I am planning trip with husband to first Rome, Florence, and fly out of Venice (3 nights each). Heard to cut down in Venice and do Sienna. How far is it and is it worth it? Any suggestions & also places to stay? Going first of July.
Posted by
Carbondale, IL, USA
1201 posts
Your current plans are fine. Cutting Venice to 2 nights doesnt really give you much time since the last day would probably be an early departure day. Plus you won't arrive before lunch.
Posted by
Park Ridge, IL
524 posts
Tricia You will have a fabulous time in Italy! What do you and your husband like to do? Interests and hobbies, outdoor activities, museums, All of your destination ideas are wonderful. You have to know why your friends recommended Siena or maybe they were in Italy for a much longer time. Theoretically you could stay in Florence and do a day trip to Siena or base in Siena and day trip to Florence. Florence is known for its art museums among many other things. Siena you could do day trips to the Tuscany countryside by renting a car. Just depends on what you would like to do. Florence to Siena is 75 minutes by bus which is the easiest way to go. Keep in mind your last day in Venice is all about getting to the airport and waiting there. So let us know more about what you like to do rather than trying to do a checklist of sights! Bobbie
Posted by
Ballwin
833 posts
Unless you feel a large interest in Siena, I would stick with what you have. Venice was amazing, magical to me, and while Siena was nice I would prefer focusing on Rome, Florence and Venice for the first trip. The other option is spending an afternoon in Siena between Rome and Florence. You could do this by bus or train.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32303 posts
tricia, On this first trip, I'd suggest staying with the original plan for Rome, Florence and Venice. While Siena is a wonderul city, at that time of year it's going to be hot and crowded (especially as the first Palio will be happening on July 2). IMO, it wouldn't be realistic to stop for a few hours on your way to Florence, as you'll be hauling your luggage. The rail trip from Rome to Florence is very easy, so no point in complicating this with a "detour" to Siena. However, as the others have mentioned, you could easily take a day trip from Florence to Siena, using the Corse Rapide Bus. It's a short ride and would at least allow you to have a brief glimpse of Siena. Another thing to keep in mind is that you won't have three days in each place, as each change of location will use about half a day. For a first trip to Italy, this will provide you with a good overview. There are lots of great places in Italy, but you can plan on seeing some of those on a future trip. As you haven't been in Italy yet, I'd highly recommend packing along a copy of the Italy 2011 Guidebook as there's a LOT of good information there that will help your trip to go smoothly. There are also some good tips on things like avoiding the queues for the Colosseum tour. Happy travels!