We are taking a trip to Florence in late March and early April. Am wondering about the weather at that time- light jacket weather? Also we have reservations at the Atlantic Palace Hotel (via Nazionale 12) as this will be a central location for sightseeing and close to our daughter that we will be visiting. Any good suggestions? Restaurants? We also would like to take a day trip to Siena possibly, is there a public transportation way of getting there or will we need to rent a car?

The weather in Florence will be variable at that time of year--perhaps a jacket will be enough, but a cold spell might mean you'd prefer a coat, or at least gloves and another layer under your jacket. I always watch the 10-day forecast on Weather.com leading up to my vacation to verify what it would be best to pack.

Your hotel is right in the center of things, on a busy street near the main train station.

A day trip to Siena by public transport is easy to do. The bus station (Autostazione Sita Firenze) that has long distance buses for Siena is on the opposite side of the train station from your hotel. It is better to take a bus than a train since Siena is on a hill. The bus stops in Siena on the hill while the train is outside town at the bottom of the hill. You can get a direct bus that takes about an hour or there are others that make a few stops along the way.

All of Ellenem's info is reliable.

For the time of year in which you'll be in Florence, I highly recommend to all and sundry to dress in layers. You may need gloves, a hat and a scarf (easy to pack, doesn't take up much room in the luggage) particularly at night, but perhaps not. I always like to be prepared, though, given those items are essentially flat and won't put you out in terms of taking up space, and potentially giving you greater comfort.

Buon Viaggio,
BC

Weather.com indicates that the average highs in Florence for March and April are 59 and 65 degrees, respectively. The lows are 40 and 45 degrees. Of course these are only historical averages but they should give you some idea of what to expect. Also, the monthly rainfall is 3 inches. Have a great trip.

Tessa- my cousin and I will be in Florence on March 29th/30th! We are planning on layering, a habit we grew up with in Chicago.)

Buon viaggio! See you on the streets of Florence!

PS Might want to leave your scarves, hats and gloves at home... as this will allow you to say, "Oh, I forgot my... We must go shopping at the San Lorenzo markets to get some!" I never leave Florence without a half dozen new scarves.

As others have said the weather can be variable. I have travelled at that same time before and had SNOW in Florence. Watch the weather forecasts and be prepared!

sarg56 is right - I've bought beautiful leather gloves in Florence; one pair at the markets and another from a shop in the centre of Florence itself. One pair is a beautiful black pair and the other pair is deep purple. Scarves are another lovely memory of Florence and my husband has a lovely collection of silk ties which we buy for about 4 euros each.

My favorite hints are about the shopping....love it and can't wait! Bookmarking!

Thanks for the great tips. My daughter in Florence, right now is reporting weather similar to what is beign described, so I am glad to hearthat the weather appears slow to change. Also, am very excited about the shopping....considering my daughter is there as a fashion major, I am sure she will be very knowledgable in the shopping department by the time we get there.