Florence Oct 6 - Oct 10 (from Venice and to Pisa too)
Sep 13th, 2009, 10:28 AM
#1
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Florence Oct 6 - Oct 10 (from Venice and to Pisa too)
Need help. New to Italy. Need to take train from Venice to Florence on Oct 6 - spending 4 nights at Hotel Morandi alla Crocetta. Ideas/help about train and getting to hotel? Then would love to hear what you recommend we do in Florence? Lastly need to get to Pisa the night of Oct 10th. Again how to get from hotel to the train - which train, etc. Love learning what you seasoned Italy travelers have shared! Makes the trip so much better....things to do, how to do them, restaurants, etc! Ciao!
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:11 PM
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the hotel doesn't seem too far from the station. I'm sure you could always take a taxi. That would be the easiest.
You really might want to reconsider the heavy suitcase and try to pack significantly lighter.
You really might want to reconsider the heavy suitcase and try to pack significantly lighter.
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:15 PM
#5
Your hotel is a bit far from the train station and further out of the historic center than most people choose. You will want to take a taxi.
Pisa is only an hour by train from Florence and there are 2-3 trains per hour. Cost is about 6€ one way. Check schedules on Trenitalia. To see all prices, enter a date within the next 7 days.
Pisa is only an hour by train from Florence and there are 2-3 trains per hour. Cost is about 6€ one way. Check schedules on Trenitalia. To see all prices, enter a date within the next 7 days.
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:16 PM
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I agree with notbob -- please reconsider the heavy suitcase.
I was in Firenze/Pisa/CT last month and although my luggage was 40 lbs, it felt like 100 lbs with all the train travel and lack of elevators. Trust me, your back and hands will thank you for traveling LIGHT!
I was in Firenze/Pisa/CT last month and although my luggage was 40 lbs, it felt like 100 lbs with all the train travel and lack of elevators. Trust me, your back and hands will thank you for traveling LIGHT!
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:26 PM
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I'm no expert because I've only been to Florence one time, but I think walking to and from the train station is probably your best option. You could get a taxi but with all the one way and pedestrian only streets, it may just be quicker to walk.
Do you have a good guidebook and/or map of Florence? You'll need to study it and plot out a route. The distance isn't very far at all, but be aware that the sidewalks are very narrow and with crowds it can be a bit awkward, but that's just the way it is.
There are several trains to Pisa everyday from Florence. Are you flying out of Pisa the next day? You might want to by your ticket ahead of time. You might want to do a search on getting train tickets.
As for recommendations on what to do in Florence, well the list of things to see is limitless. There must be a reason why you want to go to Florence in the first place?
The biggies of course are the Duomo, Campanile, and Baptistery, the Uffizi and the Academia. But those are just the tip of the ice burg. You should reserve your tickets for the Uffizi and the Academia ahead of time. I don't have the links handy, but again if you do a search here you will easily find how to make the reservations by phone.
Other places I personally loved in Florence were the Bargello, which is sort of an applied arts and crafts museum housed in an old prison fortress. I also really liked walking around the Oltrarno neighborhood across the river, and the seeing the frescoes in the Cappella Branacci at the Santa Maria Del Carmine.
Do you have a good guidebook and/or map of Florence? You'll need to study it and plot out a route. The distance isn't very far at all, but be aware that the sidewalks are very narrow and with crowds it can be a bit awkward, but that's just the way it is.
There are several trains to Pisa everyday from Florence. Are you flying out of Pisa the next day? You might want to by your ticket ahead of time. You might want to do a search on getting train tickets.
As for recommendations on what to do in Florence, well the list of things to see is limitless. There must be a reason why you want to go to Florence in the first place?
The biggies of course are the Duomo, Campanile, and Baptistery, the Uffizi and the Academia. But those are just the tip of the ice burg. You should reserve your tickets for the Uffizi and the Academia ahead of time. I don't have the links handy, but again if you do a search here you will easily find how to make the reservations by phone.
Other places I personally loved in Florence were the Bargello, which is sort of an applied arts and crafts museum housed in an old prison fortress. I also really liked walking around the Oltrarno neighborhood across the river, and the seeing the frescoes in the Cappella Branacci at the Santa Maria Del Carmine.
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:29 PM
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I wouldn't want to take a 50 pound suitcases on a train, Noodlehouser. Is there any special reason you need such a large and heavy piece of luggage?
