We will be leaving CT early Wednesday morning and do not have to be back to catch our plane in Rome until 7:45 p.m. Friday night. We will be traveling by the train system but are not opposed to riding buses to get to some of the smaller cities if necessary.
1. Could anyone give us advice for an itinerary that would include Florence and Tuscany?
2. Could we hit the highlights of Florence in 7 hours and then south to some of the towns in Tuscany?
Thank you for helping out the first time visitors to Italy!
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
Taking the 3 hour train ride from Cinque Terre to Florence, sightseeing for 7 hours and then going on to another destination sounds like a very hectic day. Consider staying in Florence for 2 nights and day tripping by bus to Siena on Thursday. The advantage of staying at a Florence hotel is that they can help you secure Ufizzi and Academia tickets. Another option would be to stay in Siena for 2 nights and day trip into Florence on Thursday, but then you'd need to reserve the museum tickets yourself. Friday morning, take the train to Orvieto (actually in Umbria) for lunch and sightseeing before continuing on to Rome and the airport. Hilltowns other than Siena and Orvieto are less convenient to reach by public transportation. With only 2-1/2 days, parts of which will be travel time, I'd only recommend other hilltowns if you were willing to skip Florence.
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
After my many trips to Italy I would say, relax a little, see a little of Florence but leave Tuscany for another trip. In fact you will be running anyway. Florence warrants at least 3 nights alone as the world class museums take half day each alone.
Posted by
Hermosa Beach, CA, USA
2 posts
Although it will be a bit rushed, you could definitely get a good feel for Florence in 1 1/2 days and Siena in a day. I would agree that staying in Florence and day-tripping to Siena is the better way to go. Definitely have your hotel make reservations for the Uffizzi and the Academia for you -- you will save a ton of time that you would have spent waiting in line to buy tickets! The self-guided audio tour of the Uffizzi is pretty good. And I agree with Rick Steves about the best gelato in Florence; a little tricky to find, but definitely worth it! Good luck and buon viaggio!
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Hello Sally. When will you go to Europe ?
Two and a half days is a small amount of time. I travelled in Italy (From the Cinque Terre, to Florence, to Rome ...). I recommend have your overnight accomodation at Florence Wednesday night and Thursday night. Be in only Florence Thursday.
Friday you could ride in a train or bus from Florence to Siena, for a quick visit there. Siena's train station is at the edge of the town. I do not know where to park baggage at Sienna. And ride in a train from Siena to Rome that day. Reserve your tickets for the Uffizi Gallery in Florence before you leave your home in the U.S.A. The day you travel (in trains) from a Cinque Terre village to Florence, stopping at the hill town Lucca is possible. Lucca is some people's favorite hill town in ITALY.