Day tour from Florence to other Tuscan towns
Aug 15th, 2016, 01:56 PM
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Day tour from Florence to other Tuscan towns
Hello everyone,
I admire this board so much and hope you can help me plan this trip for our 30th anniversary. We are so excited to be going to Italy. Here is our itinerary:
Sun 9/18 - Wed 9/21 Venice
Wed 9/21 - Sun 9/25 Florence
Sun 9/25 - Sat 10/01 Rome
We are flying into Venice and flying out of Rome. We will be taking the train from Venice to Florence and Florence to Rome. We are in our 50s and are usually good walkers but my husband is having foot problems that we are hoping to be resolved in time for the trip.
We are looking for a day tour from Florence that will take farther into the Tuscany area and would like to see Siena and other towns that you feel are worth seeing. We would also like to have a nice lunch or dinner included in the tour. We are just looking to get out of the city tourist spots and have a different experience for the day. Could anyone suggest an organized bus tour that they liked? We are not up to taking a train or renting a car and like to meet other travelers. Thanks so much!
I admire this board so much and hope you can help me plan this trip for our 30th anniversary. We are so excited to be going to Italy. Here is our itinerary:
Sun 9/18 - Wed 9/21 Venice
Wed 9/21 - Sun 9/25 Florence
Sun 9/25 - Sat 10/01 Rome
We are flying into Venice and flying out of Rome. We will be taking the train from Venice to Florence and Florence to Rome. We are in our 50s and are usually good walkers but my husband is having foot problems that we are hoping to be resolved in time for the trip.
We are looking for a day tour from Florence that will take farther into the Tuscany area and would like to see Siena and other towns that you feel are worth seeing. We would also like to have a nice lunch or dinner included in the tour. We are just looking to get out of the city tourist spots and have a different experience for the day. Could anyone suggest an organized bus tour that they liked? We are not up to taking a train or renting a car and like to meet other travelers. Thanks so much!
Aug 15th, 2016, 02:54 PM
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Off-topic but if you do not know about discounted train tickets available on those routes:
Book way in advance and get sweet discounts which are however train-specific on a certain date and time and cannot be changed but savings are huge and they include the mandated seat reservation on those three trains.
www/trenitalia.com is the official site of Italian Railways to do it -first class can be discounted too and sometimes not too much more than the cheapest 2nd class ticket- for lots on Italian trains check www.seat61.com - good info on discounted tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
As for tours if into wine check out ones that may combine Chianti's wine district close to Florence and Siena perhaps.
Book way in advance and get sweet discounts which are however train-specific on a certain date and time and cannot be changed but savings are huge and they include the mandated seat reservation on those three trains.
www/trenitalia.com is the official site of Italian Railways to do it -first class can be discounted too and sometimes not too much more than the cheapest 2nd class ticket- for lots on Italian trains check www.seat61.com - good info on discounted tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
As for tours if into wine check out ones that may combine Chianti's wine district close to Florence and Siena perhaps.
Aug 15th, 2016, 05:06 PM
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I would not bother with a tour. There are many charming pleasant Tuscan towns easily reachable from Florence by train or bus and you can then plan your own day as you want.
Pisa is about 30 minutes by train. Siena only a little further by bus (deposits you at the top of the hill versus the bottom for the train).
We had a car also did trips to San Gimignano, Assisi and Perugia (yes, I know not all Tuscany).
Pisa is about 30 minutes by train. Siena only a little further by bus (deposits you at the top of the hill versus the bottom for the train).
We had a car also did trips to San Gimignano, Assisi and Perugia (yes, I know not all Tuscany).
Aug 15th, 2016, 06:23 PM
#5
"We... would like to see Siena and other towns... are just looking to get out of the city tourist spots."
Unless you head to some small towns and villages not well served by public transportation, you may not feel you've gotten away from the tourist spots.
Siena is no longer a small town, although the historical center is fairly compact for someone with walking issues. In high season (which includes September), the city is crowded with day trippers, tour groups and tourists staying there. It has its charm and wonderful treasures, but if you're looking for a different experience than crowded Florence you might be disappointed.
If you can afford the splurge of a driver, you could motor through Chianti toward Siena, stopping at a less crowded small town or two (like Radda, Castellina, Monteriggioni), have lunch at a winery or somewhere with a view of vineyards, perhaps visit a working monastery like Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore. You could end the day in Siena to see the Campo and Duomo and have dinner. Say ciao to the driver when you get to Siena, and take the train back to Florence. The last train is just before 9:30p.
A local driver who is frequently recommended here:
http://www.hillsandroads.com/inflash/index.html
Unless you head to some small towns and villages not well served by public transportation, you may not feel you've gotten away from the tourist spots.
Siena is no longer a small town, although the historical center is fairly compact for someone with walking issues. In high season (which includes September), the city is crowded with day trippers, tour groups and tourists staying there. It has its charm and wonderful treasures, but if you're looking for a different experience than crowded Florence you might be disappointed.
If you can afford the splurge of a driver, you could motor through Chianti toward Siena, stopping at a less crowded small town or two (like Radda, Castellina, Monteriggioni), have lunch at a winery or somewhere with a view of vineyards, perhaps visit a working monastery like Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore. You could end the day in Siena to see the Campo and Duomo and have dinner. Say ciao to the driver when you get to Siena, and take the train back to Florence. The last train is just before 9:30p.
A local driver who is frequently recommended here:
http://www.hillsandroads.com/inflash/index.html
Aug 16th, 2016, 12:37 PM
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Many thanks for all your replies. PalenQ, your information on the trains was awesome. I just booked the two trains through www.seat61.com. That site was so helpful and explained things in such detail.
RonZ, thanks for the info about the train stations and Viator tours. I saw a tour that visits Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and Chianti but I'm not sure if it might be too ambitious for my husband if he was not better by then. This is our first European trip aside from visiting Ireland and England where our families are from so we are a bit timid about venturing out on our own. Nytraveler, you have given me much to think about and I might try to use the bus for Siena. Jean, I think the driver would be wonderful but I checked his rates and they seem more than our budget allows.
Would you mind recommending a really nice restaurant in Venice for our anniversary dinner? I really want to splurge and have a really nice dinner on the canal. Any other restaurants you would like to recommend in Rome and Florence, fancy or casual would be appreciated as well. Thanks so much!
RonZ, thanks for the info about the train stations and Viator tours. I saw a tour that visits Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and Chianti but I'm not sure if it might be too ambitious for my husband if he was not better by then. This is our first European trip aside from visiting Ireland and England where our families are from so we are a bit timid about venturing out on our own. Nytraveler, you have given me much to think about and I might try to use the bus for Siena. Jean, I think the driver would be wonderful but I checked his rates and they seem more than our budget allows.
Would you mind recommending a really nice restaurant in Venice for our anniversary dinner? I really want to splurge and have a really nice dinner on the canal. Any other restaurants you would like to recommend in Rome and Florence, fancy or casual would be appreciated as well. Thanks so much!
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