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What to do before and after Florence

Hello, my wife and I will be in Florence for a 4 day meeting. We can arrange our trip so that we have about three days before and three days after our meeting to travel somewhere else as well. This is our first trip to Italy (or to Europe), and will probably be our only such trip for a long time to come. With this in mind, I'm hoping someone could give me some guidance as to where we could fly in and and out of to maximize this trip. We would really appreciate some insight into this -- thanks in advance! Barry

Posted by
515 posts

You are going to get a ton of excellent suggestions. I'll start the bidding. Fly into Florence, train to Siena. Train back to Florence for biz. Then train to Venice and fly home out of Venice. Three iconic and very different places. Letting the Board know the time of year would be helpful too.

Posted by
515 posts

You are going to get a ton of excellent suggestions. I'll start the bidding. Fly into Florence, train to Siena. Train back to Florence for biz. Then train to Venice and fly home out of Venice. Three iconic and very different places. Letting the Board know the time of year would be helpful too.

Posted by
14 posts

Early October. It's looking like we may need to limit our plans to one airport, since a round trip ticket is looking like a lot less than a two one-ways. Any insight along those lines would be appreciated as well.

Posted by
3696 posts

Double check on that flight again... its not really two separate one way tickets, it is just into one airport and out another (aka open-jaws) A few times those tickets have even been cheaper depending on location, but that would be a great itinerary given the few days you have and a great look at the diversity Italy has to offer.

Posted by
14 posts

I don't understand the distinction between one way tikets and "open jaws." How would I present these parameters to the expedia search function?

Posted by
14 posts

I think I got it: the "multiple destinations" feature on Expedia brought up a flight into FLorence and out of Venice for about the same fee as a round trip ticket in and out of the same place. Fantastic! I love that suggestion. Any others, for what to do before and after Florence? One approach would be to see as much as we can in the time we have, and of course the other would be to find a sopt to stay in for a few days and just fall in love with it. I'd love to hear suggestions along those lines as well.

Posted by
2111 posts

Barry, Having been to Italy only twice (loved both times and hope to make another trip), I would suggest flying in and out of Rome. Invest your first three days in Rome, of course, understanding your first day is the get-over-jet-lag, light touring day. So much to see in Rome. Then hop the train to Florence (very easy to do). After Florence, visit the Tuscan countryside....Sienna, Volterra, other hill towns, working your way back toward Rome. Might not be time, maybe an overnight in the Cinque Terre, depending on how many Tuscan towns you want to see and if the coast is important for you to see? And, of course, you will want to return in the future, so definitely toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain. Haven't visited Venice yet, but just about everyone who has loves it :) But, with the front and back end schedule for touring, unless you split your flights, it would be a long haul and back to Venice (which is why we have not done that yet). Have a great time, and you'll understand why so many of us LOVE Italy :)

Posted by
515 posts

Anecdotal reports about weather don't provide much insight into a region's climate; but, there are numerous websites that present easy to use charts based on hard data which are useful albeit less than perfect. Having said that, here is my anecdotal report: I've been in northern Tuscany in early October in sunny 70s and cool nights; and in Venice from the last week (weeks before you) in Oct to late Nov. My Venice weather gradually fell apart from 60s sunny to periods of sun + periods of drizzle, and then days of cold driving rain and then back to sun. Although you may not see any bad weather, Venice for me is the best city to photo in mysterious fog and drizzle.

Posted by
14 posts

I love the photographic angle thank you. That is a very high priority for me when travelling. I carry a backpack full of lenses pretty much wherever I go. Any other comments alongs those lines would be appreciated as well!

Posted by
203 posts

Believe it or not, I actually got a better price to fly from JFK to Milan and then Rome to JFK on Alitalia. That affords the opportunity, for you, to go to Venice immedately from Milan by train and then on to Florence and then train to Rome. Fly home from Rome, provided you can find a similar "deal" on Alitalia. This may not be a value on other airlines, so you will have to do some research on the internet. You will get a "highlights" tour. Enough to satisfy your curiosity and check off a few things on life's bucket list, but at the same time maybe find something that peaks your interest enough to make a return trip to Italy a priority. Good luck and keep searching for an open jaw flight.

Posted by
1589 posts

" Also, what about the Amalfi coast to end the trip? Too ambitious to go that far away?" A bridge too far, my friend.

