We are planning our trip for December 21 to January 5th and this is what we are thinking...
Venice (trip start, 5 days with friends for Christmas) to...
Florence (2 days) to..
Siena (2 days) to...
Cinque Terre (3 days) to.. (and for New Year's)
Bologna, day trips to Ravenna, Modena (3 days) ..
then return home.
Any issue with doing the train the entire trip (i.e. no car)?
Thanks!
Gary
Well, you have only 1 full day in your 2 days, so 1 day in Siena and 1 day in Florence and 2 days in 5 Terre. I would drop 5 Terre and spend the time in Florence, Siena, or Bologna. While in Bologna consider going to San Marino for a different country experience.
It makes more sense when planning to think in terms of overnights. Generally two nights means one full day of sightseeing. Not sure what two days in Florence means -- three nights or one night. If starting in Venice, where are you departing from? Rail service and especially food services will be very restricted on Christmas day and perhaps Jan 1.
All of your cities have train stations so that works;
Yes, you can get around entirely by train, but when you go from Florence to Siena, it would be more convenient to take the bus. The Siena train station is at the bottom of a hill, whereas the bus stop is right in the middle of town.
I'd skip two days in Siena. I'd stay in Florence (less packing/unpacking).
Not saying that you shouldn't visit Siena. I'm just saying that you're giving both Florence and Siena the short end of the stick. And if I had to pick a city in which to stay longer, I'd select Florence.
Of your proposed itinerary the CT stands out as a weak link. Many hotels and restaurants will be closed as the owners typically live elsewhere and operate their businesses during the high and shoulder seasons only. The weather for me would be a huge factor as I also live on a ocean coast and know how grey, rainy and windy those winter days can be. I would concentrate my visit to cities where there are lots of indoor activities for day and evenings; museums, churches, concerts etc. Christmas markets and festivities would also be an attraction during your dates. I most certainly agree with train travel for the entire trip.
I agree with what the PPS have said. Your trip is totally doable by train except for Sienna, which is reached better by bus. And i think you could add extra nights to Florence and just do Siena as a day trip; maybe throw in a day trip to Lucca, too. I also think CT in late December is a mistake for all the reasons given. Better to distribute those days amongst the other cities.
Thanks for the great information. This community rocks. Didn't think about skipping CT but makes sense as well as a longer stay in Florence. Thanks again!
