Oct '16 Tuscany assistance
Jul 5th, 2016, 09:43 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oct '16 Tuscany assistance
Traveling w husband to Venice-Florence-Bellagio for first time. Right now I have:
2nights/1.5 days in Venice
5 nights/4.5 days in Florence
2 nights/1.5 days in Bellagio depart Milan.
Two+ questions: am I cramming too much in/leave out Como area? Should we stay longer in Tuscany area and only two nights in Florence? We can pass in museums after about a day. Like to eat, drink and linger through old streets and markets.
2nights/1.5 days in Venice
5 nights/4.5 days in Florence
2 nights/1.5 days in Bellagio depart Milan.
Two+ questions: am I cramming too much in/leave out Como area? Should we stay longer in Tuscany area and only two nights in Florence? We can pass in museums after about a day. Like to eat, drink and linger through old streets and markets.
Jul 5th, 2016, 10:12 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What do you plan to do in Tuscany -just stay in Florence - if so cut a day off and add to Venice - the day you arrive you may be wiped out to do much.
Are you flying into Venice and out of Milan as presumed? Driving or taking trains?
Trains would be my suggestion - cars are useless in Venice of course and Florence too and Bellagio you can tour Lake Como by boat - to get to Milan's airport just take train from Como-Nord right to the airport without going thru Milan Centrale.
From Florence buses make easy day trips to iconic Tuscan hill towns like Siena - no advance reservations needed. Pisa and its Leaning Tower is also an easy day trip by train from Florence or Siena.
For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. High-speed and long-distance trains you can book discounted tickets at www.trenitalia.com if you book far enough in advance to get those limited in number tickets. Como-Nord to Milan Malpensa Airport is a regional commuter train - just buy tickets before boarding the train.
Are you flying into Venice and out of Milan as presumed? Driving or taking trains?
Trains would be my suggestion - cars are useless in Venice of course and Florence too and Bellagio you can tour Lake Como by boat - to get to Milan's airport just take train from Como-Nord right to the airport without going thru Milan Centrale.
From Florence buses make easy day trips to iconic Tuscan hill towns like Siena - no advance reservations needed. Pisa and its Leaning Tower is also an easy day trip by train from Florence or Siena.
For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. High-speed and long-distance trains you can book discounted tickets at www.trenitalia.com if you book far enough in advance to get those limited in number tickets. Como-Nord to Milan Malpensa Airport is a regional commuter train - just buy tickets before boarding the train.
Jul 5th, 2016, 10:13 AM
#3
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Mabriej,
Probably a whole year is not enough to visit Florence properly. . Anyway here some hints for something of unusual to do in Florence http://mytravelintuscany.com/10-unus...o-in-florence/ .
I suggest you also to visit something else while your staying in Tuscany:
If you are spending Halloween in Tuscany you can visit Borgo a Mozzano in Garfagnana http://mytravelintuscany.com/halloween-in-tuscany/
And if you are a food lovers, you can try the famous Lardo di Colonnata http://mytravelintuscany.com/lardo-d...od-of-tuscany/ or the Sgabei in Lunigiana http://mytravelintuscany.com/recipe/...lty-lunigiana/
Infact going from Florence to Milano/Como you can divert along the motorway that runs the coast of Tuscany, and then going straight to Milan.
Hope you had enough hints, if not I am at your disposal
Probably a whole year is not enough to visit Florence properly. . Anyway here some hints for something of unusual to do in Florence http://mytravelintuscany.com/10-unus...o-in-florence/ .
I suggest you also to visit something else while your staying in Tuscany:
If you are spending Halloween in Tuscany you can visit Borgo a Mozzano in Garfagnana http://mytravelintuscany.com/halloween-in-tuscany/
And if you are a food lovers, you can try the famous Lardo di Colonnata http://mytravelintuscany.com/lardo-d...od-of-tuscany/ or the Sgabei in Lunigiana http://mytravelintuscany.com/recipe/...lty-lunigiana/
Infact going from Florence to Milano/Como you can divert along the motorway that runs the coast of Tuscany, and then going straight to Milan.
Hope you had enough hints, if not I am at your disposal
Jul 5th, 2016, 10:40 AM
#4
"Probably a whole year is not enough to visit Florence properly."
I agree, but I admit I prefer Florence over Venice. You should think about what you want to see/do in each place and try to figure out how long that will take before you start cutting/pasting days.
I can't imagine you'd run out of things that interest you in Florence, but you can make several easy day trips using public transportation. Montecatini Terme, Lucca, Pisa, Certaldo, Bologna and Arezzo are all easy by train. Fiesole, San Gimignano and Siena by bus are easy.
When in October is your trip? We've been to the mid-lake area of Lake Como a few times at the end of October. The towns are much less crowded and more relaxing, but a few things do start closing down and the ferries revert to off-season schedules in the 3rd week of the month.
Are you spending the last night in Milan or near Malpensa? What time is your flight?
"... to get to Milan's airport just take train from Como-Nord right to the airport without going thru Milan Centrale."
Yes, you miss the Milano Centrale station, but, just to be clear, the train doesn't go from the Como Nord Lago station "right to" the airport. There's a connection in Saronno. If you're staying in Bellagio, you'd have to first get to the town of Como.
