Taking a friend to Italy next April. Most of time will be spent in Rome (4 of 7 days). Was looking at a Rome day trip and my first thought was Assisi, but in looking at rail schedules it looks like I could get to Florence quicker. I have been to Florence numerous times. This is her 1st time in Italy. Know you cant even scratch Florence in a day, but is it crazy to do a day trip just to give her the flavor of a great city ??

If that's all the time you have for Florence I vote to do it. One day is better than none. If you plan well you can pack lots into one day.

I'd do it!

I would pick Florence over Assisi. We were in Assisi 2 nights and liked it - but think you can see a lot more in Florence. Plus, you don't have to walk uphill both ways.

Absolutely do it.

Who wouldn't want to walk the cobblestone streets that MichaelAngelo walked.!!

Even if she only sees the Duomo and the Oringinal David !

I'd also say go for it. Don't spend the day racing around trying to see everything. Pick a few highlights from all the riches on offer, depending upon what she would enjoy most, and make sure to leave time to just wander the streets and sit a few times and watch the passing scene.

We're spending a day in Florence this fall as part of a week in Tuscany. We, too, have been to Florence a number of times and love it. We will be travelling with my brother and sister in law who have never been. One day is never enough but it is better than not going at all. I'm hoping they will love it and will return.

Spend the time in Rome or do a trip to Orvieto. Your time in Rome is not really enough,IMHO.

Do it!!!

Reservations at the Accademia, around the Duomo and inside if no line, thru Piazza della Signoria, some of the cobble-stone street, over the Vecchio Bridge and maybe up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the view.

A taste.

I think you should ask your friend if you haven't already.

Just as an aside, Michaelangelo also walked the streets of Rome. Quite a bit!

I would go for her sake.Taking an early train and also a late train would certainly help.
As suggested if you care to visit one or two museums make reservations it is easy as you know and worth it.

Walked, zeppole? Good ol' Mich probably crawled the streets of Rome with an aching back, muttering, "It'll be done when I'm finished!"

(And what's with all the sudden onslaught of New Yorkers in Italy?)

Seriously, though, I would think even a peek at Florence is better than none for anyone with an ounce of cultural sense. What a great friend you are!

I think it really does depend on the person going, for whom this supposedly being done.

I by-passed my first trip to Italy -- went right past on the train -- because I didn't feel I could give it the time I wanted to give it. I didn't want a breeze through the city to get "the flavor". I didn't want a "peek," And if I only had a day in Florence, coming from Rome, I wouldn't want to see more Michaelangelo.

If someone gave me the choice between being able completely see everything I wanted to see in Assisi for the day, or Ostia Antica, I would choose that over a "taste" or "peek" of Florence. And I would have wanted to be consulted!

If the friend is the type who is saying "You pick, I'm leaving everything up to you" -- then I would probably take them to Florence because if they are bored silly by Michaelangelo, then I can try out the jewelry shops, or the food market or maybe the view up the hilll.

But I would certainly ask, even if they're already given a black check.

Sorry for my typo -- I meant to type "I bypassed Florence my first trip to Italy"

Funnily, I think any one with an ounce of cultural sense would know not to go there for a day. I would only propose it to somebody not much interested in art. Otherwise, we'd be unlikely to get past Santa Maria Novella before having to turn around and catch the last train back to Rome.

Seriously, it would be agony to me (not an ecstasy) to have to walk past all that great and important art to be taken to see "David" on appointment.

We spent a week in Rome a few years ago. I was surprised to see Florence listed as a day trip in the apartment resource book. I think it is certainly possible to get there and back in one day but as others have noted frustrating because there is so much to see.
4 days in Rome is also a short time for that city.

I think you should ask your friend. You could also start out in Rome and see how you are feeling about day trips once you get there.

Do it. It's only a 90min, non-stop train ride from Rome to Florence - shorter than my commute several days of the week.

I've done several very short trips to Florence over the years - some for just a day with no regrets.

