Venice, Florence and Rome
Nov 7th, 2016, 05:54 AM
#1
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Venice, Florence and Rome
We are flying in January from San Francisco to Milan going straight to Venice via train with our 3 year old, spending two nights there. We plan on spending 4-5 nights in Florence and 5 nights in Rome. I welcome any suggestions for what to see in and around Florence, I don't want to tire my little one too much yet still be able to see a few things. I'm not entirely familiar with what is around Florence and my little one loves trains so hoping we could stay in a prime location where it's easy to hop on and off the train with her. I've left my itinerary pretty open considering a toddler isn't going to want to do a whole lot unless it's entertaining for her, she loves going in open air places and enjoys seeing new things.
Thanks
Thanks
Nov 7th, 2016, 06:56 AM
#3
My suggestion would be to reverse the number of nights spent in Venice & Florence. My feeling is, given Florence isn't a destination for which you have specific targets in mind and Venice, with no car traffic is an excellent place for kids to run, it may be the better choice. With bridges to climb and vaporetti (water buses) to ride, as well as excursions by train, Venice will be a great place to recover from jetlag before going on. Florence is mainly about the art and it sounds as if you won't be spending quality contemplative time in museums.
Nov 7th, 2016, 07:21 AM
#4
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Around Florence? Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, Siena, Bologna, etc. all easily reachable by train or bus. If it is raining, cities in Emilia-Romagna such as Bologna, has porticos allowing you to walk much of the main streets under cover.
Venice has a unique seasonal consideration: Acqua Alta, not mentioned in one-size-fits-all-seasons recommendations. Look at the chart http://archive.comune.venezia.it/fle.../IDPagina/2973 . While January is not the worst month, you can still get hit by this. Just google pictures if you don't know about the implication http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...acqua-alta.htm.
The area around San Marco square is the worst because it is the lowest point of the city. If the weather is good, you are in a good place. If you get hit by one of this, you will have to wade your way out during high water hours of the day.
Venice has a unique seasonal consideration: Acqua Alta, not mentioned in one-size-fits-all-seasons recommendations. Look at the chart http://archive.comune.venezia.it/fle.../IDPagina/2973 . While January is not the worst month, you can still get hit by this. Just google pictures if you don't know about the implication http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...acqua-alta.htm.
The area around San Marco square is the worst because it is the lowest point of the city. If the weather is good, you are in a good place. If you get hit by one of this, you will have to wade your way out during high water hours of the day.
Nov 7th, 2016, 07:58 AM
#5
I might look for a back up plan incase the kid is exhausted by the flight and just wants to vent at Milan. I'd plan on baby steps a bit more
Firenze to Piza and Lucca are two very easy train commute towns and linked by train to each other.
Firenze to Piza and Lucca are two very easy train commute towns and linked by train to each other.
Nov 7th, 2016, 08:03 AM
#6
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Sounds like you plan on spending a considerable time outside, so be aware that it can get windy and chilly and wet - more so than many folks realize. Rug up the little one! Days are short, daylight from about 8AM to 5PM only.
Nov 7th, 2016, 08:15 AM
#7
I agree with bilboburgler. That first travel day from SF to Venice is going to be torture... probably 20 hours from SFO to your hotel. And you're going to be carrying more stuff along the way. I'd pause in Milan or add a night in Venice. Do you know how well your 3 y.o. will adapt to the change in time, routine, food, etc?
Nov 7th, 2016, 08:25 AM
#8
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I think I'll add more time in Venice, our flight is 12 hours and 30 minutes with an hour stop. I did think about a stop in Milan but kind of booked the hotel in Venice already for the same night.
Nov 7th, 2016, 08:29 AM
#9
Having gone from Milan directly to Venice after a flight from the US west coast, I think it may require as much energy to navigate in Milan than to just push on to Venice, especially if you book a Venice hotel not far from the station. I admit I'm not fond of Milan and wouldn't stay there with so few days for your trip.
While the street that passes in front of Venice Santa Lucia station is busy, off it on the side streets can be a good location, while retaining proximity to the station.
