LONG TERM Stays - Florence or Sorrento

I've stayed in Florence for months at a time and it's a nice place to stay and travel from, smaller than Rome, but still big enough to get trains and buses out to desired places, more central location than Sorrento enables easier travel I think, unless you want to focus on travel from Sorrento!

I would stay in or around Florence as there is so much to see and do along with the great ambiance. It has so much more to offer than the Sorrento area, unless you want to stay in Naples and really LIVE in Naples...I could argue for that, but I have not done that...yet.

I spent 2 and a half months 15 miles south of Florence in a apartment . From there, with my lease car, I traveled all over northern Italy. Rome to Venice ...best time of my life. Loved it. Will repeat next year. A car sets your free to experience it on your own timeline.

3 weeks is not that long. But tell me how many of you are there? And what is your budget?

Also when would you like to come? November and early December are usually cheap.

In March 2015 we stayed for 5 nights at an apartment overlooking Florence's Piazza Santa Maria Novella, costing right around $100/night. And as we were talking to the landlord, a 70-ish but beautiful Florentine matron, I got the feeling that for a month stay I could've gotten an even better deal, because that time of year off-season frankly they're happy to rent those apartments at all.

I kept thinking about that our entire stay, as in--how cheaply could I live over, say, a 3-month period, and could I travel to other venues--daytrip or overnighter--in Italy safely and efficiently? And all the answers--granted, to myself--came back as a resounding YES. The apartment is situated a 5 minute walk from the SMN train station and the bus station, there was a CONAD grocery store that close as well, a laundromat and the Mercato Centrale for provisions all within walking distance. And Firenze is perfect as a city but a neighborhood-like one, which I prefer.

I've put this scenario on my bucket list, although Sandra's already done it!

A few weeks ago we stayed in a apartment in Florence. It was within steps of the Duomo and we would love to stay in Florence again for longer. So much to see and yet so close to other places. Go for it!

I would be travelling alone and was thinking about a stay of one or two months depending on cost; don't really want to rent a vehicle but up for taking trains and buses; have been to Italy several times before and heading there again in 4 days and while there this time thought I would look into the possibility of renting and want to pay less than $100 per night; thinking of spring time [April/May] to get away from our rainy west coast climate; if anyone has stayed at a particular place would you recommend it?

I spent two months in Florence last summer in an apartment. I stayed in the Oltrarno and it was perfect for me. I used http://www.acaciafirenze.com/en. They have quite a few apartments- I spent well below your budget but everyone has their own preferences. Diana was very helpful. The year prior I stayed a month in a residential area near San Marco but I prefer the Oltrarno area.

I wonder if Jay and I stayed in the same apartment. My friends and I loved both the apartment and location. Walked everywhere in Florence. Great little wine shop around the corner and restaurants as well. We decided against it but there is good bus service into Chianti area for a day trip as well as major train connections. I wish i were back there right now.

I wonder if Jay and I stayed in the same apartment. My friends and I loved both the apartment and location. Walked everywhere in Florence. Great little wine shop around the corner and restaurants as well. We decided against it but there is good bus service into Chianti area for a day trip as well as major train connections. I wish i were back there right now.

Florence is a better base with more within reach with public transportation. But if you want to spend some time in the Sorrento peninsula too just set aside a week for that location and the rest in Florence. If you opt for this plan do Sorrento area later in the spring. Early Spring in Italy may be just as rainy as the Pacific NW.

Firenze ,definitely!