NativeNewYorker

Doable in a week? If so, how should we consider getting from one place to the next? Travel times? It's my first trip to Italy but don't want to run ragged. I want to stop and smell the proverbial roses!

KayF

Yes it's doable in a week but really far too much. We've been to all these places and would suggest a minimum of 3 days in each. If it were me, I would skip Lucca, as you have so little time. You can easily travel by train to all these destinations, make sure you do a lot of research beforehand so you know where the trains go, etc. It can be very handy to know the stop before your stop, so you can start getting ready to get off. The trains often don't stop for long and I know when our train stopped at Lucca, there were no signs at all saying Lucca, as they were refurbishing the station. Luckily we knew what the station before was called.

You can check travel times and schedules on www.trenitalia.com

It is a very good idea to travel light - one small bag each if you can, as you will have to lift bags onto the train and off again and sometimes lift them over your head on to a luggage rack. The Cinque Terre is a wonderful area but the villages are quite steep so a lot of luggage would be a real hindrance there.

Kay

TDudette

Agree with KayF-look at train schedules. Also bus. Earliest leaving and latest return to see how much time you actually have in a given place. You can make one town your base. If you get an early enough start, there's no reason why you can't get a good look at the towns you mentioned. Base in Florence as it has the most to see so you can look in evening hours as well. There are also many tours from Florence so you might find something which lets another do the driving for you. If you are renting a car, you have more flexibility re time but have to find parking places and watch your wine consumption!

Cinque Terre, again IMO, most difficult if weather isn't good.

When are you going?

kybourbon

Spend half your nights in Cinque Terre and the other half in Florence. Siena is a one hour bus ride from Florence (bus is better than train - book the rapido)so is an easy day trip. Lucca is also about an hour from Florence by bus or train.

For search purposes, Siena only has one n.

Lindateach

We were in Florence for eight days and took a one day tour of Sienna, San Gimingano, Pisa, and had lunch at a winery. (walkaboutpass.com). We took a one day trip to the Cinque Terre-doable but long. This was at the end of October and the weather was lovely. One tip-don't hike from Vernazza to Corniglia in the CT. We mad that mistake and my husband was on crutches and had a leg brace-a real chaallenge!

zoecat

I agree with lybourbon. 4-5 nights Florence and 2-3 nights CT. Visit Lucca (train) and Siena (bus) from Florence.

nevertooold

I would spend my first 2 complete days in Florence -the city is quite small and the major sites can be done in 2 days (pre-book by telephone - see previous sites in this regard), then rent a car for 3 days (autoeurope)and drive to Sienna for the day, and sleep in Lucca, see Lucca the next day and drive to CT (I prefer Levanto - the Garden hotel top floor room)and have 2-3 days in CT area, taking a train back to Florence the night before you leave.

cruiseluv

You don't say if included in that week is time needed to travel to/from the city you are flying into/ out of. How are you doing that?

Myer

I'm a believer that you work with what you have.

It's amazing how much you can get done unrushed if you plan well.

I never rush.

Next June we're going to Italy and keeping a hotel room in Florence for the whole trip. We are taking a couple of overnight trips.

One of them will be to Pisa (not much interest there but the train from Florence is much more convenient) for a couple of hours and then on to Lucca for the afternnon.

Between 6 and 7 PM we'll take the train to one of the Cinque Terre towns (haven't decided which) and be there in time to check in (hopefully pre-booked), see the sun set and have dinner.

I expect we'll spend the next day wandering some of the towns, walk/hike between two or three of them and hopefully some time in the afternoon take a boat to Portovenere.

From there we'll take a bus to La Spezia and return to Florence for a lateish dinner.

I don't expect those two days to be rushed at all.

bdjtbenson

I think it's doable. Everything is close so you won't burn up too much time in transit.

Two full days will allow you to visit the must-sees in Florence. Sienna, Lucca and CT can be done in one day each.

If that is too much, I'd drop Lucca and do two days at each (add the seventh day to Florence).

adventureseeker

Sure, you could do all, but in my opinion, I'd pick <b>either</b> Siena or Lucca...not both with your time frame. Lucca's allure are its walls which you can stroll or bike on. Lucca is also much less busier than Siena. Other than that there are <u>many similarities</u> with both these Tuscan towns.


We've been to both, love both, and would highly recommend both, but.....my point being that you'll gain more (timewise) by just seeing one of them and won't feel like you "missed" anything by just choosing one.

Buon viaggio.....