Need advice with Florence travel plans!
 

Our last 5 days of our 2 week trip are set aside for Florence and a few days in Tuscany. We will be traveling via train from Venice.

As of now, I have 3 days booked in Florence in order to see the sights and do some outlet shopping and 2 additional nights in Siena to visit parts of Tuscany. So far, I'm not sure if I am planning this correctly. This is where YOU ALL come in...

Would it be wise to stay in Florence the 3 nights, rent a car or a car/driver for the addtional 2 nights to visit a winery, San G. and Siena. We would then have to leave Siena very early for a 7am departure out of Florence. My original reason for doing this was to end our vacation on a more relaxing note, having done all major sight seeing/museums, etc. earlier.

Is it totally unrealistic to drive back to the airport from Siena that early in the morning? Should we do the 2 nights in Siena prior to our last 3 nights in the city of Florence? Or should we just stay in Florence and do day trips to Siena? I hate to miss an opportunity to enjoy an evening in Siena.

I've already made hotel reservations but can always make changes if I contact them soon.

I appreciate any input. It's my first trip to Italy and I am uncertain about the logistics of it all.

Siena is only about 30mins from Florence. I drove back and forth several times, (however I should state that I love driving in Europe at 180kph) If I were you I'd rent a car, stay outside of Florence, drive around wherever you want to go. It depends on your tolerance for driving but the drive between Florence and Siena is all highway.

One other note, the Outlet stores you have to drive to and they take a long time to find becuase there are very bad signs and your in the middle of nowhere so you need a full day to hit those, becuase you will get lost and have to stop and ask directions. The Prada outlet doesn't have 1 sign anywhere on the building stating what it is. Make sure you have a good map that has written directions from the internet.

Its also nice to have a full day to drive through the Chianti area and stop at one or two of the Winery's. Its a beautiful drive but it is so winding. It takes a good hour and a half if you don't stop to drive it. Its the SS2.

Susant,
why not do Siena/Tuscany first and do Florence at the end of the trip. Visiting Florence is pretty relaxing too.
A 7am flight means a 5am or 5.30 am for check-in and prior to that you have to get there from Siena and probably get rid of the car... Playing it on the safe side, this would mean leaving Siena at about 3.30 am...
The SS2 is not a highway. It is kind of an expressroute, and not of the same standard as the A1 Florence-Rome. You should count 1 hour to get to the airport which is just north-west of Florence, coming from the south (about 70 km Siena-Florence airport).

Hi susan,

I go with Baldrick. See Siena first and finish in Florence.

I would drop the outlet shopping plan. With the euro up to $1.25, there aren't enough bargains.

I would suggest the outlet malls, but only if you're willing to hire a driver since getting there is pretty complicated. If I remeber correctly, (you can check ahead of time with the hotel's concierage), the driver was about $100 for the day. I think there are great deals to be had even with the current exchange rate - but this takes up most of one day. You will undoubtedly see the Ponto veccio (splg!), the covered bridge in Florence that is lined with jewlery stores. There are terrfic deals here, especially in terms of antique jewlery, and don't be afraid to bargain.
I love Sienna, and think 2 days there would be terrific. It is relaxing and seems suspended in time with its cobblestone streets. Anyway, I'm not sure about the drive there, but it is definitely worth seeing. Have a terrific time!

Interesting point, Samar.

If I invest $100 in a driver, how much do I have to spend in order to get back to even?

Thank you all for your advice! The problem that I am having with the car rental part is first, 2-3 days renting a car is very pricey (almost more than a full week), and two, can't really enjoy the wineries if we are driving! Perhaps I'm being paranoid, maybe I've lived in southern California too long..

I have a price quote from auto europe for 2 day rental, manual tran, compact car for $243. Do you think I could hire a car/driver for that amount?? If so, any other recommendations other than Dario Castagno for a driver. I've sent Dario an e-mail but haven't heard back yet.

We have tenative reservations at the Hotel Santa Catarina in Siena.

Thank you all again for any info you have!

Do Siena first.
Hire toursbyroberto.com for your rural Tuscany venture
Skip the outlet malls--they are a joke
End in Florence

Simplify your life !

Thanks! I do agree with you about starting in Siena. What do you think about going to Siena from the train station in Venice, seeing San G, heading to Siena in the afternoon/evening, dinner in Siena, stay at Hotel Catarina, spend half of the following day in Siena, leave for Montepulciano, then go to Greve for 2 more nights of wine tasting, etc. After that, 2 nights in Florence with only one full day to see the Uffuzi, Accademia, etc.

Too much? I appreciate any suggestions!

Does anyone have any other recommendations for private drivers of tour companies for the wine country?

Hi susan,

>What do you think about going to Siena from the train station in Venice, seeing San G, heading to Siena in the afternoon/evening, dinner in Siena, stay at Hotel Catarina, spend half of the following day in Siena, leave for Montepulciano, then go to Greve for 2 more nights of wine tasting, etc. After that, 2 nights in Florence with only one full day to see the Uffuzi, Accademia, etc.

Too much? I appreciate any suggestions!<

I think it's too much. Do you want to tour Chianti or see Florence?

I also think that you are making things too complex.

You can easily train from Venice to Florence. From Florence you can easily bus to Siena for a daytrip.

In Florence, you can easily by all of the 'bargains' you want without going to the outlet mall.

No need to turn a vacation into an expedition.

Thank you, Ira. I think you are right. Sometimes it is far too much work to pack up and move from place to place.

Hi Susan,

Let us know what you decide to do.

Hey Ira,
Thanks for the help. We are staying in Florence with day trips out. I've already booked Roberto for a day starting in Siena.

I tried to check bus schedules on SITA-on-line.it, but it was all in Italian. I think I figured out the buses from Florence to Siena, but not sure about the return.

Does anyone know off-hand how late we can take a bus back from Siena to Florence? We'd love to have dinner there and Roberto can't drive us back. (He's too busy).

Thanks again in advance.

Hi susan,

The SITA bus site says the last bus is at 20:45.

The last train is at 21:22.

Thank you for the info.