Rome/Florence before Eastern Medit. Cruise in June.
Feb 28th, 2009 | 09:56 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Rome/Florence before Eastern Medit. Cruise in June.
Hi, My husband and I are traveling to Rome in June 09. taking an Eastern Med. Cruise From Rome 11 nights. We arrive on a Friday morning have all day Friday thru Monday early evening when the ship leaves.
Was wondering if anyone can help with a nice hotel in Rome for three nights, good location. We have never been to Europe. We also wanted to try and take the train to Florence one of these 4 days. Is that not a great idea bc of time? I am dying to see Florence. Should we stay over night there?
We have one 1/2 day and night in Paris on the way back home. I need a nice hotel there as well. We just plan on walking around seeing the Eiffel Tower, maybe the Louvre (it will be open late Friday evening)
Any suggestions would be great.
Thank you!!
We have tried to plan this trip for years and something has always come up.. finally we are celebrating our 40ths!! We are very excited!! Our cruise goes to Greece, Turkey, Capri, Naples, so many wonderful places!! We figured it would be great to see a little bit of each place.
Was wondering if anyone can help with a nice hotel in Rome for three nights, good location. We have never been to Europe. We also wanted to try and take the train to Florence one of these 4 days. Is that not a great idea bc of time? I am dying to see Florence. Should we stay over night there?
We have one 1/2 day and night in Paris on the way back home. I need a nice hotel there as well. We just plan on walking around seeing the Eiffel Tower, maybe the Louvre (it will be open late Friday evening)
Any suggestions would be great.
Thank you!!
We have tried to plan this trip for years and something has always come up.. finally we are celebrating our 40ths!! We are very excited!! Our cruise goes to Greece, Turkey, Capri, Naples, so many wonderful places!! We figured it would be great to see a little bit of each place.
Feb 28th, 2009 | 02:07 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Hi twin,
Your ship does not dock in Rome.
It docks in Civitivecchia. Plan on making the transfer.
Train schedules and prices are at www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
You can do a reasonable day in Florence from Rome.
A DAY IN FLORENCE:
Train to Florence SMN:
The Luggage Office is to your left as you leave the train.
From Piazza d' Stazione, walk up via Nazionale to via d'Ariento and the Mercato Centrale, wander through.
Take any street going NE to Via Degli Alfani and go right to the Accademia for The David.
Take via Ricasoli SE to the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Opera Museum (Originals of the bronzes on the doors)
From the Campanile, take via Calzaiuoli S (do some window shopping) to the Piazza d' Signoria. Look around, take a break.
Continue S to the Uffizi. Visit.
From the Uffizi, walk W along the Arno River to the Ponte Vecchio.
(You can walk up to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens if there is time. Great views of Florence from the top of the Gardens)
If you have time, walk E along the S bank of the river to Ponte alle grazie and cross over to visit Santa Croce.
If not, go W along the Arno from Ponte Vecchio to Ponte S. Trinita and go right. Go left on Via d'Spada to via d'Fossi and go right to Santa Maria Novella. Look around.
SMN is across the square from the train station.
If you have time, take the no. 7 bus (you can find it at the SMN train station) up to Fiesole (0:20 hr 1E) to watch the sunset from the terrace of the Bar Bleu.
Be sure to have lots of gelato (in a cup, not a cone), take some wine breaks and a light lunch.
Train schedules, prices and tickets are at http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Call center from outside Italy is 39-06-68475475
Bus routes are at http://www.ataf.net/
Buy your ticket before you get on the bus. Stamp it in the yellow box on the bus.
Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
You can purchase tickets online at http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/
In Paris, we always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. From 134E dbl w/bkfst. It is just around the corner from Place St. Sulpice, near 3 metro stops and 4 bus routes. Has AC and an elevator.
The staff speaks English well, and is very helpful.
Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67
[email protected]
www.hotelbonaparte.fr
For more info, enter "Hotel Bonaparte" in the "search the forum" box.
Have a nice visit.
Your ship does not dock in Rome.
It docks in Civitivecchia. Plan on making the transfer.
Train schedules and prices are at www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
You can do a reasonable day in Florence from Rome.
A DAY IN FLORENCE:
Train to Florence SMN:
The Luggage Office is to your left as you leave the train.
From Piazza d' Stazione, walk up via Nazionale to via d'Ariento and the Mercato Centrale, wander through.
Take any street going NE to Via Degli Alfani and go right to the Accademia for The David.