While the street that passes in front of Venice Santa Lucia station is busy, off it on the side streets can be a good location, while retaining proximity to the station.
Nov 7th, 2016, 12:51 PM
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Can you take a train from the airport to Venice? If not and you have to get yourselves into Milan to the train station and then take the train to Venice, it's not so good. I assume you had a reason for not flying into Venice, even if it was a 2-leg flight. But that would have made make more sense. From the Venice airport you can go into town by water taxi (expensive), the Alilaguna shuttle boat or bus (cheapest).
I agree that Venice deserves more time. Partly to get over jet lag and partly because it will be of more interest to your child. There are day trips by vaporetto to the islands in the lagoon (especially Murano and Burano and the beach on the Lido). Florence in itself isn't of much interest to your daughter but it's a good base for kid-appropriate day trips. Like Lucca and Pisa.
I agree that Venice deserves more time. Partly to get over jet lag and partly because it will be of more interest to your child. There are day trips by vaporetto to the islands in the lagoon (especially Murano and Burano and the beach on the Lido). Florence in itself isn't of much interest to your daughter but it's a good base for kid-appropriate day trips. Like Lucca and Pisa.
Nov 7th, 2016, 05:08 PM
#11
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We are landing in Milan Linate airport it's the closest to the train starting I believe, flying into Venice was more expensive and then adding in the cost of water taxi, didn't make sense because after having been on the flight I'm not sure how Water taxi would feel.
Nov 7th, 2016, 05:15 PM
#12
"I think I'll add more time in Venice, our flight is 12 hours and 30 minutes with an hour stop."
I hope that's just a stop and not a connection. And I also hope you don't have to return to Milan to fly home. If you do, it's possible you'll need to spend the last night in Milan.
FYI, the train journey from Milan to Venice is about 4 hours. You have to take a regional train into central Milan first and switch to a fast train. You have about 30 minutes to make the connection, and Milan is a big station. When you get to Venice, it's another final schlep to your hotel. You can stay near the Venice train station to make the arrival and departure a bit easier, but then you'll be some distance from the main sights you'll likely want to see.
I hope that's just a stop and not a connection. And I also hope you don't have to return to Milan to fly home. If you do, it's possible you'll need to spend the last night in Milan.
FYI, the train journey from Milan to Venice is about 4 hours. You have to take a regional train into central Milan first and switch to a fast train. You have about 30 minutes to make the connection, and Milan is a big station. When you get to Venice, it's another final schlep to your hotel. You can stay near the Venice train station to make the arrival and departure a bit easier, but then you'll be some distance from the main sights you'll likely want to see.
Nov 7th, 2016, 05:23 PM
#13
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We are leaving from Rome, yeah sorry we have a connecting flight from London. I read that I could take taxi to the train station and from there get a train to Venice which I believe said it was 2 hours and something minutes (maybe close to 3) I'm considering spending the night in Milan now because we might be too tired to do all that connecting and transferring.
Nov 7th, 2016, 05:32 PM
#14
"...stay near the Venice train station to make the arrival and departure a bit easier, but then you'll be some distance from the main sights you'll likely want to see."
But likely close to a vaporetto stop, at least as fun as walking anyway. I love the vaporetti like I love the Chao Phraya express boats in Bangkok. Any excuse, including just going for a ride.
My point, I've stayed not too far from the station and also closer to the center and both are good. I think the real "sight" is the city all around you wherever you stay.
Just for fun, this is what I did between trains in Venice:
http://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/chan...la-serenissima
But likely close to a vaporetto stop, at least as fun as walking anyway. I love the vaporetti like I love the Chao Phraya express boats in Bangkok. Any excuse, including just going for a ride.
My point, I've stayed not too far from the station and also closer to the center and both are good. I think the real "sight" is the city all around you wherever you stay.
Just for fun, this is what I did between trains in Venice:
http://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/chan...la-serenissima
Nov 7th, 2016, 05:37 PM
#15
"...we might be too tired..."
