Italy- are these day trips do-able?
Feb 24th, 2007, 12:52 PM
#1
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Italy- are these day trips do-able?
1. Cinque Terre from Florence for the day... maybe 1-2 villages? I will stay in Florence for 4 nights in an apt (4 night minimum) and will have no extra days to spend the night in CT -- would a very long day trip to CT work?
2. Florence to Varenna- Is it do-able to leave Florence early in the AM, stash bags at the Milan train station where I assume I will be changing trains, and visit the Duomo before continuing on train to Varenna? If I spend the night in Milan I will not be able to spend 2 nights on Como.
2. Florence to Varenna- Is it do-able to leave Florence early in the AM, stash bags at the Milan train station where I assume I will be changing trains, and visit the Duomo before continuing on train to Varenna? If I spend the night in Milan I will not be able to spend 2 nights on Como.
Feb 24th, 2007, 02:17 PM
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I don’t think the CT from Florence for the day is doable at all. My wife and I went from the heart of Tuscany (Radda) to the Ligurian coast by car, but that was because we were staying in the region near the CT for four days. I can’t see how you would benefit from any attempt to make the CT a day trip from Florence.
Feb 24th, 2007, 06:12 PM
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Vivi, We did a daytrip to CinqueTerre by car from a little town just west of Florence. We were there in plenty of time to have a wonderful pesto pasta for lunch in Monterosso, walked around the village, and took the boat that takes you past all of the villages. We didn't do any hiking or exploring of any of the other villages. However, we didn't leave especially early that morning, and we left the Cinque Terre area around 4 PM as a storm was brewing and we didn't want to get caught driving through it in the mountains.
For an overview of the area, a daytrip is fine. To visit each village, you would need to spend several nights there.
For an overview of the area, a daytrip is fine. To visit each village, you would need to spend several nights there.
Feb 24th, 2007, 06:27 PM
#4
Is your question #2 whether you can stop in Milan for a few hours on the way from Florence to Varenna? If so, yes. Take the Eurostar from Florence as early as possible. Just under 3 hours to Milan. Milan to Varenna is a "local" that takes about an hour.
Check train schedules at www.trenitalia.com. Click on "English" but use Italian spellings of cities and stations. For this journey, Firenze S.M.N., Milano Centrale and Varenna Esino.
Check train schedules at www.trenitalia.com. Click on "English" but use Italian spellings of cities and stations. For this journey, Firenze S.M.N., Milano Centrale and Varenna Esino.
Feb 24th, 2007, 09:09 PM
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Vivi - I don't understand.
Are you talking about a DAY TRIP to Varenna from Florence? With an overnight in Milano? Or two nights in Como? And you only have 4 nights in Florence...?
Please clarify. Are you moving from Florence to the Varenna/Como area, or are you actually talking about a "day trip"?
Are you talking about a DAY TRIP to Varenna from Florence? With an overnight in Milano? Or two nights in Como? And you only have 4 nights in Florence...?
Please clarify. Are you moving from Florence to the Varenna/Como area, or are you actually talking about a "day trip"?
Feb 25th, 2007, 08:29 AM
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Re
ay trip to CT from Florence. You need to carefully look at the train schedules. It takes almost 2 hours each way to get Florence to La Spezia and then the local train to the villages. You will have to rely on their timetables to return. Its probably not a great way to spend one of your Florence days.
Perhaps a 50 min. bus to Siena would be more effective. Good luck.
ay trip to CT from Florence. You need to carefully look at the train schedules. It takes almost 2 hours each way to get Florence to La Spezia and then the local train to the villages. You will have to rely on their timetables to return. Its probably not a great way to spend one of your Florence days.Perhaps a 50 min. bus to Siena would be more effective. Good luck.
Feb 25th, 2007, 01:38 PM
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Yes, absolutely Florence to the CT is doable in a day - I know because hubby and I did it in January. I don't regret it for a minute and in fact it was one of our most favourite 'highlight' days on our entire 5 week trip to Europe.
We left Florence early - think it was on the 7.50am train, arriving in La Spezia about 9.50am - we were on the train to the first village within 15 minutes. It takes only about 10 minutes from La Spezia to the first village. We had 7.5 hours in total on the CT and visited all 5 villages - with time to wander about, sit down in a restaurant for lunch, walked along the beach at Monterosso, stopped for hot chocolate, etc. We walked between the first and second villages (lovely pleasant easy walk) and tried to walk from the second to third - but halfway around the track had been closed due to a landslide, so we had to turn around and the rest of the day was spent 'training' it between the villages. If you have no intention of wanting to walk the entire CT track, then a day is okay. Don't let anyone put you off - it is well worth the effort even if just for the day. We had perfect weather in January, even though mid winter, beautiful blue sky, 16deg C, hardly anyone about apart from the locals, just magic. We left the villages on the 6pm train to La Spezia, then switched to the train to Florence and arrived at hotel about 9pm. It was just absolutely fantastic. I say DO IT!!! By the way, we also spent 4 nights in Florence, and had 2 day trips - the CT was one of them.
We left Florence early - think it was on the 7.50am train, arriving in La Spezia about 9.50am - we were on the train to the first village within 15 minutes. It takes only about 10 minutes from La Spezia to the first village. We had 7.5 hours in total on the CT and visited all 5 villages - with time to wander about, sit down in a restaurant for lunch, walked along the beach at Monterosso, stopped for hot chocolate, etc. We walked between the first and second villages (lovely pleasant easy walk) and tried to walk from the second to third - but halfway around the track had been closed due to a landslide, so we had to turn around and the rest of the day was spent 'training' it between the villages. If you have no intention of wanting to walk the entire CT track, then a day is okay. Don't let anyone put you off - it is well worth the effort even if just for the day. We had perfect weather in January, even though mid winter, beautiful blue sky, 16deg C, hardly anyone about apart from the locals, just magic. We left the villages on the 6pm train to La Spezia, then switched to the train to Florence and arrived at hotel about 9pm. It was just absolutely fantastic. I say DO IT!!! By the way, we also spent 4 nights in Florence, and had 2 day trips - the CT was one of them.
