dorm57

We're planning to stay in Florence, Italy for 3-4 days during mid-May. Florence is a mid-point stop after leaving Rome, and in-route to Venice. We'll have a car so we're flexible. I feel we'd prefer small places, wherein you'd love to sit outside for coffee or food - watch the people, soak in the surroundings and local shopping. Given these, where would you make day trips to while staying in Florence ... Bologna, Siena, Assisi, et al?

mjs

Just curious as to why you have a Car if you are visiting Rome, Florence and Venice?

kybourbon

>>>We're planning to stay in Florence<<<
>>>We'll have a car so we're flexible. <<<

You do know you aren't allowed to drive in Florence?

Of the places you listed, most are better visited by train (Bologna)or bus (Siena). Like many towns in Italy, Bologna also has ZTL. Although you can't drive in Assisi either, the parking is easier there (underground lot is handy).

kybourbon

On your other thread, you seemed to indicate you won't have a car.

FYI - Rome, Florence, Venice, Bologna, Assisi, etc. all have ZTL. ZTL are areas you aren't allowed to drive unless you are a resident or have another kind of permit. These zones are controlled by cameras and/or gates and tickets issued by license plate photo. The rental car companies have clauses in their contracts to charge fees of 30-45€ if they have to provide your info to the police (that doesn't include the cost of the ticket the police will issue). Parking will easily run 30-40€ per day in these cities (hotels typically don't have parking).

Macross

You will need all that time in Florence to see 1/3 of it and don't take a car.

annhig

there are lots of day/half day trips you can do from Florence both by train and bus, but none of them would be improved by having a car - the traffic in Florence is some of the worst I've come across, and the ZTL means that driving in the centre can lead to expensive surprise bills from your car hire company.

but with only 3-4 days [is that days or nights?] you aren't gong to have much time to do them.

the easiest and closest [which hardly counts as a day trip] is to get the bus from the Piazza San Marco [just round the corner from the Academia] up to Fiesole, about ½ and hour north of the city. If you're lucky, you will be rewarded by a beautiful vista over Florence, though the smog often obscures the view. There is a basilica to admire, the Monasterio di San Marco to explore, including its basement museum where you can admire the treasures the monks brought back from their travels such as a couple of egyptian mummies, and a beautiful Roman amphitheatre:

https://www.visitflorence.com/fiesole/

We finished our morning with a very nice lunch at the restaurant under the trees in the centre of the town where we shared the tables with some workmen, which is usually a good recommendation. [you might as well have lunch up there as the bus driver is doing the same thing so there are no buses back into Florence until he's finished].

michelhuebeli

We loved the slow train that goes through the mountains via Fiesole and Borgo S. Lorenzo and Faenza to - finally - Ravenna (not the fast trains via Bologna). Leisurely climbing through pretty landscapes, stopping in tiny places, with locals coming and going, "real Italians", practically no tourists on this train.

The "regionale" Nr. 21457 leaves Firenze S.M. Novella (the main train station) at 07:29 and gets to Ravenna by 10:16.

Visit the various mosaics sites - a thousand years old and looking fresh and shiny as if they had been mounted yesterday! See
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/788/gallery/

Then get back on one of the many faster trains that you find on www.trenitalia.com

Adelaidean

Lucca - delightful town, an hour by train, entry gate through the walls of the town across square from station.

dorm57

Sooo, I guess I didn't fully understand about the car and ZTL zones. I'm sure others will beat me some more about being stubborn and wanting a car

Regardless of the car ... responses for day trips were for Fiesole and Borgo S. Lorenzo and Faenza to - finally - Ravenna. Lucca, Assisi and Siena. I think we will have had our fill of art, museums and such with seeing Florence and our prior week.

We'll likely be to where seeing the locals, restaurants, food, coffee will be our preference. Are any of the above suggestions better suited for locals, food, cafe's, etc?

bvlenci

I live in Italy, and we go to Rome and Florence often, Venice a little less often. We wouldn't dream of driving a car into any of these cities. The train is faster and cheaper.