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Lazy Day from Rome to Florence via Tuscany: Tour?

Posted by on

Hi,

This is my first trip to Italy. I am meeting a friend in Florence on Saturday coming up soon. I am coming from Rome. If I leave Rome early Saturday morning I could hire a driver or rent a car to drive up through a few of the smaller Tuscany towns and make a day of it. The simpler version of that is to get off a train in Orvieto and hang out or something else just involving trains. Or I could even leave Rome on Friday and spend the night in a hilltown somewhere on the way up. Leaving Rome on Friday for the Tuscany overnight allows for 3.5 days in Rome (including a Pompeii day trip), leaving Rome on Saturday allows for 4.5 in Rome. I never know whether to count the day I arrive on a long flight in the morning as a touring day or not, so I'm counting it as a half day.

Questions:

  1. Day trip up through Tuscany or overnight?
  2. Can anyone recommend a tour that will do the driving for me? Small group or private?
  3. I think given my limited time I'd rather focus on smaller towns like Civita di Bagnforegio and save Siena for another visit.
  4. Can anyone recommend a train only (with local bus shuttle) version of Tuscany touring?
  5. Any advice on where to stay overnight?
  6. Anything else that seems obvious :-)

Thank you,
Beth

Posted by
500 posts

Let me explain my point of view. Rome to Florence by fast train is something like one hour and half. Rome to Florence by car, without stopping anywhere, is something like four hours: when you are driving on the autostrada at top speed, you see the parallel fast train overtaking you at double of your speed. As you get out of the autostrada your speed drops to the point that it can be defined as your slowness.

So, going directly to Florence is probably the best way to spend your time. Breaking the trip in the mid - Orvieto or Arezzo being probably the only two choices - means that you are using slower trains, but it is still feasible. Going by car and detouring will probably need all your day long, allowing only a short stop somewhere - it could be Cortona, it could be Montepulciano that are not so distant from the motorway, but probably you will have only a few hours or a lunch possibility.

Touring Tuscany by train is difficult. With the single exception of Arezzo, all other towns are distant from the main Rome to Florence line, most of the hill towns are distant from any railway. Orvieto is probably the most sensible choice if you do not have to cope with luggage.

Posted by
70 posts

Fiesole is a lovely small town about 30 minutes from Florence by bus. Beautiful views of Tuscan countryside and Roman ruins in the town make for a great, easy day.

Posted by
11613 posts

Todi is close to Civita do Bagnoregio. Both are in Umbria, not Tuscany.

Posted by
7175 posts

If money is not an issue, but time is, then I would consider ...
Train from Rome to Arezzo (overnight)
Get a car with driver Arezzo-Siena-Chianti-Florence (total distance 150km)
Your statement "save Siena for another visit" worries me. Just do it !! Even only 3-4 hours, as you may regret it otherwise.

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