We are making out first trip to Italy next May. First I will be in Venice for 9 days participating in a photography workshop. My partner will then meet me in Venice and the following day we will take the train to Florence. Right now we have 3 night reservation in Florence and then plan either another 2 nights in Florence using hotel points or travel to another town for a 2 night stay on the way to Cinque Terra where we will spend our last 3 nights. We are considering Lucca or Siena but are open to suggestions. If we just do 3 nights in Florence we will do one day trip, if we extend to 5 will will do 2 day trips. Any advice or ideas are welcome. Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, United States
5 posts
Check out Siena. Extend two nights and spend them there instead of Florence. This is a great town to get lost and find yourself in. Eb
Posted by
Florence, Italy
42 posts
I second Eric's suggestion about heading the 2 nights to Siena. Stay in the center so that everything is walking distance away - since it is also limited traffic area, you'll feel as if you've stepped back in time and even if it is a city beyond the walls, it feels more like a village with its tranquility. Actually we were there 2 nights the week before the Palio and every night some of the contradas were having dinners out in the streets and drums were going all night, but aside from that "noise", we really enjoyed it. It is different from Florence in a very good way. I should add that as day trips from Florence you could do a day trip in Chianti doing wine tasting and another day between Pisa and Lucca. Once you're on your way to Cinque Terre, just head there directly and spend the rest of your day exploring the villages of the Cinque Terre.
Posted by
Boston, MA, USA
262 posts
I totally agree about Siena, it is a great town to spend time in
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
First, let me just say that I'm dying with envy at your opportunity to attend a photography workshop in Venice. What a dream! During our last trip to Italy (3 wks) I took more pictures in Venice that in all the other cities COMBINED! (Rome, Bologna, Lucca, Pisa, and Assisi). Second, we enjoyed Siena (on a previous trip) more than we enjoyed Lucca. I also think you would find Siena to be more photogenic.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
Lisa, I also feel that Siena would be a good choice (perhaps I'm somewhat biased towards Siena as I was there in May during a Tuscan Landscapes Workshop). For travel from Florence to Tuscany, you might consider going by Bus (Corse Rapide) rather than train. The Bus drops passengers right in the centre of town, rather than at the bottom of the hill where the rail station is located. The travel time is about the same, and it's a pleasant trip. Happy travels!
Posted by
OP
NY, USA
500 posts
On the Corse Rapide Bus to Siena do you bring you bags aboard or stowe them below? If we choose to stay in Florence and day trip to Siena are there any late buses back to Florence if we want to have dinner in Siena?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
Lisa, As I recall, there are only a few Corse Rapide Buses each day between Florence and Siena. However, there are numerous Corse Ordinarie Buses each day, but those take longer and often stop several times. Regarding the luggage issue, larger baggage is usually stowed under the Bus, but passengers can take smaller items into the passenger compartment. If the Bus is fully loaded, there's simply no place to put larger items in the passenger compartment. Have a look at This Website for examples of the current Bus schedules (which probably won't be much different in 2011. Click on the Linea Firenze-Siena link for a PDF file with the current schedule. Stopping in Siena for dinner might be a bit "challenging", as you'd need to allow time to walk back from the restaurant to Piazza Gramsci, where the Buses depart from. It might be possible if you had an early dinner? Cheers!