Barcelona and Italy itinerary...hotels all set, need help w some details
 

Hello fellow travelers,

I first started planning this trip under the topic "Barcelona, Lake Como and...?" I will be traveling with my DH and two teenage sons, ages 18 and 16. They are fairly seasoned travelers, as we had extended vacations the past two summers in France, Switzerland and Italy. Click on my name for trip reports.

Thanks to tips from many of you, I was able to put together the following itinerary. We have our flights and hotels. Now, I'd appreciate any suggestions to help things flow smoothly. Also, please share any favorite activities or restaurants in any of the towns. We like small family-style restaurants with atmosphere.

Here is what we have so far:
Day 1: Fly JFK to Barcelona. Arrive 9:40 am Day 2
Stay: Hotel Colon, check-in is 2:00 pm. Hoping we can drop the bags and go somewhere nearby for lunch, then very light sightseeing around the cathedral area.

Days 3, 4, 5: Barcelona
This is our first trip to Barcelona, or anywhere in Spain. We have done some research and plan to do a lot more, but if anyone has any "must do's" please share.

Day 6: Go to Genoa, then on to Santa Margherita Ligure
How we'll get there is still undecided. I have done preliminary research on the Grimaldi cruise ferry line, and that looks like a nice way to travel. However it does take 19 hours, and we need to decide if we'd rather spend that time on a ship or on the Italian Riviera. The other alternative would be to fly. If anyone can share their experience with either of these, thank you so much in advance!

Once we get to Genoa, we'll take the train to SML.
Days 6, 7, 8, 9 (or only 7, 8, 9 if we take the overnight cruise): Santa Margherita Ligure
Staying at Hotel Continental. If anyone else is going to SML this summer, I'd suggest booking hotels ASAP. That was the most difficult reservation to get.

Day 10: leave SML, go to Lake Como
We'll travel by train, and I still haven't planned that out yet, but I imagine we'll go through Genoa to Milan and then on to Varenna, where we'll catch a ferry. This should be quite a day!

Days 10, 11, 12, 13: Stay in Bellagio at Hotel Firenze
No specific plans yet, but we'll cruise around the lake, visit Varenna. Does anyone have any suggestions for this part of the trip?

Day 14: leave Bellagio, take train to Siena
We will pick up a rental car in Siena.

Days 14, 15, 16: Stay in Siena at Palazzo Ravizza
We've stayed there before, and it is ideal for driving in and out of town. We'll take various day trips to surrounding hill towns.

Day 16: leave Siena, drive to San Gimignano
Days 16, 17: Stay in San Gimignano at La Cisterna
We've stayed here twice before; it's a nice hotel with a fantastic view. We're so excited to return! We'll probably spend one day there, and the other day visit a town nearby.

Day 18: leave San Gimignano, drive to Florence
Days 18, 19, 20: Stay in Florence at Torre Guelfa
I think my sons will really like this ancient hotel. We'll probably stay in Florence during the days, even though we have a car, since it's so difficult to drive in and out of Florence.

This part still seems a bit rough. We're flying out of Pisa, so we have to spend our last night there. It seems like the best way to get to Pisa is to drive there and then drop the car at the airport before we leave. However. we'll have the car in Florence for 3 days that we aren't using it. Does anyone see a way to improve this?

We have the option to drop the car in Florence, but then we'd have to pay for 4 train tickets to Pisa, and the cab to the airport. So, I'm not sure we'd end up saving much overall...

Day 21: drive (or train) to Pisa
If we drive, we might leave Florence early and go to Lucca first. After spending most of the day in Lucca, we'd continue on to Pisa...
DH and I have seen the Leaning Tower, and didn't much care for the area. My sons will probably be glad to see it, though. We are staying at B&B Il Campanile, which is right near the Tower. I was wondering how safe that area is at night, and whether it might be fun to walk over to the tower at night and see the buildings all lit up.

Day 22: fly back to JFK

So, it looks like a good start, but I'm hoping that some of you fellow travelers will help me to polish up the details! Thanks for your thoughts...

There is a train from Florence that goes directly to Pisa Airport, stopping literally just outside the terminal. I've stayed in Florence the night before a Pisa departure a few times. there is also an airporter bus from Florence to Pisa Airport. Is your flight out of Pisa very early?

The train from Florence to Pisa goes directly to the airport, so if didn't want to stay in Pisa you could drop your car in Florence and get the train to the airport. It's all very easy to do. The trains are also cheap.

