etonmymind

buona sera listmates,

We are staying in Pienza until Monday and still trying to figure out a few things that we want to try to do. We have really enjoyed poking around here and are thinking about venturing out a little.

My husband really wants to go to Florence, which we have been to before. I am feeling neutral about it as we have our three very small children with us this time and we won't be going to see museums. I wouldn't mind the walking around, but I'm not antsy to get there, either. His reason? He wants to hit the leather market. So, my question is, is there anywhere else with a comparable leather market? He has these great memories of getting killer deals on stuff that is still with us and in great shape, but I'm wondering if it's not the same as everywhere else.

And, if we do decide to go to Florence, we will take the train both for sanity's sake and for the kids to enjoy. Can someone recommend what station would be the best bet for us to park at and train in to Florence?

thank you so much,
ET

kybourbon

The closest stations with decent connections to Florence are Chiusi, Buonconvento, Siena.

Lexma90

Hmm. Difficult decision. Looks like, round trip, it will be at least 3 hours on the train - how enjoyable will that be for the both of you?

Once in Florence, assuming the weather's decent, you could visit the various piazze, and let the kids run around a bit. The Mercato might be fun with kids - let them pick on various foods to try/eat. And buy them gelato, of course. I would think that you could visit a number of the churches, and enjoy them before the young kids get too antsy, and possibly even the Bargello, or the Accademia.

I can't give specific advice on the leather markets - I'm not into shopping, so I would be assessing: (i) how many leather items do I or my family need; (ii) how much of a bargain would I be getting - is it worth my time?

On the other hand, as my husband said one trip when we were lodging far from Siena, but decided to go there for the day, "It's still closer from here than it is from home!" (But we didn't have 3 little kids with us.)

57BelAir

My daughters, who were 7 and 8 when we visited Florence, enjoyed the Boboli Gardens. You may want to spend time there while your husband shops. The Uffizi has a tour book geared to young kids. It was like a treasure hunt to find things in some of the paintings. It made for a fun two hour visit with my younger daughter. As for gelato, the more the better!

I bought a leather briefcase from a shop in Florence after visiting the leather market. I wouldn't call it a bargain, but it certainly was good value given the high quality.

wanderful

With three very small kids in tow, you might want to skip the chaos of Florence.

The leather your husband buys might last a long time, but your family's going to wear out very quickly.

etonmymind

Thanks for the input. It's kind of a toss-up, but I think there are things I want to see and do more. Even more so after reading your responses, I'm convinced we don't NEED to see Firenze this trip. And he won't die without another leather jacket Thank you again! ET