Mohawk

Folks,
Booked that trip to Florence (and France), but my question only concerns Italy. We have a week in Florence. friends and co-workers claim that since I've never been to Italy, its outright criminal not to take the train to Italy for at least a couple of days. Also, that we'd (family of three, one teenage girl) get bored with a full week in Florence, regardless that I intend to take a day trip or two to places like Siena, Bologna. Do most people agree?

Betsy

Check out the replies on your 8/20 thread. To access it, click on your username, Mohawk, next to the word "author" in blue.

ira

Hi M,

>full week in Florence, ...I intend to take a day trip or two ...<

Sounds good to me.

Been to Venice (many times), Florence, Naples, the AC, Tuscany, Bologna, Orvieto, Lucca, Sorrento, Verona, Padua, Paestum,..couple of other places.

All that I have seen of Rome has been the train station.

Haven't been arrested yet.

With only 7 days, Florence is my 2nd choice. Venice is my first.

Enjoy your stay in Florence.

Vimsen

I think it is far worse to try to pack in to many destinations into a short time period than to concentrate on a few. I'd enjoy Florence and the surrounding areas - there is a lot to see and a lot to do. Rome is a great city, but leave it for when you have time to truly enjoy and explore it. Far better to have visited a place and gotten to know it than to have it just checked off on a list over "places I've been, but not really seen". If you want to add Rome, I would seriously consider extending the week with a couple of days, if possible.

Betsy

If you decide to day trip from Florence, consider taking the train to Lucca. It's an easy one-day trip.

zootsi

With a week in Florence, definitely explore the beautiful Tuscany countryside, and the countless hill villages. Although there are busses that will take you to many, renting a car is the best way to go.
A full week in just Florence might be a bit much, but with your planned excursions you will have a great time. Rome is amazing, but so is Florence and Tuscany!

kismetchimera

The city of Florence is just 90 minutes away from Rome..
It would be "Criminal "if you miss this opportunity to explore and enjoy this magnificent city.

Without Doubt would be a Criminal Offense to the Eternal, Glorious, beautiful Roma..Which spelled backward mean:Amore-Love..

rickmav

We skipped Rome last year on our first trip to Italy because we wanted to return to Florence. We liked it far more than we thought we would. And we were, also, were not arrested.

However, we are planning on going to Italy in 2008 and will include Rome. I do agree with Ira about Venice, however, it is not to be missed.

KarenKM

I agree with those who say not only is it no crime, but it's sane.

Whether you stay the week in Florence alone, or try to include Venice has much to do with who you are as people. If you enjoy art and Renaissance history, and if your daughter does, you'll thrive in Florence for a week. (For example, my friend and I really loved the relatively unsung medical museum, La Specola, and the science museum.)

If that type thing gets ho-hum for you after a short while, then you might do a split with Venice, which is indeed not to be missed, especially for those who are awed by historical beauty. (That's in Florence, too, but it's more of a 'main draw' in Venice.) This approach would let you know which city you might want to return to later.

(And of course, the 3 of you might have different needs, which is another contributing factor.)

To me, the art of pleasureable travel is knowing yourself well enough to know what makes your heart sing, and then finding places which are likely to do that, input of others bedamned!

Karen
http://www.pbase.com/karenmickleson

Pegontheroad

Assume that you'll be back to Italy. That's what I always do when I don't have enough time to cover everything I'd like to see.

irishface

I spent a 2 weeks in Italy without going to Rome and no one has arrested me yet. We spent a week in the CT with two side trips for a day by train. The three of us were unwinding and it did the trick. Then headed north to Venice and the Dolomites. Don't regret our leisurely pace one bit (well except for the post Easter traffic jam outside of Ravenna; that was a bit too leisurely for us.)

Rome has not appealed to me in the past, but upon reaing the threads and rethinking. Too many places, too little money.

Pausanias

For me, Florence is a three day city, unless you're settling in for a long haul, like three months. I'm sure you can fill things in with daytrips.

It's not a sin to skip Rome, especially in the summertime when the weather is anything but fine. It's my favorite city in Italy but many do not like it. I wish more people did not like it.

gatorhunter

As an older couple we spent 9 days in Florence. We loved every minute of the trip. we then traveled to Rome for ten days. Save Rome for your next trip but do Fflorence right by not dividing your time between it and other must see places. they will be there. My feeling is that I could go back to Florence in a hear beat but not Rome. if you email me at [email protected] I will send you my trip report. it does include places we went to web sites for those places.

Richard

adventureseeker

Hi Mohawk.

We're doing our first trip to Italy in October and are not going to Rome. We've never regretted our decision as we feel that Rome commands more than 3 days and "she'll" be there next time. We, too, decided that Florence will be our "city" visit in Italy.

Follow your heart and do what is right for you....no regrets and enjoy!

bobthenavigator

It was our 8th trip to Italy before I set foot in Rome---then we spent a week.

adventureseeker

<<To me, the art of pleasureable travel is knowing yourself well enough to know what makes your heart sing, and then finding places which are likely to do that, input of others bedamned!>>

a shout out to Karen KM,

Beautifully said and eloquent! I couldn't agree with you more. I get frustrated when seasoned travelers "TELL" you what you should/have to do instead of giving advice to help you create the journey you desire.

meganstockton96

We went to Naples and the Amalfi coast a few years ago for two weeks. We didn't get into Rome- there was too much to see where we were- I think Rome should probabaly be a seperate trip altogether.

amyb

I'm about to take my 6th trip to Italy and it will be for one week in Rome. On the previous 5 trips, I have only spent about 10 hours in Rome (day trip from Sorrento). I don't think it's criminal at all. I'd focus on Florence only if that's what you're interested in. I've spent two separate weeks there as well as another week biking in Tuscany and love it. That would be my first choice if I were in your position (Venice my second...I'll let you know about Rome in 2 months!) ;-)

annhig

hi, Mohawk,

last year, we took us and 2 kids then 18 & 15 for one week on Rome, and another in Flroence. [about 5 months apart, not two weeks together - not sure if that made any difference].

to a man and woman, we much preferred Rome. However, with your day trips thrown in, and the excellent shopping in florence, I'd stick to your original plan, and leave Rome for when you hve another week - there's so much to see and do there, you'll never take it all in in two days.

also with a week in florence, you could easily rent an apartment, which will give you much more space and be lots of fun.

another thing you might like to do is to spend half a day or even a day at a cooking course - we didn't but there are lots of positive reviews of such courses on this board.

one trip not to miss is to get the bus up to Fiesole, [about 30 minutes] walk up to the monastery, then view the roman amphitheatre, and finally have a drink at the bar overlooking Florence, preferably at sunset.

regards, ann

tcreath

You definitely have to do what speaks to you the most. If you want to daytrip from Florence there are plenty of lovely options in Tuscany and Umbria. Not going to Rome isn't a crime. Just tell yourself that you will return. Although nice for a day or two, to fully enjoy Rome you need more than that so for this reason I suggest just sticking to Florence and the surrounding area.

I do love Rome. We had our heart set on Florence for our first trip to Italy, but DH had to see Rome as well. Admittingly I ended up falling in love with Rome and not really caring for Florence, although its certainly a beautiful city. One of these days I will give it another try.

Tracy