Touring Southern Italy til Sept 18 and then leave Venice to cruise Greece on Sept 20. On the 18th should we go by train to Florence from Naples on the 18th and have the afternoon and evening and 1 night then leave on the 19th for Venice for the PM and night and day of the 20th before boarding the cruise or go directly to Venice for 2 nights?
Posted by
Seattle, Wa, USA
663 posts
Well, obviously we can't decide for you. What are YOUR plans? If you stayed in Florence, what would you plan to,do there? Same with Venice. Which one appeals to you the most?
If it were ME, I'd probably go to Venice, although I like both places very much and would find plenty to do in either location. But I'm the sort of person who is NEVER late. Even "on time" would be late for me, and I'd have too much anxiety if I was making too many stops on my way to any destination. So you also have to keep your comfort level in mind if you do spend a night in Florence, and keep abreast of any news regarding transportation strikes that might cause a delay in getting to Venice in time for your cruise.
Posted by
Carmel, CA, USA
2455 posts
Both Florence and Venice are beautiful, unique and wonderful cities, and each deserves much more than a one or even two night visit. I find that one night stays eat up a lot of time and energy in getting yourself and your baggage from one hotel and city to the other hotel and city, denying yourself a full day anywhere and really interfering with your enjoying your visit. So, given the schedule you provide, I would encourage you to travel directly from Naples to Venice, ideally on a fast train (or inexpensive flight) and spend those two nights in Venice. Venice can be especially enjoyable in the early morning and the evening, when most cruisers and day trippers are no longer on the streets, piazzas and canals.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7347 posts
I suppose the answer depends on how much you like museum art. There are plenty of beautiful exteriors in Florence, as well as indoor painting and scupture, but it's not necessary to enter a building to have good time in Venice for a day or two!
Speaking personally, Florence and Venice are about equal in my book, but if they aren't equal, the edge goes to Venice. Venice has good museums and special exhibitions, but there's probably a larger pile of "art" in Florence. But the exteriors of Venice have been painting by hundreds of artists over the years. Speaking practically, Venice really needs to limit daily visitors in the future (like Macchu Picchu ... ), but it's not likely to actually happen.
I doubt that you can check your baggage in "early" for the cruise, because they are unloading the previous luggage in the morning. That means you'll have to go back to the hotel and get the luggage you left in the luggage room, before you go to the pier. Check your cruise documents. We had no trouble taking our luggage on the Vaparetto, but if you have huge bags or any impediments, that might figure into hotel choice in Venice.
Posted by
128 posts
If you decide on Venice, you might consider the overnight train from Naples to Venice. You can sleep on the train (I had a private cabin) and get off the train in Venice the next morning. Watching Venice wake up is one of my favorite memories of that city. I was staying in Venice for six weeks so I had rented an apartment; therefore I can't help you with getting to your cruise ship.
If a night train appeals to you, this web page has good information.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16894 posts
Will your cruise return to Venice to give you another chance to see it, or end in a different city? Either city is easily worth two nights and I'd rather see Venice pretty well than both cities pretty quickly. Most trains from Naples to Venice require a connection, but there is a 7:30 a.m. direct departure that gets into Venice at 12:35.