emmalloy

We are traveling for the first time to Italy this September/October. We will do a roundtrip flight to Rome.

We were thinking:

Rome - 2/3 nights
Train to Florence
Florence - 2/3 nights
Rent car drive to Tuscan village (45 minute drive)
Tuscan village - 3 nights
Drive back to Florence, drop off car, train back to Rome
1 night in Rome before we fly out the next day.

Question is - should we spend more time in Rome or Florence, which one? We'd love to go to Cinque Terre but I don't think we can do that and Tuscany in the same trip. Do you suggest we do Cinque Terre or Tuscan village? I feel like Rome and Florence are both big cities so we'll be busy so i wanted to have a few nights just relaxing somewhere.

Any ideas are welcome!

jent103

You probably don't have to drive back to Florence, depending on what part of Tuscany you're staying in - on my May trip we're dropping our car off in Chiusi and taking the train back to Rome.

On a first trip I would spend at least three nights in Rome, preferably four. There's a lot to see and you'll be jet lagged the first half or full day.

bobthenavigator

Start in Florence and end in Rome--like this:

Arrive Rome---train to Florence--3
Get car---to Tuscany location---3
Drop car at Orvieto---train to Rome--4
Fly home from Rome


This assumes 10 nights in Italy and is more efficient.

emmalloy

All great suggestions. I really like the idea of just going straight to Florence from Rome.

Is the train station far from the Rome airport?

bobthenavigator

Yes, but there is a connecting local train from FCO.
Or, a taxi at about 50E

isabel

There is a train station at the airport in Rome (FCO). The direct nonstop train to Roma Termini is the Leonardo Express and it costs 14 euro and takes a half hour (they come every 20-30 minutes). Then you would change to a train to Florence. If you book 3 months ahead it can be as low as 19 euro. However, booking a train in advance for the day you arrive is usually not a good idea since you can't know if your flight will be on time. You can buy the ticket from Rome to Florence at the airport train station at the same time as you buy the ticket from the airport to Rome. Trains from Rome to Florence take 90 minutes unless you get a slower regional train which will cost less but can take twice as long.

sandralist

I believe there is now a direct train from FCO (Rome Airport) to Florence Santa Maria Novella station. It might depend on when your flight lands whether train schedules makes it speedier to take the direct train from the airport, or you might gain some time transiting through Rome and switching trains there.

TerryLFred

My husband and I flew into Rome and went to Florence first. We thought we would take the train when we arrived but our flight was delayed so we couldn't do that and had to spend the night at the Marriott at the airport. We had booked our hotel in Florence so we were double booked that first night.

We love Rome and Florence - both have plenty to do - but I would still spend more time in Rome. Be sure to visit Galleria Borghese. One of our favorites in Rome (we went twice in one trip as there is so much to see and you are only allowed two hours). We LOVE the Bernini sculptures. Be sure to buy your tickets ahead of time. We enjoyed the guided tour they offered.

bvlenci

Yes, there are now two daily direct train from Fiumicino airport to Florence (or to Venice). They leave the airport train station at 11:08 and 15:08. It's certainly more convenient to take one of those trains, but I wouldn't wait around for one if your arrival is much earlier.

If those times don't suit your schedule, I suggest you take the FL1 train (€8) to Tiburtina station instead of the Leonardo Express (€14) to Termini station. All of the fast Frecciabianca trains to Florence stop at Tiburtina station about five minutes after the stop at Termini. In fact, that's the routing proposed by Trenitalia in most cases.

The only downside to the FL1 is that it can get quite crowded at rush hour, but since the airport is the first stop, you'll be sure to get a seat. (The Leonardo Express is also rather crowded at times.)

I wouldn't advise buying tickets in advance, because if your flight arrives late, they would be worthless if you buy a discounted ticket and miss the train. Even if you buy the full-price ticket, you can only exchange it for a different train within an hour after the departure of the one you missed.

There's virtually no chance that a train would be completely full, so you can just buy the ticket at the airport train station. You may have to buy it from the travel agent across from the station ticket window; the last time I was there (about a year ago) the ticket window was only selling tickets for trips to Rome. The travel agent doesn't add any fees or commissions to the ticket, and will sell tickets to anywhere in Italy, from anywhere in Italy.

jabez

I have often arrived in Rome, rented a care, and driven to Tuscany. I then leave the car in Florence. You may want to consider this.