My fiance and I will be touring Italy for our honeymoon in October. We will be arriving in Venice, spending 3 nights in there, 4 nights in Tuscany, and 5 nights in Rome before flying home. I am undecided on how to spend the time in Tuscany. We want to spend some time in Florence seeing all that the city has to offer, but at the same time, I have fallen in love with the Agriturismo Marciano in Siena and would like to spend at least two nights there. Should we stay there all 4 nights and make day trips to Florence when necessary? Or should we spend two nights in Florence and 2 at the agriturismo? I have been to Florence once before but my fiance has never been to Europe. I don't want her to miss the sights in Florence that I got to see, but at the same time I think that an extended stay in the countryside may give us the relaxation we need before hitting Rome. I guess what I'm really asking is, will we miss out on anything important by not staying overnight in Florence? I have limited international travel experience (aka 1 EF Tour after graduation from high school) and would like some input from more experienced travelers. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32219 posts
Chris, Although it's not the ideal solution, one option might be to drop one day each from Venice and Rome and add the time to Tuscany. That would provide six nights, equally split between Florence and the Agriturismo. One thing to consider is that during the evenings, there won't be a lot to do in the Agriturismo (however, considering the occasion that might be fine too). Florence would be much more interesting. I always enjoy wandering around Piazza della Repubblica in the evenings watching the street entertainers. Some of them were really good! Congratulations and happy travels!
Posted by
Madison, WI, USA
153 posts
Just like in Venice and Rome, strolling around Florence at night was one of my favorite things to do while in Italy. There are some fun sights and good night life there. There is something to be said for staying in one place and not lugging the baggage around, but if you are wanting more than a single day in Florence, that convenience is negated. Siena is pretty nice at night too, FWIW
Posted by
Huntington Beach, CA
94 posts
Hi Chris,
On our last Italian vacation, we had 4 nights in Tuscany. We split them - 2 nights at a B&B near Siena and 2 nights in a wonderful B&B right outside of Florence called La Limonea (www.lalimonaia.net) We booked it because of the rave reviews on TripAdvisor and loved it. It sits up on a little hill overlooking Florence and yet it's just 10 minutes to Florence. We enjoyed the quiet and beauty of the relaxing countryside at night and enjoyed Florence too. It was close enough to go into Florence for dinner and walking in the evening. We are happy that we did it that way. Congratulations to you and your bride !
Posted by
Orlando, Florida
676 posts
How are you planning on getting from the Agriturismo in Siena to Florence? Train? Check out the last train and decide, I would think if the last train is 9 or 10 you can do it, you'd just have to do an early dinner in Florence or a late one in Siena. I personally think I'd rather spend 4 slow, relaxing, romantic nights in Siena, especially as you say, before hitting Rome.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10252 posts
First of all, congrats! My husband and I went to Italy for 3 weeks last September to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We spent a total of 7 nights in Tuscany. We had 4 nights at Agriturismo Marciano, 2 nights in Florence and 1 night in Lucca. Staying at Marciano was truly one of the best things about our entire trip. In retrospect, I wish we had spent even more time there. Lucca was our only one nighter on the trip, but I would have gladly given up one or both nights in Florence to spend more time at Marciano. The place is fantastic, the hosts were very friendly and helpful, and the optional dinners are something to not be missed. They don't do the dinners every night. We had dinner there 2 of our 4 nights. Each night we were there for dinner so were all the other guests. Just unforgettable, the food, wine and getting to know people from other countries combined ended up being such a fantastic experience that I will remember forever. We were the only Americans, but everyone spoke English. A car is necessary, but the location is good for visiting a variety of hill towns. A GPS is a must. Have a fabulous trip!