Planning a trip to Italy this summer with husband and two sons ages 18 and 19. We land in Rome are planning to visit Florence, venice and have to end up in Milan for a direct flight to Santiago de Compostela to visit family in Spain. We only have 12 days and so far have booked to stay from Monday to Friday in Rome, In Florence from Friday to Monday the week after, in Venice from Monday to Thursday and to Milan from Thursday to Friday. What is the best transportation to get from each of these cities?? I would love to visit Cinque Terre even though it is out of the way but I believe my boys will love that part of the trip. Should we book a one day excursion from Florence? or plan an overnight stay? I know it is a lot!! so please help!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16232 posts
The best way to travel between cities is by high speed train. Two train companies to choose from.
www.trenitalia.com
www.italotreno.it
Buying in advance is not required but if you do you have a chance of finding discounted tickets (Economy and Supereconomy fares) be aware those fares aren't changeable or refundable.
When searching use Italian spelling of stations:
Roma Termini
Firenze Santa Maria Novella
Venezia Santa Lucia
Milano Centrale
You are not staying long enough in Florence for an excursion to the Cinque Terre. You could stay a only 4 nights in Rome and go there between Rome and Florence for at least one night.
Posted by
Chicago
8242 posts
Take the train; all the cities you mentioned are connected directly no changes needed. Try the one day from Florence to Cinque Terre. The great thing about summer is that the sun does not set until 9. Last summer I started a hike around 7 pm from Monterosso to Vernazza along the Cinque Terre, great sunset and the crowds were gone around that time. However it will take you more or less 2 hours to get to Riomaggiore the first town going north along the Cinque Terre from Florence. It might be too much with the heat all.
You don't need to book an excursion to Cinque this you can do on your own at your own pace on the train from Florence.
Or book an overnight two nights in Monterosso or some other town.
Posted by
Austin TX after living in Boulder CO for 25 years
1175 posts
You could take a night from Rome and a night from Venice and go to CT after Rome as Roberto suggested....
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
You only have 11 nights.
Cinque Terre can be done in a (long) day from Florence. It's not ideal and for many on here it would not be advisable, but it can be done.
In which case it would be better to spend 4 nights in Florence and only 3 in Rome.
3 nights in Rome
4 nights in Florence, with a day to CT
3 nights in Venice
1 night in Milan
These train connections give you 6.5 hours in the Cinque Terre.
RE 3111
Dep 08:28 FIRENZE S.M.N. (Italy)
Arr 09:28 PISA CENTRALE (Italy)
FB 8606
Dep 09:56 PISA CENTRALE (Italy)
Arr 10:44 LA SPEZIA CENTRALE (Italy)
RE 24454
Dep 11:15 LA SPEZIA CENTRALE (Italy)
Arr 11:23 RIOMAGGIORE (Italy)
RE 21215
Dep 17:57 RIOMAGGIORE (Italy)
Arr 18:05 LA SPEZIA CENTRALE (Italy)
FB 8623
Dep 18:16 LA SPEZIA CENTRALE (Italy)
Arr 19:04 PISA CENTRALE (Italy)
RE 3148
Dep 19:32 PISA CENTRALE (Italy)
Arr 20:32 FIRENZE S.M.N. (Italy)
Posted by
OP
11 posts
Thank you for your input! all very helpful!