We are basing in Florence and want to do day trips by train to see some hill towns like Cortona, Assisi, Deruta, etc. Is this easy to do by train. We're not mad for buses.
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1449 posts
yes it is easy to do, and we have done it on several trips. However... You go when the trains do. Which means that you can move between towns when the trains are available, which may be 1 per hour. Add in the time to get up to the hilltown (you're still going to have to take buses unless you think you'd enjoy hiking from the train station at the base), and the inefficiency of making sure you're down at the train station before the train leaves so you don't sit around waiting 59 minutes. My recommendation is to aim for no more than 1 hilltown in the morning and one in the afternoon. Its not a bad way to travel, I'd do it again, but you can definitely see more towns and have more flexibility if you rent a car.
Posted by
Harrison, NY, 10528
53 posts
Hello Polly, Like the other traveller says, it can be done by train, but you are at the will of the train schedules. I have done this "tour", and it is best done by bus, I think. It seemed to me that the bus schedules were more conducive to tourists like us. Car rental is even better. Happy travels, Will
Posted by
Las Vegas, NV, USA
4 posts
We stayed in Montespertoli and had a car. It was very easy to tour 2 of the hilltop towns in one day.