We are going to be in Tuscany for 7 days. Plan on being in Florence 2 days and a day trip to Cinque Terre, day to either Siena or Chianti, day to Parma or Bologna and wondering if it is worth taking an early speed train to Rome and squeezing in a day trip or skip it and visit another time and instead add Pisa or Lucca? Thoughts?
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
Pisa and Lucca can easily be combined on a pleasant day trip. Lucca is just half an hour away and Pisa another half an hour. As you say yourself, Rome would be »squeezing« in: a lot of hours spent on trains and, even with an early rise, still not enough time to enjoy it in a relaxed way. It's much better kept as a good reason to return.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
It's going to take you 2.5 hours each way, so at most you can spend about half day in Rome.
Is it worth it? I don't know. You tell me.
Lucca, on the other hand, is just a stone throw away.
Posted by
616 posts
Roberto, Florence to Rome take 1hour 1/2 with freccia Rossa or Argento or with Italo.
This said, Rome diserved a very minimum of three full days, it's big.
Sienna is beautiful and if you can go and see the Pallio, this will be a one in a life time experience. Sienna is a city very similar to Florence, yet smaller. I would choose Lucca for the whole day and skip Pisa.
Chianti is countryside, so very different and it might be a nice break after being in cities, quieter also. San Gimignano also is worth a visit. Easy bus connection from Sienna and Florence.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
Francois I know Florence to Rome is only 90 minutes, but the poster is staying in Montecatini not Florence, therefore he needs to add the time on the a Regional train from Montecatini to Florence, which is about one hour, when everything is said and done.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
We ended up taking the train to Florence then the speed train to Rome and stayed for one night. I know it wasn't ideal to get 1 1/2 days in Rome, but we got in as much as we could and being that we don't know when we will be back; we went for it. And we were glad we did. We purchased the site seeing tour bus for hop on/hop off. I had read many reviews to skip that, but if you are in Rome during the off season like we were, it is worth it except be prepared for the last stop being early and you might have to take a taxi from the Vatican area (from our own experience). We were able to fit in the Vatican, St. Peters, the Coliseum and a couple other stops in our time and probably had the best pasta of our trip in Rome. Our hotel was clean and inexpensive (again visited during off season). We also did go to Sienna on a Sunday which was perfect with the locals out shopping, dining and kids playing in the piazza - loved Sienna! thanks for all of the replies and advice!