We will be traveling through Italy the last week in Sept. and will be spending a week in Siena where we will rent a car. From Siena, we will be traveling to LaSpezia and wondering if we should drive to LaSpezia and take in the sights along the way(we would drop the rental once we got to LaSpezia) or is it best to take the train. Thanks.
Posted by
Gettysburg, PA
1589 posts
I am a huge train advocate, but since you will have the car, drive to LaSpezia. It isn't a long drive and there are plenty of little villages to visit on the way.
Posted by
Natick, Mass, USA
31 posts
no need to spend $ on a car for an extra day when you can get to your destination cheaply by rail. also the scenery is just as beautiful if you take the train (i took the train from siena to pisa in june; reccommend you sit on right side of the train for best views). if you want to explore some of the villages along the way, that isn't a problem because you can hop off and just get on the next train using the same ticket (the siena-empoli line, the first leg of your journey, only has regional trains, which allow you to hop on & hop off within 24 hours of the time you validated your ticket, provided you are traveling on regional trains heading in the direction of your destination).
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11665 posts
FWIW I agree with Bob. Last year we traveled from Vernazza to Siena by train, through La Spezia, Pisa and Empoli. The Pisa/Empoli and Empoli/Siena segments were overcrowded and miserable even in October. It was a Satruday and everyone was moving about! We had to stand up for two hours. If I had it to do all over again, I'd have a car from La Spezia to Siena or vice versa. You can visit Monteriggioni, Pistoia, Cararra, and other towns along the way.