Look at www.runnerbeantours.com in Barcelona. Excellent free guided tours. ( ideally you should pre book) we have done the Gaudi one and the Old Town one. Fantastic.

Just across the square from Hotel Colón, you'll find Taverna del Bisbe, perfectly fine for a lunch. One of the more atmospheric places in the area to sit down for something to eat and a glass or two. Excellent spinach, white beans and tuna salad with sweet mustard vinaigrette, fine traditional Botifarra sausage with beans and the tapas were average ok. Very crowded at lunchtime, and not only with tourists. Three course lunch menu with wine/beer or whatever for 11€ Monday to Friday. Fun and friendly waiters with very much to do. Outdoor terrace. http://www.tavernadelbisbe.com/eng/home.htm
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Catalonia.html

Another fine option would be Bilbao Berria, also just some 50 meters from Hotel Colón. They serve Basque pintxos, and it could give you at least a vague idea why the Basque country is considered the culinary heartland of Spain: http://www.bilbaoberria.com/en/home
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Catalonia.html

Thanks for your replies. I had not checked into a train from Florence to Pisa-thanks for the information. Unfortunately, our flight leaves at 9:15 am from Pisa, so I think it would be grueling to get on a train early enough to be at the airport 3 hrs ahead. Next time, I'll think of that, though.

So, we could still drop the car when we arrive in Florence, and take the train to Pisa the night before our flight. Can anyone think of a way that we could somehow fit Lucca into the equation?

Kimhe: thank you for the suggestions on places to eat in Barcelona. We will definitely check them out!

I realized as soon as I hit the Submit button on my original post that I had only tagged this "Spain"! Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can get this on the Italy thread as well, without duplicating and frustrating people?

Thanks again!

I doubt your airline check-in counter will be open three hours ahead in Pisa. It is a small airport.

Yes a VERY small airport! This is Europe 3 hours ahead is really not necessary!

Re tagging the report email the editors.
I would drop the car off on arrival IN Florence and then get the train to Pisa the night before.

You could spend the night in Lucca and take a taxi to the airport. On your last day in Italy, take the train from Florence to Pisa, stow your luggage in the train station, see the Campo dei Miracoli, retreive luggage, take train to Lucca, spend night there, arrange for car pick up Pisa airport. It's about a 30 minute drive.

Yes the check in counter in Pisa opens I think two hours before the flight, and even the passport control for leaving the schengen zone only opens 1.5 - 2 hours before the flight.

<thank you for the suggestions on places to eat in Barcelona>

Those were places very close to the hotel, and good options "somewhere nearby for lunch".

In general:
Traditional Catalan food at 7 Portes from 1836: http://www.7portes.com/angles/index.php
Small, family owned Ca l'Estevet: http://www.restaurantestevet.com/wpre/
Tapas at Cal Pep: http://www.calpep.com/
Pintxos/Basque food at Txakolín: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Catalonia.html
La Perla is as Barcelona as it gets, lunch only: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Catalonia.html
Paradise versions of traditional tapas at Tickets:
http://www.ticketsbar.es/web/
http://www.foodandthefabulous.com/re...drias-tickets/

Just want to add that we had a good experience at Hotel Continental in Santa Margherita Ligure. It is right on the water with beautiful gardens. Our room was simple but had a large terrace overlooking the water.Most of the other guests were Europeans. Food was very good too. Have a great trip!

Thank you all for the information. We are interested in exploring the option to take a train from Florence to the Pisa airport early in the morning the day of our flight. From your comments, it sounds as though we don't need to be at the airport until about 7:15am for our 9:15am flight, which connects through Amsterdam to JFK.

Kimhe, I checked the links for those restaurants and they look great! Thank you.

I sent a message to the editors about adding a tag for Italy, but have not heard from them yet.

If anyone has any more information or tips about trains, I'd be glad to hear from you!

Well, I just went to the trenitalia website (always a challenge), and tried to look up a train for early morning on August 2 from any station in Florence to Pisa Centrale (since I could not find another station listed for the airport in Pisa).

The website tells me there are no trains of any type that go at that time. Can anyone shed any light on what I'm doing incorrectly? Thanks in advance for any assistance!

There are trains departing Florence at 4:30 (arrives P Centrale at 5:52) and 5:35 (arrives P. Centrale 6:37). You would have to catch a train from P. Centrale to P. Aeroporto (5 minutes away). Train tickets are under 10€.

