Help, we will be leaving Florence and will be going to Siena for a few days. We have time for a trip before our Siena arrival. We will be using public transportation. We know the Cinque Terre is too far. Any other suggestions? We're fine to leave Florence in the early AM, and we're fine to arrive in Siena in the late evening. We will be there for 4 nights. My son will be going to school there, so we're fine to spend the time in that area.<BR><BR>I know Assissi would work better on the way to Rome, but is out of the question from Florence?<BR><BR>Debby<BR><BR>Thanks for the help.<BR><BR>Debby

Neither cinque Terre or Assisi lend them selves to a day trip ont he day you go from Florence to Siena. They wil both involve extensive travel time and will pose a challenge of storing your luggage at teh left luggage office while you visit. <BR><BR>The easiest place to visit (althought the left luggage issue remains) is San Gimignano. It is on the way and will not add apreciably to you travel time. San Gim is overrun during the daylight hours but really starts to wind down around 6pm. Looking at the sunset from the Medici Castle is a superb thing to do. There is art aplenty at the collegiata, and climbing torre rosso is a treat. We love to hear Andrea Piazza who plays his harp on the piazza next to the colligiata most afternoons.

Hello Debby,<BR><BR>There is actually an Assisi-Siena bus, leaving Assisi 17.35 and arriving at Siena at 19.50, - so Florence-Assisi-Siena is a viable proposition if you don't mind the travelling time.<BR><BR>The best way to do this would be to catch the 08.09 train from Florence. This is a DIRECT train to Assisi, and is the quickest.<BR><BR>(There are other trains too, but these necessitate a change of train at Terontola and take 3 hours+).<BR><BR>From Assisi station the town of Assisi is about a 20-minute bus ride. There is a connecting bus outside the station.<BR><BR>N.B. When you get off the train go straight out to the bus, - if you miss it you'll have a long wait! The driver will send you into the station bar to buy your bus tickets, - but it's best to speak to him first so he knows to wait.<BR><BR>For details of the Assisi-Siena bus service, seeBR>www.lazzi.it/senaautolinee/foligno_siena.htm<BR><BR>It leaves Assisi at 17.35, or alternatively you can catch it at S.M. Angeli at 17.45.<BR><BR>Let me know if I can be of more help ...<BR><BR>Steve

Oops - forgot to say ...<BR><BR>The 08.09 train arrives at Assisi at 10.29.<BR><BR>Hope this helps ...

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