Florence in 6 hours?
 

Our family is spending 11 nights in Italy in June 2007. We have 3 nights in Venice, then 4 nights in Rome and finally 4 nights in Levanto. We are considering a 6-8 hour stopover in Florence. Our train leaves Venice at 6:30am and arrives in Florence at 9:30am. We hope to store luggage at train station, see the Accademia and the Duomo, have a meal and gelato and take an evening train to Rome. I have been reading about the crowds and heat in Florence- is it worth a few hours? I have already made reservations at the Accademia so we should not have to wait in line.

Hi M,

Good idea.

>Florence- is it worth a few hours?<

Of course.

((I))

Hi Ira,

Is 6 hours enough time for the Accademia, Duomo and a meal-plus time for cecking retrieveing luggage?

Is it worth it? Of course - the longer the better but if 6 hours is all you can give it - better than nothing for sure. Yes, there will be a lot of tourists, and who knows about the heat - just go and make the most of it while you can, from the station you can walk straight to the Duomo and to the Galleria dell' Accademia.

Climb the Duomo if you have time to stand in line - after a long climb of a spiral stairway you go around the upper inside of the domed roof - wonderful, then the last climb up and out - spectacular.

Agreed-6 hours is not enough to even scratch the surface of Florence, but it is enough time to see David, the Duomo and grab lunch and a gelato. You might even have time to make a quick stop in the marketplace. You will love Florence, if even for a few precious hours. It will be just enough to make you want to return for another vacation.

We did something like this years ago on our way from Venice to Roma. A few years later no one in the family had much memory of Florence so we returned for a week stay. So, my answer is no, I would not do it again.

mjs, but maybe if you hadn't visited even briefly the first time, you may not have been inspired to return? Just a thought.

I say yes. 6 hours is better than nothing. Though personally, I would only "do" the Duomo. Walk around for the rest of the time -- walk & eat & enjoy the place!