KaylaS

Hello all,

I'm wondering if its possible to do some day trips around Italy whilst staying in Florence and Rome.

Myself and my boyfriend will likely be going from Venice to Florence and staying in Florence for about 6 days then Heading to Rome for another 6 . I would love to see smaller places like Positano or Riomaggiore, along the coast. I am basically just looking for suggestions of other places worth seeing besides the obvious Florence and Rome and if it is possible to see these places in day trips or if we should book hotels to stay at instead.

Thanks!

dwdvagamundo

I don't think you could see either of those places as day trips.

Some good day trips from Florence are Siena and San Gimignano. From Rome: Ostia Antica, Orvieto, Tivoli.

However, to see Positano on the Amalfi Coast you'd need at least three nites in that area, in my opinion, and at least one nite in the CT for Riomaggiore. I'd vote for Positano as the Amalfi Coast is one of the loveliest places we've ever been.

bobthenavigator

There are numerous day trip options for both Florence and Rome, but not the ones you mention.

From Florence:
Lucca, Siena, Arezzo, Pisa are primary.

From Rome:
Orvieto, Tivoli come to mind

I hope you have a good guide book---that really helps.
I like the Michelin Green book for Italy.

KaylaS

Thank you dwdvagamundo! I would love to see Positano as well, would you say that we'd still have enough time to see both Florence and Rome area if we took away a few days to see Positano? So instead, 5 days in Florence (+ a day trip) 4 in Rome and 3 days in Positano?

Jean

To the list for Florence, I would add Bologna and Certaldo.

The only way to know if you'd have "enough" time in Florence and Rome after you take away days for Positano is to list all the things you want to do/see in each place and try to estimate how much time it will all take. I've spent weeks in each of these destinations over several years and still haven't seen everything, esp. in Florence and Rome. Everyone explores differently. Are you a snail or a rabbit?

RonZ

Quick train schedules here:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?

When you add the time need to get back and forth from stations, with any train ride over about 1.5 hours the actual time at the destination gets overwhelmed.

dwdvagamundo

I agre with Jean that "enough time" depends on the two of you and your interests. Our interests include history, art and archaeology--particularly classical archaeology--so we'd probably do four days in Florence (including a day trip to Siena), five days in Rome, two in Positano and one day visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum (maybe a nite in Sorrento).

wekewoody

Jean, I am curious about the Certaldo suggestion. What makes that a good day trip? Thanks.

letsgeaux

We have done Riomaggiore and the Cinque Terra as a day trip from Florence. Takes all day but it was fun. Many other options in Tuscany. Positano was wonderful, but it will take a while to get there from Rome. Roman hill towns such as Castel Gondolfo and Frascati were nice day trips from Rome.

Jean

wekewoody, we stopped in Certaldo on a driving day out of Siena and enjoyed the ancient town which is reached by a funicular from the lower town that was mostly rebuilt after WWII. The lower town is ho-hum, but the alto town is charming. We rode the funicular up and had a very pleasant walk back down. I later noticed how easy it is to reach Certaldo by train from Florence, but many things close at mid-day so plan your arrival accordingly.

In the former church of San Tommaso, adjacent to the Palazzo Pretorio, is a fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli who also did the beautiful Procession of the Magi in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence. In another church (Santi Jacopo and Filippo) there are della Robbia terra cottas. There is sacred/religious art and some Etruscan displays in the Palazzo Pretorio complex as well as a medieval prison.

Certaldo was the home of Boccaccio who wrote The Decameron. BTW, a new, very readable translation of the tales came out late last year. Boccaccio's name is all over town, on shops, restaurants, etc. You can tour his house, but it isn't much. We were told you can see San Gimignano from the house, but it wasn't clear enough on the day we were there.

We had lunch on a terrace at a place with pretty views:

Taverna Antica Fonte

wekewoody

Thanks Jean. It sounds cool. I had read about Certaldo in connection with some potters that live and work nearby.

KaylaS

These are all great suggestions, thank you a ton! I have a lot more insight now as to what to do.

mr_go

We also spent a very nice day in Certaldo, at their annual Boccaccesca food & wine festival. Some pix:

http://onelittleworld.zenfolio.com/p926788777