You're young, I'm old. If I can do it, you can, your wee one leveling the field. I don't want to bend you to my will but I really think it's the same effort, except one way leaves you at your destination.
You're young, I'm old. If I can do it, you can, your wee one leveling the field. I don't want to bend you to my will but I really think it's the same effort, except one way leaves you at your destination.
Nov 7th, 2016, 05:43 PM
#16
I just thought of something else - Milan is a very urban city, if that makes sense, while Venice is much softer. Outside the door at Venice SL station is the Grand Canal. Outside Milan Station is the heart of the beast. Which sounds better?
My way of seeing things, of course, no unequivocal right answer.
My way of seeing things, of course, no unequivocal right answer.
Nov 7th, 2016, 06:41 PM
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I would not want to take the train to Venice, from Milan airport after a transatlantic flight WITHOUT a kid. I've done it alone and it is exhausting enough that way.
What time does your flight arrive to Linate?
In a perfect world you could change your flight to arrive in Venice. But otherwise I would just crash out for the night in Milan, have a great dinner and catch an early train the next morning. Another benefit to this plan is you can prebook your train tickets to save some money.
Good idea to book close to the Venice train station. It will be easier for you to get in and out in both directions.
What time does your flight arrive to Linate?
In a perfect world you could change your flight to arrive in Venice. But otherwise I would just crash out for the night in Milan, have a great dinner and catch an early train the next morning. Another benefit to this plan is you can prebook your train tickets to save some money.
Good idea to book close to the Venice train station. It will be easier for you to get in and out in both directions.
Nov 7th, 2016, 06:53 PM
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>>> I'm considering spending the night in Milan now because we might be too tired to do all that connecting and transferring.
You might now have stepped through full implication of this route.
Combining what you provided in piece meal fashion:
>>> our flight is 12 hours and 30 minutes with an hour stop.
>>> we have a connecting flight from London
It seems you are looking at these flights.
BA 284 SFO-LHR 16:15-10:40
BA 562 LHR-LIN 11:45-14:50
If this is the case, then you can check-in Milan on arrival. But you realize that by staying in Milan twice, you are incurring additional trip to your hotel, check-in, unpack, pack, check-out, trip to the station. If you went straight to Venice, then trip from LIN to your hotel or LIN to Milano Centrale station is same hassle while tired. If you hopped on train at that time, all, expect one to watch the belongings, can sleep 2 hr 35 min to Venice.
Another thing you might not have thought about is that 1 hr 5 min layover at LHR is extremely tight even though you are probably flying both on BA and even if the flights are on time. If BA 284 is your flight, you can look at on time trend of the same flight for past 2 weeks at http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW284.
You might now have stepped through full implication of this route.
Combining what you provided in piece meal fashion:
>>> our flight is 12 hours and 30 minutes with an hour stop.
>>> we have a connecting flight from London
It seems you are looking at these flights.
BA 284 SFO-LHR 16:15-10:40
BA 562 LHR-LIN 11:45-14:50
If this is the case, then you can check-in Milan on arrival. But you realize that by staying in Milan twice, you are incurring additional trip to your hotel, check-in, unpack, pack, check-out, trip to the station. If you went straight to Venice, then trip from LIN to your hotel or LIN to Milano Centrale station is same hassle while tired. If you hopped on train at that time, all, expect one to watch the belongings, can sleep 2 hr 35 min to Venice.
Another thing you might not have thought about is that 1 hr 5 min layover at LHR is extremely tight even though you are probably flying both on BA and even if the flights are on time. If BA 284 is your flight, you can look at on time trend of the same flight for past 2 weeks at http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW284.
Nov 7th, 2016, 08:44 PM
#20
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You are absolutely right, I didn't want to stay in Milan and unpack and pack again and go to Venice the next day and that was my original plan but now I'm thinking altogether it's going to be tiring either way . It also seems that no matter which airport you land in, the commute to the train station is going to suck! So yes, now I'm in a whirlwind of thoughts as to which direction to go in. One thing for sure is that it's going to exhausting either way.
