In late September or early October I will be in Florence for 3 days. Then I want to spend 4 days in a hill town. I have 2 requirements for the town: 1. Fairly easy public transportation from Florence and to Rome. 2. Since we wil have no car, a town that is interesting on foot. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. There will be 2 adults. This is my 1st trip to Italy. Thank you.
Posted by
134 posts
Easy bus transport from Florence to San Gimignano.
Posted by
134 posts
In Umbria, go to Gubbio.
Download app trenit, insert any address you might have in Italy, hotel, holiday apartment and you will find all italian trains which you may book online.
To go to Gubbio you have to go either to fossato di vico (18 km by bus) or to Perugia (40 km by bus to Gubbio). It takes 3 hours from Florence + drive by bus,) Fossato di Vico is nearer to Rome than it is from Florence. Perugia is nearer to Florence.
Posted by
134 posts
Sienna, reachable both by bus and train is a must in Tuscany, especially in September-october where the marvelous pavement of the Siena Cathedral can be admired. Other months it is not possible to see it, so as to protect its marvelous painted sculptures.
Go to the Siena site and book in advance so as not to queue.
Should you or an accompanied person be disabled, that person does not have to queue as well as one accompanying person. Most of the time it is free.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Arezzo, Siena or Volterra in Tuscany; Assisi or Orvieto in Umbria. In Tuscany, you may have to go back to Florence for transportation connection.
Posted by
OP
Randolph, MA, USA
52 posts
Great suggestions; I thank you all. I think a large part of my decision of which town to have as a base will be determined by bus or train access from that town to other towns in the region and to Florence. Do you know how I can research this information online?
Posted by
Tacoma, Wa, USA
34 posts
WE stayed a week in Cortona last Spring and had no car. Shuttles go back and forth to the train station just below in Camucia, and Cortona is historically interesting and charming as heck. If you train to Chiusi, you could bus to Montepulciano and stay there. Visit the nearby Val D'orcia where Gladiator and English Patient were filmed. So many wonderful options.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Look at Rome2Rio.com and put in some destination names to see how much time it will take by various means of public transportation. Their cost estimates for trains are the base (maximum) fares. I love Arezzo, Siena and Montalcino for towns that are "interesting on foot" - each piazza is different.