tara3056

On our next trip to Europe, we plan on visiting Rome and Venice (we fly home from Venice). I would have included Florence, too, but we simply don't have enough time, and to be honest, I'm just not that interested in Florence.

That said, I *would* like to see David in the Accademia, and spend a couple hours in the Uffizi.

We're travelling from Rome to Venice by train. If we arrived in Florence around noon or so, would it be possible to get off, see David and a bit of the Uffizi, and then get back on the train and arrive in Venice by 9 or 10pm?

I imagine getting reservations for the museums in advance would help us cut through the lines, but: 1) Does the Florence train station have a secure place to stow our luggage? and 2) With only 6 hours or so (maybe a bit more) in Florence, could we see what I'd like to see or is that too ambitious? It's hard to tell, but from the maps I've seen, it looks quite easy to walk between the two places, and to take a short cab ride to/from the train station.

Help?

LoveItaly

Hi tara, can you leave Rome earlier than noon? I ask that as if you arrive in Venice around 9:00 to 10:00 in the evening, by the time you get to your hotel I don't think you will find many restaurants open, and I assume you will want some kind of dinner.

Florence is a very walkable city, and the train station is quite close for you to walk to see David at the Accademia and also to the Uffizi, well unless you have a walking problem.

The train station in Florence has a "left baggage" section where you should be able to leave your luggage. I do not know if they ever get so much luggage that they cannot store anymore however. But I have never heard of that happening.

I would think you would want something to eat for lunch while in Florence also, so again I would personally take an earlier train from Rome to Florence. Best regards

tara3056

Hi LoveItaly - I meant that we'd leave Rome in the morning and arrive in Florence at noon

LoveItaly

I understand tara but what I am suggesting, if it is possible, for you to leave Rome earlier and get into Florence earlier than noon so that you will have time to do what you want to in Florence, get something to eat (which I would think you would want to do) and get on a train to Venice (a three hour train ride) earlier than you are planning to so that you arrive in Venice earlier than 9:00 or 10:00pm, as you will still need to get to your hotel, check in etc., and I would think you would want some kind of meal before going to bed. Most restaurants in Venice do not stay open real late..you may find some that do but I don't think you will want to wander around quite late at night trying to find one, especially since I assume this is your first trip to Venice and you are not familar with Venice
.
Anyway, that is my two cents worth. Wishing you a beautiful time in Italy.

LoveItaly

Tara, I see I mistyped in my other post..sorry for the confusion. I meant to say "can you leave Rome earlier so that you can into Florence earlier than noon".

Anyway, I think you get the drift of my thinking..arriving earlier in Florence, say 10:00am and arriving in Venice, say 7:00pm is the way I would plan this day. Best regards.

tara3056

Gotcha Thanks for the advice! That's definitely something to consider, since I've heard about restaurants in Venice closing early.

ira

Hi T,

Train schedules are at www.trenitalia.com.

Florence SMN has a left luggage office. It is on your left as exit from the train into the station.

Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
The easiest and cheapest way is to call Florence 1016868 (dial around number), 011 (U.S. international access code) 39 (Italy's country code) then 055-294-883 8:30-18:30 M-F and 8:30-12:00 Sat. Florence time. You will get an English speaking operator and in 2-3 minutes YOU CAN RESERVE FOR BOTH. This is through the reservation service at the Uffizi and costs beyond the normal entry fee only about 3 euro for the service. This is MUCH cheaper than the commercial booking services.

You will not be charged for the reservations unless you use them.

Have a nice visit.

j_999_9

All very good advice, especially from ira regarding reservations. Do use the phone method and not the Web site, which has an high service charge.

Suggest you get a good street map of Florence and familiarize yourself with it. You can handle everything mainly on foot if you're in reasonably good condition, but you'll save time and aggravation by getting oriented before you step off the train.