Getting around Florence
 

I'll be arriving by train to Florence and have a few places i'd like to go and see. I've read the previous posts about a day itinerary and tried to figure out the best way to see all of this with limited time to take the train back to Livorno by a 6pm sailing.

I'd like to see:

Piazzale Michelangelo
Accademia (get a reservation)
Piazza della Signoria
Ponte Vecchio
Duomo

and possibly Boboli Gardens.
The Uffizzi Museum is most likely out of the question because it'd take to long to go through to still have time to see other stuff..

How do you get to Piazzale Michelangelo?

(and i'm the one considering stopping in Pisa for pics of the tower then getting back onto the train)

Since you've got such a short amount of time, I'd say take a taxi to Piazzale Michelangelo. It is possible to walk there via a very steep hill, but it is across the river from most of your other sights and would eat into your time. There is also a bus (#12?) that goes there, but again, its route is a bit roundabout and would take more time than you can spare.

The natural sequence (path from train station) to visit these places would be: Accademia, Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio. I'd skip the Boboli Gardens.

I would see Piazza Michelangelo first. It will be easy to get a cab at the train station and the light is much better for photographs from the Piazza in the morning. You can then walk down the hill and continue through the streets of the Oltrarno to the Ponte Vecchio, walk across, walk through Piazza della Signoria, continue on to the Duomo and finally the Accademia. If you have time, you should stop into the church of Santa Croce (closer to Piazza Michelangelo) to see the tomb of Michelangelo and the Giotto frescos.

Thanks for the info!

I'm not leaving anything "major/have to see" off my list am I?

Hi Ray,

The bus routes and schedules for lorence are found at http://www.ataf.net/Default_EN.asp

They also have a very good map of Florence and vicinity.

Yu can take either the #12 or #13 bus. It is a 25 min ride from FSMN to Piazzale Michaelangelo by either route.

While you are at the Duomo, go also to the Battistry (sp?) just outside the main doors of the church. The inside of the building is like a jewel-box.

I would also suggest a visit to the Santa Croce church and also agree, skip the Boboli Gardens.

I don't see how you'll have time to stop in Pisa for pictures if you have to be in Livorno by 6 p.m.

This reminds me of your posting re Sorrento/Pompei/Amalfi Coast... So much to see, so little time. When we were in Sorrento last October, the line of cruise people waiting for the water taxis to take them back to the ship was enormous. If the sailing is at 6 p.m., what have they told you about your check-in time? Have you checked the train schedules to find out what time you'd have to leave Florence in order to go to Pisa and then Livorno? If the choice is more time in Florence or pictures of the Leaning Tower, definitely choose Florence.

we most likely will head to florence first.. then if we have time before leaving florence to stop in pisa (pending we find a train that stops in pisa) then we'll stop..

most likely for the naples port, we'll do pompeii and either positano or sorrento.. i still cant choose which to stop in...

Well, if you're still interested in an opinion, I'd choose Sorrento and Pompei over Positano and Pompei. (I can hear the Positano-lovers screaming....)

I prefer spending some time in a place (although you're not going to have much time anywhere) as opposed to rushing around just to say you went, you saw, you photographed.

Am i correct in saying that Sorrento would be a better place to travel with young adults 16, 20, 21 and two adults? I'm thinking in terms of there being more to do and see in Sorrento... What are people's thoughts?

any good sites on the web to get info on what there is to do in Sorrento or Positano? I know both will be beautiful, but that time frame is what is getting me...