For a short visit you're better off skipping any time consuming sight such as the Uffizi, and spending your time soaking in the sights and sounds of the city. the Duomo, stroll the street markets (S. Lorenzo and Mercato Centrale), Accademia if you don't need to wait, people watch at Pza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, view from Pzle Michelaengelo, stop in several of the other churches such as Santa Croce - the typical tourist sights as you wind your way through the historic center.

My opinion is that you can see a lot of Florence in one day... certainly the Basilica, the Baptistery, the Central Market, David (the real one with an appt. or the outside replica at any time), Ponte Vecchio, etc. And, with ample time for lunch and wandering.

I loved Assisi... it was my favorite town in Italy. And the basilica is utterly amazing!!!

Check with your friend as to what she'd like to see.

I think no one is arguing that you can't do a quantity typical tourist tour of Florence from Rome. The question is quality of experience of the art -- and only the traveler can decide what appeals to them.

Under varying circumstances, I think multitudes of travelers to Italy would be happier as day-trippers to Florence, and I often post such advice.

But not to ask the person you are taking?

Also, I didn't realize until after I'd posted that the travelers only have 4 days in Rome (perhaps one of them a jet-lagged day)? and another unnamed destination. Apart from knowing the train schedule, I would wait to see how the newbie to Italy feels about rush-sightseeing. He or she might be enjoying Rome even if others don't so much.

4 days in Rome isn't much. I suggest you wait until you are in Rome and if you both want to visit Florence as a day trip, decide then.

On a quick 5-day trip to Rome with Italy novices, I took them on a day trip to Florence. It was one of their favorite days. These friends appreciate art, but don't know much about it, nor did they express any special interests in particular sights. Our trip was during Thanksgiving weekend—late November. I planned the day this way for our group of 5 adults.

We got a train at about 9 AM which put us in Florence by about 10:30AM.

From the station, we took the #12 bus to Piazzale Michelangelo. Therefore, our group's first real view of Florence was from this famous scenic overlook. Loads of photo opportunities, ooohs and aaahs. (If our group had been smaller, I would have opted for a taxi. Even so, a taxi might have been a good idea, since the bus skirts the center of the city and took 30 minutes to reach the piazzale.) Having just spent 3 days in the city of Rome, the group also appreciated the views of the green hills and houses on the hillside nearby and the different style of architecture than that of Modern and Baroque Rome.

From there we went into the city, walking down the steep Via di San Salvatore al Monte, a pedestrian-only walk past green gardens. We entered the city at Porta San Niccolo just as the church bells were ringing noon, the fragrance of delicious lunches in the air. We followed the Via San Niccolo through quiet streets (One friend commented that she finally felt like she was in Italy.) to Via Bardi, eventually turning onto the busy Ponte Vecchio, decorated for Christmas.

From there we walked through town past Piazza della Signoria all the way to the Duomo, which took my friends totally by surprise. This seemed a good moment to stop for lunch, so we had a lovely lunch at Osteria Belle Donne.

After lunch we strolled back through Piazza della Repubblica and then visited the Duomo and the Baptistery. My friends really enjoyed the mosaics inside the Baptistery, spending a lot of time sitting and interpreting the stories depicted. I'm sure we stopped for coffee once or twice during the day since this group became quick converts to the Italian system of coffee—a quick shot at the bar and then on your way.

Then we went to the San Lorenzo markets, splitting off into smaller groups to explore the wares and setting a meeting place and time. I knew my friends would enjoy this market, especially since there is no equivalent in Rome. At the meeting time, 3 were content with their shopping while 2 were still looking for leather jackets, so I indicated a nearby coffee bar where we 3 would wait while they finished. We sat for at least an hour, enjoying our thick hot chocolates and watching the buzz of the busy bar.

With the group together again, it was just after 5 PM, so I thought it couldn't hurt to see how the line was at the Accademia. There was no line, so we walked right in and had David to ourselves and about 20 other people. Quite magical.

We shopped a little more and then had dinner at Trattoria Za-Za. Our return train to Rome left at 9 PM and arrived at about 10:30 PM. They loved this day, which was balanced with a short "hike", beautiful scenery, historic sights, shopping, relaxing in a cafe, and two good meals.