My husband and I will be in Florence 3-25 April 2017. We have already booked flight in and out of Florence and rented an apartment thru VRBO in the Oltrarno near Santo Spirito. Our goal is to have a relaxing visit, immersing ourselves in Florence/Tuscan culture, as well as experiencing life as a local (as much as possible in the short time there). We enjoy art, architecture, history and good food. Also, being Catholic we are excited to be spending Easter in Italy. Our plan is to spend some days exploring Florence, some days on day trips, and some days/evenings mingling with neighbors. I am trying to get a good sense of how much time to spend in different locations and how much needs to be scheduled in advance. We would prefer to not have everyday planned in advance and allow the trip to evolve as feels natural. As I type this it sounds more and more like Utopia (!!) but I am hoping somewhat feasible and realistic as well. Although we have the apartment for the full 3 weeks, we are not opposed to an occasional overnight in another town as part of our exploration of the surrounding area. From what I have read in other posts it sounds like Pisa, Lucca and Fiersole are day trips; Sienna would be best enjoyed by staying overnight, as would the Cinque Terre and Assisi...correct? Is a wine/food visit of the Chianti region best done as part of a tour group or on our own? Which hill towns are day trips and which would be best experienced by staying overnight? Is it possible to get a multi-day ticket to the Uffizi or Accademia so we can explore at a more leisurely pace, or is seeing each one in a single visit easily done? We do not plan to rent a car; we are very comfortable exploring by bus or train. We haven't decided yet if day/short trips to Rome or Venice are in the mix. Hope to plan a similar stay in those areas for future trips. Would appreciate any suggestions or reality checks!! Thanks.
Posted by
82 posts
Arezzo is a nice day trip by train from Florence. It has Piero Della Francesco's fresco cycle, Legend of the True Cross, nice museums, unique food (wonderful salami), and the center of town is a short walk from the train station. It is not a major tourist destination so you can get an easy feel for the town. PM if you want more information.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15798 posts
Assisi is a perfect destination for you. 2 nights would be even better.
Instead of focusing on a multi-day ticket for the Uffizi or Academia, look at all the other wonderful museums, churches and other sights in Florence. With 3 weeks, you can spend hours at each, one per day, to soak it all up.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Other towns nearby: Anghiari, Sansepolcro, Easy daytrips.
Posted by
OP
San Juan Island, WA
3 posts
Thank you for your suggestions. I have done a little research on the towns you mentioned and they look lovely.
Posted by
Boston, MA, USA
262 posts
A trip down into the Chianti region is fantastic especially if you are driving and not taking a bus. A drive down SS222 to Greve and then on to Castellina would make for a great day. You could also stop in Radda on the way back t Florence to round out the Chianti experience.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1773 posts
There are no multiple day tickets for Uffizi - either you visit the museum a couple of times (not a bad idea) or you sign up to the "friends of Uffizi" society (only one year subscriptions, January to December, for 60 euros single persons or 100 euros families) giving free access to Uffizi, Accademia and Pitti. But probably single tickets are cheaper. Being at Santo Spirito be sure not to overlook Palazzo Pitti, that has several museums with separate tickets - so good for multiple visits.
Posted by
OP
San Juan Island, WA
3 posts
We are getting very excited about our trip to Florence! Have done tons of research and looked at your previous suggestions to narrow down our activities. One of the things we haven't decided on yet is whether to make a trip to Cinque Terre. I know it sounds cliche but the videos and photos look so beautiful I think an opportunity to at least see a part of it is hard to pass up. Is it feasible to train there in the morning from Florence, spend the day, a night, and most of a second day before returning to Florence? If so, how would you suggest we do it? Should we pick just 2-3 of the towns? Which one should we stay overnight in, lodging recommendation? Although it is not a priority, would like to do some walking/hiking, but I am confused about which parts of the trail are closed. It is more important to us to see towns themselves, not spend a lot of time getting from one to another. Suggestions or recommended itineraries would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Posted by
8474 posts
Rome and Venice are too far for day trips from Florence. I suggest at least two nights in Venice and four in Rome.
You can see Pisa and Lucca in one day from Florence. Sienna you could also do on a day trip. Several other places were mentioned by earlier posters. Also, consider visiting Ravenna on the Adriatic. You can see it in one day.
Also, I recommend the Hotel Balesteri in Florence.
Posted by
5320 posts
A good guide book will tell you what you can do by public transport (including the options for bus/train) and what you can cannot realistically do. It will have the info on the Uffizi also.
Play it by ear on the Cinque Terre. Only go if you have good weather, and choose a weekday so maybe crowds will be smaller. The hikes are detailed on the national park website. There are plenty and only the ones damages by landslides are closed, indicated on the website also.
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Eindex.php
http://www.cinqueterre.it/
I would stay overnight, and hiking should be a priority--that is the reason to go. Otherwise, choose a seaside town that is not so popular.
You might want to get your international drivers license from AAA just in case you decide to rent a car for some day trips.