half day trips from florence?
 

Hi,

I am going on a study abroad for three weeks in Florence and because of my schedule I will have a lot of afternoons free. What would be the best places to go to? It seems like Pisa and Fiesole would be easy but what about Lucca or Cortona or something else? My class is over at 12:00 and I would want to get back by 9:00
(Planning Siena, Venice, San Gimignano and hopefully Cinque Terre for the weekends.)

Thank you!!

Do not miss Vinci!! Not only is the town very quaint and the Tuscan landscape around is very beautiful but the Vinci museum is excellent. It's only 20-30 miles from Florence. Here's the instructions to get there from the Vinci Tourist Board:

there are no direct buses from Florence to Vinci.
I recommend you to take a train from Florence to Empoli and then a bus from Empoli train station to Vinci.

There are buses that leave from Empoli to Vinci approximately every half an hour-45 minutes. The bus company is COPIT (Buses are less frequent at weekends!)

Orientate yourself first with a bus tour of town :

http://www.slowtrav.com/mindseye/012504.htm


Then for further afield :

http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/tuscany.../daytrips.html


There are lots of places worth seeing and you'll kick yourself after if you find you've missed them. Buy a good guide book, and of course, some decent maps, including a detailed map of Florence/Firenze.

I like Vinci,but it's no way in my top 5 or 6 of half day trips.
Lucca is easy and great. You could squeeze in a quick trip to the tower during that trip.

She asked for ideas. Vinci is pretty and close. She is also plnning on visiting a lot of other places that she listed.

How about Vinci?

Bologna!

Lucca was a really nice town and the shopping was great there. Also ViaReggio & Forte de Marmi- was a really beautiful seaside town on the beach and Mediteranian Sea also alot of shops,restaurants,and promanade and not far from Firenze.well worth the trip.

Hi FF -

Cortona - Arezzo - Orvieto - Perugia - Bologna. Rome?

You're spoilt for choice really ...

Steve

Thanks for the suggestions!
I meant to ask what would be doable in a short period of time - like would 4 hours in Lucca be enough? Vinci sounds interesting.
I also should have said that we aren't allowed to rent cars so it would have to be car or bus.

thanks again!

Orvieto. Manageable size for only 4-5 hours and very easy to get to. It's a hill town built on top of a hill rather than on the side of a hill. You take a cool funicular up from the train station. Fun to walk around, and maybe Italy's best Gothic cathedral.

I might also suggest going to Siena for an afternoon - easy bus trip from Florence - or skipping classes one day and spending a whole day there. Now you have a spare weekend. Rome. By all means, Rome.