My husband and I are traveling to Italy in October for the first time. Flights have already been purchased in and out of Rome. Our plan is to arrive in Rome around 16:00 on Oct 9th staying through the 13th. Travel by train to Venice on the 13th early and stay through the 15th. Travel to Varenna the 15th through the 17th and then head to Florence on the 17th staying through the 23rd. We plan to take an early train to the Rome airport on the 23rd to catch a 12:30 flight out. While we are in Florence we are planning day trips to Cinque Terrre and another day to Sienna. We will be taking trains everywhere. Are there different places we should go if we do day trips in Florence. Would you take a day away from Florence and add to Rome? Would love suggestions or thoughts on this itinerary. Thanks!
Posted by
Chicago
8220 posts
You have enough in the itinerary already. Florence to Rome on the day of your flight is a little risky.
Posted by
11651 posts
Stay in Rome the night before your flight.
Posted by
Niagara, Ontario
1688 posts
You might want to rethink Cinque Terre from Florence, unless it's an absolute must. Lucca and San Gimignano are popular on this board. Greve has a nice 'square' and a good market day (Saturday?), go see and eat with Dario in Panzano - I think both towns can be visited by bus. Fiesole, a quick bus ride up the hill from Florence, is very pretty.
Oh, I much prefer Rome to Florence, so I'd add more time there.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thanks for the help! I was trying not to travel back to Rome on the backside but it may be wiser. If we take the early train, it allows us 4 hours before our flight. Are the trains pretty reliable and on time? Also husband wanted to do Cinque Terre but will look at other towns as options.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16687 posts
Florence to Rome on the day of your flight is a little risky.
Another vote for staying in Rome. I personally wouldn't want to be that far from Fiumicino if catching a midday international flight.
It's too bad that you couldn't arranged your flights into one city and out of another, to avoid returning to Rome, but a common recommendation in these cases is going directly to a further point - like Venice - on arrival and putting all the Rome days at the end of the trip instead of the beginning.
I wouldn't add any more day trips from Florence other than maybe 1/2 day in Fiesole, and you might consider exchanging the Cinque Terre for Lucca.
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
I'd go directly to Florence on your arrival day and move all of your Rome time to the end of the trip. It's only 1.5 hours of extra travel and you'd still have time for a light dinner and walk before bedtime. That plan also puts you in your departure city the night before your flight home. If you decide to go to Florence first, then consider putting Varenna before Venice to keep your days there at about the same time of month. As to days in Florence versus Rome, I suggest making a list of things you want to do while in each city and then making your final decision based on that. Fortunately, you can't go wrong either way. If you decide Cinque Terre is too long of a day trip, then you might consider Lucca instead (easily combined with Pisa or a stop in Pistoia, but not both).