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Suggestions for apartment near Florence before Sicily Tour 2018

We are looking into a April 2018 Rick Steves tour to Sicily but would like to spend a week somewhere beforehand. We love Florence, but would like to find an apartment outside the city and still have access to the train as we would take day trips. Does anyone have any suggestions of apartments that you have stayed at? We are open to any other ideas for the week for those of you that have taken the Sicily tour before. We have been to Italy several times, so not looking to go to Rome or Naples.

thanks for any suggestions or ideas!

Posted by
1103 posts

We were on the Sicily tour in April 2016. Before the tour started, we spent a couple of days in Rome and flew from there to Palermo, where we spent one night before the tour started. After the tour, we spent a night in Rome before flying home.

Wherever you are in Italy before the tour, it would be a good idea to connect to Sicily via Milan or Rome. Flights from Milan and Rome to Sicily are frequent and inexpensive.

Posted by
135 posts

Bob: Thanks for the reply. We are debating where to go ahead of time and we are now thinking of heading to Rome as I want to go to Anzio as my dad was there in WWII. That just might work out to then head to Palermo and spend an extra day or two. Thanks again!!

Posted by
737 posts

We are looking to take this tour in 2018 also and are considering Rome as our stop before arriving in Palermo. I know I investigated transportation modes and a flight from Rome to Palermo and then from Catania back to Rome afterwards was very cheap. I want to say $44 one way and maybe $50 for the return trip. Shoot, I need to throw a coin in the fountain. Trevi Fountain was closed for refurbishment when we were there in May of 2015.