Your other option is the Terravision bus (4.99€). If you take the bus, you don't have to worry with changes. It's just as fast. Departs from the train station in Florence and goes to the Pisa airport (doesn't go to P. Centrale).

http://www.terravision.eu/inglese/fi..._timetable.pdf

You may be looking too early. I had this exact issue and seem to remember I couldn't book till about 3 months out.

Thank you kybourbon for the information on the trains and the bus schedule. It's very helpful.

I still can't get the trenitalia site to show any trains for the date. Smeagol, I tried entering in dates a month earlier, and it still showed no available trains.

Here is a link to my search results for August:
https://www.lefrecce.it/B2CWeb/bestF...D=RxUXSIApcm9r

Can anyone tell me when the train schedules will show, or what I'm doing incorrectly? Thanks in advance!

The train schedules may not show until mid-June. To get an idea, just use dates for next week. The schedules don't change that much.

Regarding searches for train timetables, are you using Italian spellings? Trenitalia doesn't recognize "Florence." It's Firenze.

You'll have the same issue when you search for trains to Genoa (which is Genova), Milan (Milano) and Varenna (full name is Varenna-Esino).

Yes, you must use the Italian spellings for cities/towns even if you are using the English version of Trenitalia (Genova, Firenze, Milano). As you type, it will start to autofill and you will have a selection of stations in the bigger cities/towns. Even a small town like Como has several stations, but there isn't a train in Bellagio. You need to take a train from Varenna.

As for schedules, some of your towns are served by the slow regional trains so just enter a date within the next 7 days so prices will show as schedules really don't change much. There are no discounts for them and no reserved seating. Regional tickets bought online have more restrictions than if you wait and buy them there. These trains don't sell out and I wouldn't buy regional tickets in advance.

For faster trains such as between Milan/Florence, these tickets are available 120 days in advance and are reserved seating. Buy early to get the biggest discounts if you know exactly when you want to travel. Other than this train and maybe part of the route from SML to Milan, all the rest seem to be regionals (including Florence/Siena).

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I put in the dates for this Saturday, since we'll be traveling on a Saturday. Using the Italian names and being sure to select Tutti i Treni (all trains, even on the English version this is the choice), I was able to locate a regional schedule.

Based on your advice, I'll wait to buy the Regional tickets when we get there. If our flight out of Pisa is at 9:15 am, would we be okay to take the 6:08 train from Santa Maria Novella that arrives at Pisa Centrale at 7:32? Our other choice would be to leave SMN at 5:35, and arrive Pisa Centrale at 6:37.

Assuming a smooth connection time at Pisa Centrale, it appears that we could arrive at the airport by 8:00 am at the latest if we took the 6:08 train. I'm unfamiliar with the Pisa airport, but from previous comments, it appears that we don't need to be there more than 1.5 hours ahead. This scenario would only put us 1.25 hrs ahead. Is that insanely close?

We could also take the bus that leaves SMN at 6:40, arriving directly at the airport at 7:40. My only worry with that would be traffic/construction delays, etc. Oddly, the bus seems quicker than the train...?

Which would you choose?

Why do you need to get a connecting train? When we went from SMN it went all the way to the airport?....

Smeagol, I was only able to find a train to Pisa Centrale. When I did a search for the same day to Pisa Aeroporto, I got the error message: No travel solution found. Since you and ellenm both have taken the train directly to the airport, do you remember how you knew what the schedule was?

Along the same lines, I have been able to locate other trains for the rest of our itinerary:

We fly from Barcelona to Genoa (via Rome) on Alitalia, arriving in Genoa at 3:25 pm. Trenitalia Intercity #673 goes from Genova Piazza Principe to S. Margherita Ligure-Portofino, departing at 5:48pm. That gives us quite a bit of time after arrival in Genoa, but I would have liked a train about an hour earlier. Does anyone know of another train that might run around 4:30, but isn't showing up?

Leaving Santa Margherita Ligure, I was able to find Trenitalia Intercity #658 to Milano Centrale departing at 7:30 am (wish it was a bit later...), and arriving at Milano Centrale at 9:55am.

Continuing to Lake Como, I found Trenitalia Regionale #2556 departing Milano Centrale at 10:20 am, arriving in Varenna-Esino at 11:28 am. In Varenna, we will catch the ferry to Bellagio, but I haven't researched that yet.

Leaving Lake Como, I found Trenitalia Regionale #2561 departing Varenna-Esino at 8:37 am, arriving in Milano Centrale at 9:40 am.

Then, once again: NO travel solution found from Milan to Siena! I'm reasonably sure that there must be trains but they aren't showing. Can anyone help me with this?

