?

Diane, use the Trenitalia website to see schedules for S. Miniato-Fucecchio to Firenze SM Novella. You should be using this site for all of your schedules in Italy unless you're taking an Italo train or limited commuter line.

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

Tickets are cheap: 5.60 euro for 2nd class. Yes, you should be able to buy them when you get the S. Miniato-Fucecchio station although I'm unsure if that will be via a machine or whether a ticketing agent will be working that early. You could also purchase them in advance at others stations in Italy you are passing through.

What about for our return trip? Do the regional trains continue to run
late?

Just picking a random date of May 22 (no idea what day you're traveling) it looks like there are late trains from SM Novella to S. Miniato-Fucecchio at 21:57, 23:07, and 00:04, and tickets are the same 5.60 euro.

This is going to be much easier than trying to go to Florence with a car (well done, Nigel!)

Editing to add: DougMac, they've already purchased their Vatican and Colosseum tickets so those pieces of the itinerary are a done deal.

We've taken two day trips to Rome from Tuscany. Both times we took a train, leaving about 7:00 getting to Termini about 8:30. I bought those tickets before we left home. Returning that evening we left Termini about 21:30. Bought those tickets from the kiosk at the station. My advice is go early and stay late. We were at the Colosseum by 9:00 for our 9:30 underground tour. It will be a long productive and enjoyable day.

You're not trying to do a day trip to Venice from this same remote airbnb are you? I missed that bit. Oh dear, you will be very familiar with the inside of trains at the end of this holiday.

I hope your family has lots and lots of energy (and good cameras to record where you have been if your brain turns it into a blur). I'm proud of you.

You're not trying to do a day trip to Venice from this same remote
airbnb are you?

I have the same concern, Nigel! Diane, if you are staying in a "different" house for Venice on Day 1, your itinerary doesn't add up if you have 3 nights near San Miniato.

"Venice (different house) Day 1,
Florence-Day 2
Rome-(Day 3)
Tuscany- Day 4, Pisa (Day 4 and driving north to Switzerland)."

This entire itinerary is only 3 nights in Italy as it has you leaving the country on Day 4. Did you accidentally make a goof somewhere?

Should we get an earlier start?

Yes--- start your trip a week earlier so you can actually SEE what you are running past.

There is a fine line between having days planned and filled with worthwhile things to do or having a track meet to go to as many places as possible in the shortest amount of time. Which side of the line are you on?

I agree with others who think you should get an earlier start. In my opinion, trying to do the Vatican Museums on the same day as the Colosseum and the Forum is far too much. Since the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are priorities for you, I would start there. However, you said you already purchased tickets so I don't know if you can make changes. All of these sites will be very, very crowded. Getting through the Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel alone will take at least two hrs., if you prioritize what you would like to see, and that doesn't include going through security first. You might need to rethink your sightseeing schedule as well as your train schedule.

Diane, it seems like most of your attraction tickets are bought already, so hopefully you can make the best of it. It will still be fun and an experience, and please understand we are not trying to rain on your parade.

But for future trips--I know you say this might be your only trip, but you'll want to return, we all do--I'd tell you first that logistics are everything. The concept that just because you think--for example--an AirBnB is 45-50 minutes from Florence doesn't mean that's how long it'll take you to execute that task. This is Italy, where Americans' neatly-laid plans go to die. Just kidding, but understand that any number of occurrences--from traffic, strikes, getting lost, just for starters--can turn your schedule to dust. And if one attraction is dependent on everything else being on time, yikes!

I know it sounds cliched that Rome is meant to be savored, but it's true. In 2010 we had 3 days, 2 nights, and I thought, meh. Returned last year to Rome and a tiny apartment over a daily market for a week, and finally got it--the beauty, the hidden grandeur, the can-do vibe of the locals. Hope you get a chance with your family to 'get' it somewhere in your travels to this wonderful land.

Enjoy your planning!

please understand we are not trying to rain on your parade

I fear we may have already washed her away. She hasn't been back for a while. I'm thinking a RS tour option would have been a better fit for them.

Noooooo, no one wants to rain on the parade! The RS gang are just nice folks who don't want to see the first-timers get themselves into a pickle if it could be avoided.

And as Diane said, she's working with an "extreme type A" spouse who "runs from one thing to the next", looks to be trying to plan/arrange for 6 people all by herself, and doing the best she can, bless her. I get that.

No doubt it will be a daunting task for Diane. She's already got the house rented, so that's a given, can't get around that. And because of that they'll actually need a car, if only to get to the San Miniato train station for the 40 minute ride to Florence--the train runs hourly, a good thing. Actually that frees them up a little, believe it or not, to use the car (hope it holds 6 people) to motor around Tuscany, spontaneously stopping at cool places by accident, but going into Florence, they should always take the train.

Beyond that, sure, Rome wasn't built in a day but it can be seen in a day (sorry had to use it...). But what do you see? A lot of 'hi, howiya's', I like to call them. Fly-by's. It captures none of the essence of Rome, but so be it. I suppose it's better than not going at all.

Wish Diane would get back on with more info like flight info and set itinerary so we can help her out more. This trip can be salvaged, for sure.

I'm sure as well, Jay.

