We have signed up for the "Heart" tour in October and it seems much less expensive to just a book round trip flight to and from Rome instead of flying to Florence via Rome, then leaving from Rome 9 days later. Then we could take a train from Rome to Florence. We plan to leave a day in advance of the tour meeting date in Florence.
Neither of us speak Italian (some Spanish)-- does this make sense?
If you come in a day early, this should work fine. Just beware of cutting things too close as delayed or cancelled flights can wreak havoc on your plans.
You'll want to fly home from Rome, so booking round trip to Rome and using the train to get to Florence makes perfect sense. The Leonardo Express plus high speed train will get you from the airport to Florence in about 3 hours. As long as your flight arrives in Rome by mid-morning, you'll have time to get to Florence for your 3:00 welcome meeting. Ticket agents generally speak some English, so not speaking Italian won't be an issue. Consider adding a day and arriving the day before the tour meeting date. A day to adjust is definitely worthwhile.
Very easily possible. Go to the trenitalia site when the train times up up (they'll switch in the early fall from the summer times now available) and look up the times from Roma Termini to Florence. Then look up the Leonardo Express times from the Rome airport to Roma Termini. Armed with these, all you do is go to the ticket window for the train in the Rome airport (generally not that busy) and show the agent what trains you want. They speak english, but even so you will have the paper with you to help feel more comfortable. And its smart to throw in a few polite expressions (in italian) such as "please". Pay with your US credit card.
So if you're at the window at 2:30 for example, you'll want the 2:45 (or whatever) Leonardo train to Termini, and then the next express you can catch to Florence. Its even easier to do than it sounds here. Just don't forget to validate your ticket in the yellow box before boarding the train to avoid a possible fine.
OK, sounds like a plan: arriving at least one day early and taking the train to Florence. Any suggestions on a hotel or B&B in Rome convenient to the airport and train station? My wife mentioned the Trastevere area but my RickSteves Italy map insert of Rome doesn't show any train stations nearby. Maybe there is a better map of Rome I should get. Duh, maybe Lonely Planet!
The RS Rome & Italy books recommends several hotels in easy walking distance to the Termini station. Not sure if its in the book they send you for the trip, but if not you should be able to find a copy at a local bookstore or library.
Hi Russell, I did the Heart of Italy tour last October. I was quite late booking the tour, and couldn't find flights into Florence and out of Rome that worked. I ended up flying into Venice the day before the tour began, spent the night there and trained to Florence on the day the tour started. After the tour ended in Rome, I trained to Florence, spent the night and flew home from Florence the next day. One of the tour members flew from LAX and arrived at the hotel in Florence just an hour before our meeting time. He was zonked for the entire Florence portion of the tour, and based on his experience I wouldn't recommend arriving in Europe the day your tour starts. Stay near Termini train station in Rome, Trastevere is a bit out the way. You may find your Rome tour nights are in that area anyway. You will love the tour - it was fantastic!
We are signed up for the "Heart" tour in October as well. After much searching, I also found it less expensive to arrive in Rome. We plan on going to Florence upon arrival (by train) and are adding an extra night at our tour hotel, rather than staying in Rome. This will allow time to settle in, check out the areas around Florence, and be rested and ready for the tour to begin.
Lot's of good advice. Guess I had better book our flights to Rome. We can always ask a cab driver for a good hotel! ;-0
If you want to stay in Rome, try the Hotel Sonya. We just stayed there with our Venice, Florence, Rome tour and it was only a 10 minute walk to the Termini station- easy even with luggage. Also a quick cab ride, but ask for the charge before you leave Termini. One of our tour members was charged 24 euro for this quick drive (he got ripped off). Shouldn't have been that much-it's literally only about 4 blocks.
It is recommended in Rick's book, and close to many good restaurants and shops.
