travel52

Used my ff miles from Alaska Airlines and got Business Class seats from Seattle to Oslo and then returning Florence to Seattle April/May 2006. Yahoo to that. When I called for seat assignments I was told the Florence airport is really not in Florence, but close to Pisa. The plan was to stay in Venice, take a train to Florence where we picked up a car, staying 3 nights at Malvarina (Assisi), 3 nights Siena, and then drive back to Florence to drop the car off, stay 3 days and fly out. With the airport not really in Florence, I need suggestions on what to do. Okay experts, I'm waiting to hear ! This is just the start of my questions, so beware

LoveItaly

Hello travel52, if you are are departing from the Florence airport to go home to Seattle that is not a problem at all. Just take a taxi from Florence to the Florence airport. Think the cost will be about 20euro (plus a small tip). Also, there is, I believe, a bus from the Florence train station to the Florence airport. But with luggage I would use a taxi. Have a wonderful trip!

Eloise

There are direct trains between Florence and Pisa Airport:

http://www.pisa-airport.com/sat/cda/...mp;idSection=3

Unless your plane leaves at the crack of dawn, you should not have any difficulty.

mjs

There is a Florence airport which is quite close to the city and a larger airport at Pisa. If you are flying out of Pisa I would just take a early train to the airport from Florence if the timing works. As an alternative you could stay in Florence first than go onto Assisi and Siena. If your flight out of Pisa is early you might wish to cut your stay in Siena to 2 nights and stay somewhere in Pisa the night before which would allow you to see the Tower.

travel52

I just checked with British Air. They don't fly out of Florence even though my itinerary says they do. We will fly out of PISA IT GALILEO GALILE. We flight leaves at 11am. Perhaps we should spend the night before in Pisa. Is there a hotel by the airport that you would recommend?

kybourbon

There is an airport shuttle bus from Florence train station to Pisa airport for 7.50E per person. www.terravision.it

Weadles

You could stay in Lucca overnight. It's a medieval walled hill town that is the birthplace of Puccini, and it's only about 20-30 minutes from Pisa airport. Last summer we stayed in VILLA PRINCIPESSA, an antiqued villa once owned by a duke of Lucca. The garden setting (tall hedges, flowering trees, tomato vines and lemon groves) was staggeringly beautiful. However, the villa is not within walking distance of town, so if you stay there, you'll have to take taxis back and forth.

Anyway, for us, it proved to be a wonderful way to spend our last night in Italy since we had an incredible candlelit dinner under the stars on the villa's huge terrace!

Betsy

Another vote for staying in Lucca. Beautiful little city for your last night in Italy. Check out Hotel Piccolo Puccini, which is hightly recommended here. http://www.hotelpuccini.com/

By the way, enjoy Malvarina, one of my favorites in Italy. Be sure to have dinner there at least one night of your stay. Say hello to the pooches who taught us to play "rock soccer."

kcsqueeze

kybourbon...thanks for the info on the shuttle. I have not considered flying into Pisa previously as it did not seem convenient. This 70 minute inexpensive trip simplifies matters.

kybourbon

kcsqueeze - Although you can catch the train from Pisa airport to Florence, I prefer a shuttle bus if available. Your luggage is stored underneath the bus and you don't have to worry about it.

capxxx

If you do decide to spend the night in Pisa, I can recommend the Hotel Allesandro della Spina. It is about 5 blocks from the train station, and about 10 minute taxi to the airport. A nice place on a quiet street, with very helpful staff.

justine

I think you should stay in Lucca. It is one of our favorite places in Italy. I think you would love it. You could fly out of Pisa, close to Lucca. Good luck!

CaptainBob

Just to clarify Florence Airports:

FLR (Florence) - aka Peretola, aka Amerigo Vespucci, right outside Florence, easy bus or taxi to town. Served by Lufthansa from Munich and Frankfort, Air France from Paris, Meridiana from London Gatwick, and some others.

Warning: MAY be closed 3 months for runway repairs beginning in February 2005. Flights to diverted to Pisa or Bologna. I have this from a Florence resident, but have no independent confirmation!

PSA (Pisa) aka Galileo Galilei, right outside Pisa, trains to Pisa and Florence (might need to change in Pisa Centrale), Served by British Air from London Gatwick, Lufthansa from Munich, and others. Generally takes large planes.

(I travel to Florence about twice a year)

SeaUrchin

Also it should be noted that if you are driving to the Florence airport from Florence, the signs with the names they use for the airport change as you go along the road. You can start off reading the signs for one name and the next sign will use the other name. Very confusing, I wish someone had told me first.

Tiff

God bless ya Captain Bob, as I was reading this old thread, with each moment of scrolling down I was hoping someone would clarify which airport is which by the time I hit the bottom.

Well done.

mikanni

I did get a call from Lufthansa about a week ago saying they were rerouting my flight out of LForence to Pisa becasue the airport was closing for Feb and March so I think it is offical.