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Florence Feast of St. John the Baptist & travel complications?

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We’re not traveling until June 2020, so we’re just in the planning stage now. We will have been in Florence 4 nights and we’re penciled to leave late morning on June 24 - Feast Day!

Not sure how I feel about this discovery. Will there be complications getting to Santa Maria Novella (traveling to Venice) from the other side of the river? Do trains even run this day? Am I looking at this all wrong and we should be thankful for the timing and stay an extra day to experience this cultural event?

Thank you!

Posted by
3812 posts

Trains run 365 days a year in Italy. June 24 is a local feast, so the trains to Venice will run on the working days' schedules.

Posted by
3112 posts

If you plan to use a bus that day to get to the train station, the Ataf website for this June 24 shows that buses will run on the Sunday and holiday schedule. That doesn't mean little or no service, just fewer buses per hour. If you plan to use a taxi, I doubt they'll be affected very much as there are always plenty of taxis about on Sundays and holidays.

Posted by
62 posts

I happened to be in Florence for this Feast Day several years ago. I chose to spend the day visiting nearby towns by train to avoid the crowds. I had no difficulty and trains were running on a regular schedule. My friend stayed in town. She described it as packed but not unpleasant. People were all in a festive mood and she enjoyed seeing some of the festival events . We were able to find a restaurant for dinner despite the crowds. The day ended with a fabulous fireworks display. Whether you decide to stay and enjoy the celebration or head to Venice, you really can't lose!

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