Once in Siena, we will rent a car at the train station (this will be a Thursday) which we still need to research. We'll keep the car until Florence, and would love your tips on the best place to drop it off. We are familiar with the Hertz garage in town, but only as we drove out of town...what are your thoughts on dropping the car off there (on a Monday or a Tuesday)?

So far, this looks to be our most adventurously complicated trip yet. While we have traveled by train before in Italy, it was only on the super fast trains between major cities. I'm a bit daunted by the prospect of all these connections!

I understand that the route between Pisa Centrale and the airport may be closed right now. With that in mind, for Florence to the Pisa Airport, the Terravision bus from Florence might be the best option.

Thank you ellenem! That might explain why no train is showing. Does anyone else know more about that?

With all of the train issues from Milan to Siena, do you think we'd be better off to stop in Florence, pick up the car there, and just drive to Siena?

Ahhhh that explains it! It was open when we went but I don't remember Centrale being very far away from the airport at all anyway so you should be ok!

they are renovating the line from Pisa Centrale to the airport until December 2015, but there is a shuttle service which runs every 10 mins from 6am to 12 midnight in both directions:

http://www.pisa-airport.com/?lang=_en&id_sect=220

When we had an early flight out of Pisa, we stayed in the city and just got a taxi to the airport. we decided to show our kids the historical hotel where we'd stayed 25 years earlier and spent the night again amidst its faded glory:

http://www.royalvictoria.it/

sadly it had gone downhill a little in the 25 years that elapsed between our visits; also they had divided some of the rooms so no longer could we occupy a huge room the size of our house with a bathroom in which you could swing several cats.

but you might decide to chance it or at least pop in for a look. Pisa is well worth an afternoon and an evening, especially as then all the hawkers and buses depart and you are left virtually alone in the Campo dei Miracoli which is beautifully illuminated at night. I would stay there the night before your flight and give your kids the chance to climb THAT tower - prebook at www.operpisa.it.

Annhig, thanks for that information, and especially the link to the bus shuttle. I enjoyed looking at the hotel you stayed at, and I agree that the boys would probably love climbing that tower (while Mom and Dad wait below!)

DH really wants to stay in Florence the last night, though. I think it's a bit riskier not to be in our departure city the night before, but so many people say that it's not a problem.

What time do you think is the absolute latest we could arrive at the Pisa airport for our 9:15 am flight to JFK?

Hi Cybertraveler, your trip sounds wonderful. You asked for some key things to do in Barcelona. You might want to click on my screen name and check out our TR where we detailed some ideas. Also, there are good ideas in other TRs. Happy planning.

Cybertraveler,

I was interested to read your schedule regarding Santa Margherita Ligure and then on to Lake Como. I am planning the same route and feeling a little overwhelmed trying to decide if I should stay in SML or in another smaller town along that coastal area, like Camogli. I won't have a car either so need good transportation connections.

Do you have particular things you are planning to do in the SML area?

I would probably want to be at the airport for around 7:30 am ( if it were me) the airport really is tiny. Can you save time by checking in online the night before?

LAKE COMO: From Bellagio take the ferry to Mennagio (10 - 15 minutes). Walk to Hotel du Lac, have a glass of something cold on the piazza there. They make good coffee as well. Their food is not amazing, but it is really OK and the view is lovely. Keep on walking (away from the ferry), follow the walkway, until you reach the small cemetery that could be used in any film about Italy. I found it beautiful. I discovered it early one Sunday morning and watched how Italian housewives took care of departed loved ones - placing flowers, tidying up, chatting loudly, with the backdrop of lake and mountains ... and church-bells ringing.

On another day we bought ferry tickets from Mennagio to the most northern town on the lake (can't remember the name now). As long as you keep the ferry schedule in the back of your mind, can get off and on again to your heart's content, exploring the little towns on the lake. At the last place we had coffee and pastries at (what seemed to us) the only piazza in the pretty town. Lovely day!

The ladies running Tourist Information (near Hotel du Lac in Mennagio) are helpful and full of good ideas.

DH really wants to stay in Florence the last night, though. I think it's a bit riskier not to be in our departure city the night before, but so many people say that it's not a problem.

What time do you think is the absolute latest we could arrive at the Pisa airport for our 9:15 am flight to JFK>>

i would want to be there at 7am at the latest. which means leaving Florence at about 5am or just after, and needing to get up at about 4am. does your DH realise that?

whereas he could easily have an extra couple of hours in bed if you stay in Pisa, AND climb the most famous tower in the world. [why stay on the ground? it's fun walking upstairs and downstairs simultaneously!] BTW, it is not called il campo dei Miracoli [the field of miracles] for nothing. The beauty of the buildings - the Cathedral, Baptistry and Tower - surrounded by the green of the grass - is amazing, even when surrounded by the teaming hoards, and when they have gone home, and the buildings are lit up, it is a truly magical spot.

