Flying from Atlanta and want to stay in Florence and do day trips from there. Is it best to fly into Florence or one of the other larger airports? If better to fly into Rome (or somewhere else)-how do I arrange transportation to Florence?
Thank you!

Hi!

Depends on which carrier you're flying with. It is $$ to fly into Florence Peretola Airport. Chances are that you will have to connect via London, Paris, Amsterdam...or take a nonstop to the major Italian airports anyway (Rome or Milan), then a hopper to Florence. I did a quick kayak search and flying into FCO (Rome) or MXP (Milan) is several hundred $$ cheaper than into FLR (Florence). Eurostar train connects Florence with Milan (just under 3 hrs, 33 euros one way) and with Rome (just under 2 hrs, 33 euros). Check schedules at www.trenitalia.com. Airport coach transfers from these airports to the main rail stations are usually <10 euros. So if you're not lugging too many bags, comfortable navigating btwn airport to train station and taking a train, there could be considerable cost savings. In terms of time, it depends on how long the layovers are vs. time to take train into Florence.

For Italy, what I've usually done is fly into London (generally one of the cheaper of European gateway cities) and then take budget airline like Ryanair or Easyjet into the Italian cities. Both of these fly into Pisa (1 hr train ride from Florence or 20 min into charming walled town of Lucca).

Hi DS,

You can fly into FLR or Pisa PSA or Rome.

See www.kayak.com AND www.mobissimo.com.

From FLR, take a cab - abt 15E or bus, 3E.

From Pisa take the train.

From Rome FCO, take the Leonardo da Vinci shuttle to Rome TE and then the train.

See www.trenitalia.com.

You might find the Florence part of my trip report helpful.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

Enjoy your visit.

ira,
I was hoping you would answer me, I read all about your trip and copied it off. A wealth of information!

I don't like plane turbulance, so when I saw that Florence had a smaller airport I was wondering if that made a difference in the size of planes crossing the ocean. I would like a direct flight, but looks like most connect somewhere.

I am still doing research, we hope to go in May. Thank you so much-from Alpharetta

Hi DS,

I don't think that you can fly ATL to VCE, PSA or FLR nonstop.

May I suggest that if you are planning to go to Venice, that you fly into VCE - 2 nights Venice - then train to Florence for 5 nights and leave from FLR or PSA?

You could do it in reverse, if you find a good flight out of VCE. Most of them are verrrrry early n the morning.

However you do it, I strongly urge against a daytrip to Venice.

Delta flies ATL to VCE nonstop now.

And they have also added flights to Pisa.

Hi DShark,

I'm also taking a trip to Italy this May (I live in Lawrenceville, GA) and I'm flying from ATL to Kennedy airport and then a direct flight into Rome.

I arrive in Rome at 11:20am and I'll take the ES train to Florence, stay in Florence for 5 days and take the the train back down to Rome for the last four days.

I'm doing everything by train because this is a solo trip and I do NOT want to drive in Italy alone.

Anyway, your trip is doable (don't know if that's a real word) - it'll just take some planning. I've been planning this trip since May 2006 so I've had almost a year to plan and narrow things down - and I've done it all online and reading all the advice on this board.

Good luck and I hope you have a fabulous trip!!!!

~Ahissa

Hey, Ahissa, I live in Lawrenceville, too! Have a great trip! We leave for Rome in 15 days, and I'm so excited. We have a direct flight from Atlanta to Rome, and then a direct flight back from Rome to Atlanta.

Thanks, KF.

Do you need to reserve the es train from Rome to Florence?? We are traveling in late Sept.

Hi Samsaf!!!

Wow! Fifteen days - how exciting!!!! I hope you have a great trip, too

Initially, my plan was to buy a ticket direct flight to Rome BUT instead, a friend of mine 'bought' the ticket for me with his sky miles and there's a stop in NYC - truly, I CAN NOT complain! I now get to spend the money put aside for the ticket on having even more fun in Italy!

Enjoy your trip!!!
~Ahissa

We flew Vancouver to Frankfurt to Florence. We were on a big plane (737) from YVR to FRA and then a little twin engine plane from FRA to FLR. We didn't have any turbulence the entire time from FRA to FLR...and you literally land almost right in the middle of the city, so no trains, buses, etc., to worry about to get to your hotel. Just grab a cab, or the airport shuttle (which takes you to the main train station downtown) and you are in full Florence glory!

Thank you very much to everyone that has make suggestions for this trip!
DShark

Our plans are ever changing - can you tell me what month is the best to travel to Italy - not high season - but comfortable weather?
tks

Hi DS,

Best time is mid-May/mid-June and mid-Sept/mid-Oct.

Hi CP,

All ES* trains are reservation only.
You can buy your tickets in Rome at a train station or TA or online at www.trenitalia.com.

Price will be the same.

Hi DS,

I agree with ira re: travelling to Italy in mid-September/October. Been there twice at that time and it was beautiful - nice and sunny and warm but not hot.

Have a great trip!