Take via Ricasoli SE to the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Opera Museum (Originals of the bronzes on the doors)
From the Campanile, take via Calzaiuoli S (do some window shopping) to the Piazza d' Signoria. Look around, take a break.
Continue S to the Uffizi. Visit.
From the Uffizi, walk W along the Arno River to the Ponte Vecchio.
(You can walk up to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens if there is time. Great views of Florence from the top of the Gardens)
If you have time, walk E along the S bank of the river to Ponte alle grazie and cross over to visit Santa Croce.
If not, go W along the Arno from Ponte Vecchio to Ponte S. Trinita and go right. Go left on Via d'Spada to via d'Fossi and go right to Santa Maria Novella. Look around.
SMN is across the square from the train station.
If you have time, take the no. 7 bus (you can find it at the SMN train station) up to Fiesole (0:20 hr 1E) to watch the sunset from the terrace of the Bar Bleu.
Be sure to have lots of gelato (in a cup, not a cone), take some wine breaks and a light lunch.
Train schedules, prices and tickets are at http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Call center from outside Italy is 39-06-68475475
Bus routes are at http://www.ataf.net/
Buy your ticket before you get on the bus. Stamp it in the yellow box on the bus.
Uffizi and Academia Museum Reservations
You can purchase tickets online at http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/uffizi/
In Paris, we always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. From 134E dbl w/bkfst. It is just around the corner from Place St. Sulpice, near 3 metro stops and 4 bus routes. Has AC and an elevator.
The staff speaks English well, and is very helpful.
Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67
[email protected]
www.hotelbonaparte.fr
For more info, enter "Hotel Bonaparte" in the "search the forum" box.
Have a nice visit.
Feb 28th, 2009 | 02:42 PM
#3
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,713
Likes: 0
I have been to Florence 2 times.
Florence is very walkable. You can cover alot of ground in a short amount of time.
Dont miss..
*David
*Uffizi
*Bargello (sp)
*Ponte vecchio
*Santa croce (Michelangelo is buried there) Check out the wood ceiling too. It is cool.
*Duomo/Baptistry
*Piazza d' Signoria
*San Lorenzo Market
Florence is very walkable. You can cover alot of ground in a short amount of time.
Dont miss..
*David
*Uffizi
*Bargello (sp)
*Ponte vecchio
*Santa croce (Michelangelo is buried there) Check out the wood ceiling too. It is cool.
*Duomo/Baptistry
*Piazza d' Signoria
*San Lorenzo Market
Feb 28th, 2009 | 08:55 PM
#5
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,298
Likes: 0
Hi,
Well, one day in Florence is not "plenty" but it's what you have. With only 4 days in Rome I would not advice to stay overnight in Florence, there is too much to see in Rome.
Make sure you take the Eurostar train to Florence, the fast train that takes 1.5 hrs.
With respect to hotels in Rome... I have stayed at Hotel Dei Mellini, Hotel de la Ville and Hotel Ponte Sisto. I can recommend all of them. Why don't you google them and see what you think. Also, I recommend visiting tripadvisor for hotel reviews.
BTW, what cruise are you on?
Well, one day in Florence is not "plenty" but it's what you have. With only 4 days in Rome I would not advice to stay overnight in Florence, there is too much to see in Rome.
Make sure you take the Eurostar train to Florence, the fast train that takes 1.5 hrs.
With respect to hotels in Rome... I have stayed at Hotel Dei Mellini, Hotel de la Ville and Hotel Ponte Sisto. I can recommend all of them. Why don't you google them and see what you think. Also, I recommend visiting tripadvisor for hotel reviews.
BTW, what cruise are you on?
Mar 1st, 2009 | 05:25 AM
#6
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
We are going on the Celebrity Solstice. I am a big fan of Celebrity. I figured Rome has so much to see. I just cannot pass up Florence. I figured we would have one day in Florence take the train very early, spend the entire day and return late evening. Then we still have the day we arrive in Rome and another full day and the day our ship leaves to do some site seeing in the morning/early afternoon. I believe it leaves around 6pm or 7pm. I know we have to now account for teh fact that the port is so far away and have our luggage and all.
I will look in to those hotels in Rome. I wish we had more time but being away almost 16 days was pushing it. At least we will get a little taste of each place and we will not be the one's running on and off of trains the ship will be taking us.
Thanks again.
I will look in to those hotels in Rome. I wish we had more time but being away almost 16 days was pushing it. At least we will get a little taste of each place and we will not be the one's running on and off of trains the ship will be taking us.
Thanks again.