Taking the train from Venice to Florence is very easy. You can buy your tickets at the Venice Santa Lucia train station. The train trip is around three hours. You can take a taxi from the Florence train station to your hotel.
Taking the train from Venice to Florence is very easy. You can buy your tickets at the Venice Santa Lucia train station. The train trip is around three hours. You can take a taxi from the Florence train station to your hotel.
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:38 PM
#10
>>>I would purchase a 3 days in 2 months 1st or 2nd class Eurail Saver Pass for $179/150. http://bit.ly/saGbC Must purchase before leaving the US.This is about the cost of the Venice to Florence EuroStar Train.<<<
Very bad advice. A rail pass is rarely cost effective for Ital. Point-to-point tickets are almost always cheaper unless you are going from one end of Italy to the other. A rail pass does not include seat reservations which would add and additional 15-20€ every time you took an AV or ES train.
Very bad advice. A rail pass is rarely cost effective for Ital. Point-to-point tickets are almost always cheaper unless you are going from one end of Italy to the other. A rail pass does not include seat reservations which would add and additional 15-20€ every time you took an AV or ES train.
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:47 PM
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>> I would purchase a 3 days in 2 months 1st or 2nd class Eurail Saver Pass for $179/150. http://bit.ly/saGbC Must purchase before leaving <<
Do not do this! The tickets for your Venice to Florence and Florence to Pisa will be much less than this pass. Point to point tickets, purchased from the machines in the train stations, are a better buy. No pass needed.
Take a taxi from in front of the train station to your hotel. It's too far to walk with luggage.
Each of you should consider taking a 22" piece of luggage, plus a small carry on bag and packing lighter. You will hate yourself for taking a 50lb bag.
Do not do this! The tickets for your Venice to Florence and Florence to Pisa will be much less than this pass. Point to point tickets, purchased from the machines in the train stations, are a better buy. No pass needed.
Take a taxi from in front of the train station to your hotel. It's too far to walk with luggage.
Each of you should consider taking a 22" piece of luggage, plus a small carry on bag and packing lighter. You will hate yourself for taking a 50lb bag.
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:48 PM
#12
The AV/ES trains from Venice to Florence are 35€ for point-to-point tickets which includes your seats which are required. You can take a slightly slower IC (30 minutes more travel time) train for only 21€.
Sep 13th, 2009, 12:54 PM
#13
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A rail pass!! The OP has mentioned only two train trips, one of which is on a local train that costs only about €6. For the other, Venice to Florence, the highest priced ticket (1st class on the fastest train) is €53.20. Second class is €35.20. This is a good deal less than the pass mentioned.
Check schedules and prices here:
http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html
Check schedules and prices here:
http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html
Sep 14th, 2009, 06:03 AM
#14
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Thanks to everyone so far!! We are starting in Pisa and taking a train to Genoa (spending night there, meeting friends) and then taking cruise (good call!!) for one week along Amalfi coast. Then the group of us - about 25 - have private bus to Venice. After that we are on our own - Venice to Florence (what time is best for train as it doesn't matter to us???) then Florence to Pisa (have that night there...flight to USA isn't until the next day noon). The 50 lb suitcase is because that is all airline allows without more fees 
Not sure we can do with less since the weather is very cool compared to us in Austin TX. Keep teaching me you all; thanks again. Ciao!
Not sure we can do with less since the weather is very cool compared to us in Austin TX. Keep teaching me you all; thanks again. Ciao!
Sep 14th, 2009, 06:16 AM
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"Venice to Florence (what time is best for train as it doesn't matter to us???)"
Best time is up to you. I prefer to leave at a time that will get me to the next lace in time for lunch . . . therefore arriving 11AM to noon gives enough time to find and check in to hotel and then head out to lunch. But when you go is really up to you and what you want to accomplish in both cities.
Best time is up to you. I prefer to leave at a time that will get me to the next lace in time for lunch . . . therefore arriving 11AM to noon gives enough time to find and check in to hotel and then head out to lunch. But when you go is really up to you and what you want to accomplish in both cities.
Sep 14th, 2009, 06:56 AM
#16
Most people don't travel with luggage that heavy, but as long as you can carry it up the train stairs without help fairly fast (you don't always have long to board and lots of people will be trying to get on/off)then it will probably be ok. Since you only have Venice/Florence and Florence/Pisa (I assume you are flying out of Pisa) then your heavy luggage won't be a huge problem.