You can study ferry timetables here:
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c_illago.html
I agree, but I admit I prefer Florence over Venice. You should think about what you want to see/do in each place and try to figure out how long that will take before you start cutting/pasting days.
I can't imagine you'd run out of things that interest you in Florence, but you can make several easy day trips using public transportation. Montecatini Terme, Lucca, Pisa, Certaldo, Bologna and Arezzo are all easy by train. Fiesole, San Gimignano and Siena by bus are easy.
When in October is your trip? We've been to the mid-lake area of Lake Como a few times at the end of October. The towns are much less crowded and more relaxing, but a few things do start closing down and the ferries revert to off-season schedules in the 3rd week of the month.
Are you spending the last night in Milan or near Malpensa? What time is your flight?
"... to get to Milan's airport just take train from Como-Nord right to the airport without going thru Milan Centrale."
Yes, you miss the Milano Centrale station, but, just to be clear, the train doesn't go from the Como Nord Lago station "right to" the airport. There's a connection in Saronno. If you're staying in Bellagio, you'd have to first get to the town of Como.
You can study ferry timetables here:
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c_illago.html
Aug 27th, 2016, 09:05 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We have decided to drop Como for another time. Now we are 2 nights Venice-1 night Bologna-5 nights Florence so we can day trip out- 1 night (late arrival) Milan airport hotel for early morning flight. I guess now my two questions are:
1) should we stay in Bologna or go directly to FLorence and just day trip to Bologna on train, and
2) Though a long day, is an escorted day trip to Cinque Terra a good idea from Florence?
1) should we stay in Bologna or go directly to FLorence and just day trip to Bologna on train, and
2) Though a long day, is an escorted day trip to Cinque Terra a good idea from Florence?
Aug 27th, 2016, 09:35 AM
#6
I would go directly to Florence and day trip to Bologna, but I'm not the biggest fan of Bologna and really dislike one-night stays.
Of all the day trips possible from Florence, the Cinque Terre would be at the bottom of my list. Too far, too crowded, too large an area to see well in a few hours.
How early is your fight out of Malpensa? I have stayed both in the city and near the airport before departing flights. If at all possible, I prefer staying in the city, and I'd arrive in time to spend a couple of daylight hours seeing the Duomo and area immediately nearby.
Of all the day trips possible from Florence, the Cinque Terre would be at the bottom of my list. Too far, too crowded, too large an area to see well in a few hours.
How early is your fight out of Malpensa? I have stayed both in the city and near the airport before departing flights. If at all possible, I prefer staying in the city, and I'd arrive in time to spend a couple of daylight hours seeing the Duomo and area immediately nearby.
Aug 27th, 2016, 06:45 PM
#8
I'd still spend the last night IN Milan. I'd rather have a nice dinner and stroll around, even if it means getting up an hour earlier. If possible, I like to end a trip on a high note which for me is not an airport hotel.
Aug 27th, 2016, 07:16 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,969
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>>> 1) should we stay in Bologna or go directly to FLorence and just day trip to Bologna on train
If you believe there is a fixed allocation applicable to everyone then thinking this way would work. If, however, you want to do something specific, then you can ask your self: What can I do if I stay
- 0 night in Bologna and 6 nights in Florence?
- 1 night in Bologna and 5 nights in Florence?
- 2 nights in Bologna and 4 nights in Florence?
- 3 nights in Bologna and 3 nights in Florence?
etc, and decide which combination serves your objectives, if have any. If you don't have objectives, any allocation would do.
>>> 2) Though a long day, is an escorted day trip to Cinque Terra a good idea from Florence?
In my opinion, no day trip to Cinque Terre from anywhere, is a good idea. I have been to CT several time. The rise in DAY tourists into CT is anything but astonishing. I was there in September last year and the CT towns, including the train stations, were just like subway stations in big cities during the rush hour. Because the overnight accommodation capacity in CT is still limited, most of these crowd leave in the evening and don't come back until around 10am. That is where you can enjoy the the CT without feeling like you have never left a crowded big city and ask yourself why you bothered traveling so far only to be in another crowded busy big city.
If you believe there is a fixed allocation applicable to everyone then thinking this way would work. If, however, you want to do something specific, then you can ask your self: What can I do if I stay
- 0 night in Bologna and 6 nights in Florence?
- 1 night in Bologna and 5 nights in Florence?
- 2 nights in Bologna and 4 nights in Florence?
- 3 nights in Bologna and 3 nights in Florence?
etc, and decide which combination serves your objectives, if have any. If you don't have objectives, any allocation would do.
>>> 2) Though a long day, is an escorted day trip to Cinque Terra a good idea from Florence?
In my opinion, no day trip to Cinque Terre from anywhere, is a good idea. I have been to CT several time. The rise in DAY tourists into CT is anything but astonishing. I was there in September last year and the CT towns, including the train stations, were just like subway stations in big cities during the rush hour. Because the overnight accommodation capacity in CT is still limited, most of these crowd leave in the evening and don't come back until around 10am. That is where you can enjoy the the CT without feeling like you have never left a crowded big city and ask yourself why you bothered traveling so far only to be in another crowded busy big city.