We are in Venice most of a day, July 25th, and spending the night in an Airbnb just outside the city. The next day, July 26th, we drive over to Florence, park outside the city and take the tram in. we'll visit Firenze S.M.N. to get acquainted with the train station before tomorrow's Rome trip. I traded my tickets for earlier tickets (that was the question that started this whole discussion) I'm taking Nigel's idea for the early regional train from San Miniato into Florence. (My husband was glad too. It takes some stress off.) then getting into Rome an hr. sooner. That will make a big difference. In Florence, we'll walk around and see the city. I got tickets for my daughter and I to see the Uffizi and the Accademia (The rest of the family prefers not to). Hopefully we"ll get lots of gelato breaks and a nice Italian dinner, then drive back to our Airbnb near San Miniato. The next morning, July 27, we're up early for Rome. I broke it down. We'll have 10 hrs. in Rome; 4 of those hours will be spent seeing major sites with listening to Rick Steves Audio tours or just looking if our brains get too tired. Possibly 2 of those hours just waiting to get into sites.(I have tickets-the Colosseum tickets are not timed, but we'll probably go as early as we can.) 2 more hours will be spent walking or taking the bus or metro. That leaves 2 hours more for anything else like eating, pit stops, the market, resting, or waiting for the train back to Florence. I know things can go wrong, but I've got in mind to roll with it. After the day in Rome is Tuscany and driving around the countryside. That will be on Sat.July 28th. My husband was especially looking forward to that. If we want to tour and taste at a winery, I've heard we should reserve ahead. How far ahead? The day before? A week? The next morning we'll get an early start and drive to Pisa (it is on the way) and then up into Switzerland, Gruyeres area. Pisa shouldn't take us more than a couple of hours. the drive to Switzerland is long (6 to 7 hrs.) but we have nothing else planned that day but to reach our destination and go to the hotel. Those are the plans for Italy.

Not to throw another few obstacles, in your path, but are you aware that picking up a car in Italy and dropping it in another country can add a huge drop fee? Maybe up to 500€?

Have you read up on the rules of the road for these countries? Good info here.

https://www.italybeyondtheobvious.com/dont-mess-with-ztl-zones

You will also need a vignette sticker for Switzerland.

https://www.tolltickets.com/country/swiss/vignette.aspx?lang=en-GB

All the above are a necessary read for road travel in Europe.

diane

I didn't see you acknowledge the need for IDP in Italy.

If you would like to share where your Venice (near) AirBnB is I may be able to give you hints for getting in and out of the islands.

I totally understand your desire to see the Sistine when you're as close as Florence. How do your kids feel about this extreme type A schedule? Will they even be willing to get up that early in the AM? You might want to break up into 2 groups if there are differing views on the pace. Total family togetherness in this situation might lead to anything but family bonding. I have a spouse like yours and occasionally our daughter and I have to present a united front of "we are not going to be run ragged." And if you do return to Europe, there is a lot to be said for a location close to the sights-less atmospheric and more expensive, but definitely a saving in terms of your energy and time.

One more caution as it looks like you'll be doing some sightseeing en route to some of your destinations? Do not leave anything of value in the rental car, and try to keep anything you DO have to leave in the car out of sight. Theft from cars is not unknown. Heck, we follow that practice when we travel the U.S. :O)

I don't know if you'll all be back looking into this discussion again, but I wanted to say thanks for all the advice. The trip will be better because of it. Thank you Robert for the encouraging words, "you CAN do it"! Thanks for the train ideas from Nigel and the Trenitalia link from Kathy. I have it on my phone now. We will be getting our International Driver's Permits from AAA soon. We've been intending to do that. We'll read up on the Italian road rules, thanks to the links by Gerri, and everyone else with helpful advice. We're picking up and returning the rental car to the same location in Switzerland, just to answer a question by Gerri.

That is such a pleasant upbeat attitude, and, yes we, at least I, and I'm sure plenty of we will be keeping an eye out for you.

We ask a lot of questions, and give plenty of opinions here, based on plenty of first hand experience. When we all pull together it is a wonderful thing.

I hope you guys have a great time - and enjoy the whole trip.

Have a wonderful time with your family. Enjoy what you can fit it and make sure you eat lots of gelato!

Wishing you and yours a GREAT trip, Diane!
Glad that some of our ramblings were helpful. :O)

Diane and family: you are going to have an amazing time! And you can bank on that - everyone in this string of comments will agree. Our experiences are different, our enthusiasm isn't! One of the many great things about Italy is the great number of possibilities. In Rome, for instance, if you get tired of one century (or millenium) all you have to do is turn at the next corner and presto! you're in a different one. Florence is, in so many ways, an eye-opener to art, history, language, architecture, food, culture, politics, religion . . . you name it, Florence has it to share with you. Staying in the countryside is a wonderful time to relax, be a family, and enjoy just some sights/sounds/smells of nature that you may not get at home. I'm an opera singer and am in Italy every year for the summer festival season. While you are there, see if you and the family agree with me: I deserve this!

I bet you DO deserve this! July can be very hot - drink lots of water, eat lots of gelato, take naps in the shade.

YES, you CAN do it! If you don't end up getting to everything on your schedule, then so be it. At least you will see SOME of it rather than skipping it all together and seeing nothing... right?! Whatever you don't get to on this trip, you can see on a future trip. ;-) You sound like an energetic bunch, so I think you'll be fine. We took our teenager to France a few years ago and I was amazed at how helpful he was in navigating our way around. He saved us a ton of time by preventing a lot of missed turns. ;-)

We leave for Rome next week and are also just planning on one day there before we head up to Tuscany for the remainder of our trip. Like you, seeing the Sistine Chapel was on my "bucket list" and since we were going to Tuscany and not sure I can drag my hubby back to Italy for a second trip, we are landing in Rome and spending 24 hours there, seeing whatever we can before we head up to Tuscany. We have tickets booked for a Vatican tour and beyond that, we will just see what we can. ;-)

Good luck- I hope you come back and tell us how it all went and what you were able to see.
happy travels!

Please be sure to post a trip report when you get back. It should make for some interesting reading.