My husband & I are traveling to Florence for 2 1/2 days ( about 55 hours) between Venice and Rome. We arrive at about noon stay 2 nights and leave the 3rd day around 4pm. We would like to visit Pisa, one of the Tuscan Villages (Siena or Lucca), see some views of the Tuscan hills and visit the Academia, Uffizi, & duomo. What is the best way to plan this? Should we check in to our hotel and immediately go to see the leaning tower in Pisa & return in the afternoon to visit the duomo. Then visit the academy and Uffizi and he. Walk around Florence on day 2. On day 3 visit one of the villages? If you have suggestions or recommendations please let me know. Thanks! Rose
Posted by
Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
1759 posts
If you are committed to Pisa and either Lucca or Siena, I would do Pisa and Lucca as one excursion (since Lucca is right on the way to Pisa), and I'd skip Siena unless you stop there on your way to Rome.
Florence is worth savoring, though, and even if you skip Pisa and Lucca and Siena, you'll wish you had more time in Florence. There is so much to see there, much more beyond the two museums you mention plus the Duomo. I was there for three full days and still didn't get to see everything I wanted to see. But only you know your own priorities and interests, so only you can decide.
You don't say what time of year you'll be there, and you don't say what your fitness level is. If it's summertime you'll deal with sweltering temperatures, and that will force you to slow down.
[Edit: I see you say later this week. So it is probably going to be very hot in Tuscany.]
Perhaps a good approach would be to spend all of your first two days in Florence, then on your third day, if you feel like you've seen enough and want to go somewhere else, you'll have that option.
Posted by
Fulda Germany and Rhode Island USA
332 posts
Also try to remember the crowds they will hold up everything. If you can manage it I would also see the tower after check in. I hear Lucca is supposed to be beautiful and worth a visit. I was in Siena in April and crowds were tame but as someone mentioned walk walk walk and walk some more. Have a great trip
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7362 posts
Since you are only staying two nights in Florence, I would suggest that you discard the Pisa/Siena ideas and settle for Fiesole, which is no village, but least has a view of Florence. I would rather call Siena and Lucca cities, but they are both, historic and attractive. Have you pre-booked tickets for the Uffizi? Is your travel by train or by car? Have you located the ZTL's in Florence, if you have a car?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15259 posts
it is not 55 hours. It is 52, from which you need to deduct the time necessary to locate and reach your accommodations, checking in procedures, unpack, getting oriented in the city, repack, check out procedure, get to the station (I presume you are traveling by train, because by car would be even more cumbersome).
So you have 48 hours at best. That's not even enough for Florence, but that is your trip, not mine, therefore these are the options.
Siena is 75 min south of Florence by bus (SITA) or over 90 min by train. It's not a village, it's a city, albeit small (under 100,000 pop.).
Lucca and Pisa are also cities (a bit bigger than Siena). They are over 1 hour to the west of Florence by train. They aren't on the same rail line. Lucca is on the Florence-Lucca-Viareggio rail line. Pisa is on the Florence-Pontedera-Pisa-Livorno line. The two are connected, therefore you could do a loop and hit both Lucca and Pisa on the same day. But then your day would be gone with not much time left for Florence.
San Gimignano is a popular village between Florence and Siena (although not exactly along the way). It takes two buses to get there (about 1+ hours each way). There are many more of course.
You can see Tuscan hills anywhere. Tuscany is virtually all hills, including around Florence. Unless it's a very foggy day, you will not find a place in Tuscany where you can't see hills all around you.