Posted by
515 posts

After you settle on an itinerary, I suggest that you browse SmugMug, Flickr and FlickrRiver to see where and how your destinations have been shot. I also use Google Street View to nail down as much as possible those shot locations. There are too many photo ops in Florence to list. Here is a back of the envelope random list of some, but there are so many more: one bridge downstream from the Ponte Vecchio at low sun when the PV gets it's glow on Pz Michelangelo for the iconic view of the Arno and bridges Mercato Centrale, hustle, bustle, produce and prosciutto (eat at Pork's inside) San Miniato al Monte, a small basilica full of light beams Scullers on the Arno, early morning Close-up, Ghiberti door panels (the originals in the museum) Campanile, the top, for a view of the dome, tile roofs and mountains Boboli Gardens, Morgante statue, completely gross but photogenic Stand in street panini shop at lunch, I Due Fratellini Close-ups of statue faces at the Bargello. Forlorn faces of tourist in long line at Uffizi Last Judgment, Satan eating souls, mosaic, ceiling the Battistero

Posted by
11247 posts

Otariidae's suggestion to stay in northern Italy and stick with 3 sites, flying into Florence and out of Venice, is very good advice. Although this is a first and maybe only trip, resist the urge to try and see everything and you will more fully enjoy the places you do have time to visit. Rome is wonderful, but it is huge and difficult to "do" in what will amount to two days. Personally I'd find that frustrating. I'd like more time in Venice than two days, but you can get a good feel for Venice in that time. If there is a price difference between round trip and open-jaw, remember you have cost of trains to consider, too. If you fly in and out of the same city, you have to consider the cost of back-tracking in both time and $$. Do be sure to read a good guidebook (Rick Steves' comes to mind...LOL!) and if your trip is THIS October, you'll need to make lodging reservations soon.

Posted by
15560 posts

If you like sculpture, Renaissance painting and architecture, Florence is THE place to be. If not, you will probably be able to see the city in the evenings and - for photography - in teh early mornings. If Florence sounds like your cup of tea, then choose either Venice or Rome for your second destination. I've been to both and I prefer Venice, so romantic. If Florentine art doesn't sound so hot, then fly into Venice - the best place to start an Italian adventure, you can absorb the atmosphere while getting over the jetlag. Then after Florence, head for Rome. You don't have much time, and traveling from city to city does use up some of it (packing, getting to/from the train station), so I'd discourage you from trying to see more than that.

Posted by
1589 posts

Try Pistoia for a day. It is only 14 miles from Florence and rarely a tourist in sight. Beautiful historic district and easy train access. It is on the main truck heading over toward Pisa, Lucca & the CT area.

Posted by
14 posts

Love the varying suggestions, Thanks very much to all of you. I'm going to see what other suggestions find their way into this thread before booking flights, which I'll probably do tomorrow. Doesn't seem like I can wait much longer before rates go up. Any experience with that among you all? Also, what about the Amalfi coast to end the trip? Too ambitious to go that far away?

Posted by
17 posts

I would like to ecco the suggestion of 'not trying to do too much'. Florence to Siena to Venice via train transportation sounds devine in the time limitations of your trip. Siena requires at least 2 days, as well as Venice. So your 3 days before and after are perfect, as you will probably meet people and who knows, someone may have a car and you all go on a day-trip in Tuscany! Have a wonderful time.

Posted by
102 posts

If your into music, classictic.com puts on some wonderful Opera Musicals at St. Mark's Church in Florence. Your so close to the performers you can tell what brand mouthwash they are using. I've been to a half dozen of these in three different European cities. Always has been a fantastic memory!

Posted by
3696 posts

Well, now since you have added the photographic piece to the puzzle... I can only give you my insights. I am a professional photographer, and for me it is Venice and the Tuscan villages all the way. Venice...foggy, misty mysterious blue light that is there right before sunrise, and not many people, and the Tuscan countryside with the quaint villages and rolling hills, beautiful vineyards...you just can't beat it. I personally am not interested in taking what I call 'record shots' of all the well known sights that we have all seen a million photos of. I am more interested in trying to capture the feeling of a location rather than just record what is there, but that is just my style, so that dictates the locations I choose to spend time photographing.

Posted by
40 posts

Stay in Florence and go to San Gimingnano, Sienna nearby Tuscan towns. Fly home from Venice. We did that in May and it was amazing. Venice is like no other place in Italy. Take the train which is about 2-3 hrs.

Posted by
14 posts

These are some amazing suggestions. In just a few days we have gone from not knowing where to turn, to having some fantastic ideas. Thanks to you all! Before I book, though, why not fly into Pisa instead of Florence, so we can see that on the way in? Any comments on this idea?

Posted by
15560 posts

Pisa - so not worth it. Since you asked . . . But if it is your heart's desire, you would do better to see it as a day trip (maybe 2/3 day) from Florence. Take the train to Pisa, taxi to the Tower, spend a couple of hours there - more if you want to climb the Tower, but reserve in advance - then taxi back to the train station and back to Florence.

Posted by
931 posts

Skip Pisa! Florence, Sienna, and of course! Venice. Save Rome for another time. Venice, in the very early morning light, is a phtographers dream! Don't buy your tickets on a travel site; find them, and then buy direct from the airline.