Hi helpful travelers:
My husband and I will be traveling thru Italy after visiting his daughter in Germany. Our plan is to take the train to Milan (staying in Varenna a night after the long train ride), then heading for Cinque Terre for 3 nights. After that our plan is to go to Florence and end our week in Venice (3 nights). We are wondering if there would be time to see Siena (skip Florence) or skip Siena and stay in Florence. From reading is sounded like Siena is a little hard to get to. Also, we are definitely looking at Manarola for our Cinque Terre nights. The Mediterrano sounds great, but I'm thinking it may be too modern...I'm thinking romantic Italian? Am I wrong about that? Any help would be great! bojabi

Siena is a short bus ride (70 minutes on the fast bus)from Florence so you could easily daytrip. The bus lets you off in the center of Siena which makes it more convenient than taking the train. Cost is about 6E one way.

Do you really mean you have a week? leaving Siena/Firenza less than a day?

If so, then I don't think you should think of either Florence or Siena as something you do enroute from Cinque Terre to Venice by train. The bus/train connections will complicate things as far as Siena is concerned and your day would be eaten up in travel. And you do Florence a disservice by trying to see it in less than a day.

Or perhaps I have misunderstood the timing?

Thanks for the info. Sounds like we will have to choose one of the other. Would a trip to Siena be a better idea from CT or just head to Florence. How would we get from CT to Siena, bus or train and how long is it from Siena to Venice. Again any info would be great!

Try Trenitalia website.

Hi Bo - Florence is easier than Siena from CT. For train info see:

www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

Steve

I am open to correction here, but I think trains from CT go via Pisa to Florence. If this is the case, they would pass through Empoli where you need to change trains for Siena.

Siena to Venice is far more difficult than Florence to Venice (Which is a direct fast train)

I love Siena almost to the point of obsession, but given time constraints and choice of only one Tuscan city, then I would go straight to Florence.

Hi bo,

Check the train schedules at www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html.

I don't think that you have time to visit Florence on your way to Venice.

You are getting great advice from many directions but it all seems to hinge on one thing...unless we have misunderstood your time constraints, you simply cannot do all you want with the timing you have described. This is probably the worst thing about Italy...so hard to decide.

Have a wonderful trip with your family and let us know how it all works out for you.

I would reccomend a stay in Manarola, it is a great village and quite charming. We are going back in June for our 3rd stay.

CT is great. We stayed in Riomaggiore(sp). I Don't remember the name but it might have been residence something or other. We found it through tripadvisor. It was up the hill, then 224 steps. I would stay there again. Clean and quiet. It is easy to get from ct to florence. You will have to change trains , but it isn't a problem. Haven't been to Siena but hope to get there this fall. Have a good trip.

Thank you all for your advice. We are heading to Florence..now looking for a hotel. And we have reservations in Manarola..sounds romantic!

Have you considered adding a night to Varenna and subtracting a night from the Cinque Terre? I think arriving late in Varenna one day and leaving early the next would kill me. All that lovely lake to visit and walk along and no time.

Alloro in Florence

Thats ambitious. I have been to all the cities that you noted except Varenna.
Of course, each day in Italy is a wonderful life changing experience. If it is your first foray in Italy, For me, I would consider skipping Cinque Terra. If you refer to a topographical map, you will see that is difficult to access so much time will be spent in travel.It is unique but mostly about shoreline fishing villages and hiking.
Florence, Sienna, and Venice are truly the cities rich is history, art and architectural wonderment.
Currently, I am planning a trip to Italy to visit a daughter in study abroad program in Florence. We fly into Florence, travel to Verona for 3 nights, day trip to lake garda and Venice. Back to Florence, then to Cinque Terra cause girls want to visit. With Siena visit on return to Florence.
1/2 day tour in FL, Uffizi- Presto Tours , 1/2 day tour with Pagas Wine tour near Verona and !/2 day tour in Sienna.

Enjoy, BH

I think the OP took their trip about 8 years ago.