Frankly, I don't think my kids would have forgiven me if we had been so close to the Leaning Tower and not climbed it!

Thanks annhig and smeagol for the input on arrival time at Pisa airport. Being on the cautious side, I'd probably aim to arrive by 7:00. Another option that occurred to us was to possibly drive ourselves to Pisa airport. That might give us a bit more control over our timing. What are your thoughts about driving to the airport and dropping off the car there at 7:00?

Ann, I'm inclined to agree with you about Pisa. DH might change his mind when he hears about the very early wake-up call! (Maybe we would climb the tower, although I've climbed so many towers because they were there, and usually end up just wanting to get back down as soon as possible!) Is there anything else going on in Pisa in the evenings? I think it would be nice to sit in an outdoor cafe overlooking the campo, sip wine and listen to music...is there anything like that there?

Kovsie, thank you so much for the ideas on what to do in Lake Como. We've been so bogged down with the specifics of getting from place to place, that we haven't even had much time to plan what to do when we get to each place!

I think it would be nice to sit in an outdoor cafe overlooking the campo, sip wine and listen to music...is there anything like that there?>>

there are loads of restaurants in Pisa with outdoor terraces, though those near the Tower do tend to be on the touristy side. you'd perhaps want to look at trip advisor for up to date recommendations, or ask in your hotel - the staff usually have good ideas if you ask them where THEY would go. not sure about the music - lots of italian restaurants have the TV on believe it or not, and you generally want to avoid the ones with the men selling roses and the accordion music.

as for climbing the tower, well, I doubt if you've ever climbed one like that, and it doesn't take very long, about 30 mins, and they stop you are various levels. there are only a few people allowed up at one time, so you haven't got to deal with crowds of other people either. but if you don't fancy it, you can get some great pics of the kids as they go up.

yes of course you can drive back to the airport, I assume that you'd be able to drop the car off at about 7am, as they must be used to early departures, but you'd have to check, when you booked the car, and also that there was secure parking at your hotel. We had been staying in Florence and hadn't had a car, so the day before we were due to leave, we got the train back to Pisa, and in the morning we got a cab to the airport, which didn't cost that much, though i suppose that we could have got the train from Pisa Centrale. [now the shuttle bus of course].

Thanks annhig; on your advice, I've been able to convince DH that our wisest option is to stay in Pisa the night before. The 4:15 AM wake-up call was the deciding factor! Also, I'm sure that we will truly enjoy the Campo dei Miracoli at night, and I think we'll all attempt that tower.

So now I have a new question to pose to the experts out there:

Which option would you recommend for our itinerary:

1: San Gimignano: 2 nights, Florence 3 nights, Pisa 1 night
OR
2: San Gimignano: 1 night, Florence 4 nights, Pisa 1 night

We have been to both San G and Florence two or more times before, and we love both places. We really want to spend at least 1 night in San G just because it is so special. Florence has so much more to do, though, and now that we're losing our last night to Pisa, I'm not sure we want to give up another night in Florence.

DH thinks we've already done all there is to do in Florence, but I'm not so sure. We have visited the Uffizi and many of the other major sights. Now we have the luxury to explore the less "major" attractions...and I'd be so appreciative of suggestions from those who have also had some extended stays in Florence.

cyber - oh the responsibility of finding out that one's advice is going to be followed. I suppose that if the night in Pisa doesn't work out, you can always blame that pesky fodorite! re climbing the tower, you know that you have to book in advance, don't you, and to turn up about 10 mins before your booking to book in, and deposit any large bags in the lockers in the room next to the ticket office - which is where you book in.

The last, [and first] time I went to San Gim was a VERY long time ago, so I may not the best person to ask about how long to stay there. However, I dislike "one night stands" and as you will have a car, it would make a good base for visiting Volterra and even Livorno if you fancy a day at the beach and/or spending a day in Verdi's home town.

As for what to do in Florence, there is a good thread going at the moment written by someone who was exploring lesser known or at least lesser visited parts of Florence which you will probably find useful and certainly enjoy - i will try to find it and link it below. [if i try to do it now, I'll probably lose this post!] I'm sure you'll find plenty to do whichever you decide to do.

Here it is:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ver-easter.cfm