Siena, Arezzo, other cities
Apr 18th, 2009, 09:50 AM
#1
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Siena, Arezzo, other cities
Aggghhhh! I am get so confused re: what/where to go once arriving in Florence. Coming from Venice and staying three nights in Florence then off to Rome and trying to decide what day trips, etc to do while there. I am just not sure how close in proximity all these cities are to oneanother so do not want to overdo ourselves trying to get from place to place and also do not want to skip somewhere so close not realizing it....
so...... San Gimignano, Siena, Arezzo, Cortona...We are cooking dinner and a wine tasting in Florence so have to start there and from there we are free for 2 days/nights ....what to do?Where to go?
D.
so...... San Gimignano, Siena, Arezzo, Cortona...We are cooking dinner and a wine tasting in Florence so have to start there and from there we are free for 2 days/nights ....what to do?Where to go?
D.
Apr 18th, 2009, 10:47 AM
#2
You only have 3 days in Florence, you could easily spend it all there (with possibly a trip up to Fiesole - a 20 minute bus ride, good Etruscan/Roman ruins, and superb views over Florence itself).
Siena is an easy bus trip - 75 minutes. Wonderful Duomo, superb Campo. The views from either the Torre next to the campo or the panoramic view from the top of the Museum next to the Duoomo is excellent.
Arezzo is another wonderful medieval town - I have only been able to visit once, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely go back for a longer visit.
I really like San Gimignano, but I have never quite understood the hype that surrounds it. It is pretty, has a good church (With some seriously disturbing frescoes), a good tower to climb and a ruined Castle - but I could find most of that in many other cities and towns in Tuscany.
Personally, I would do a maximum of one daytrip (I'm biased and would choose Siena) and spend the rest of the time wandering around and exploring Florence.
Siena is an easy bus trip - 75 minutes. Wonderful Duomo, superb Campo. The views from either the Torre next to the campo or the panoramic view from the top of the Museum next to the Duoomo is excellent.
Arezzo is another wonderful medieval town - I have only been able to visit once, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely go back for a longer visit.
I really like San Gimignano, but I have never quite understood the hype that surrounds it. It is pretty, has a good church (With some seriously disturbing frescoes), a good tower to climb and a ruined Castle - but I could find most of that in many other cities and towns in Tuscany.
Personally, I would do a maximum of one daytrip (I'm biased and would choose Siena) and spend the rest of the time wandering around and exploring Florence.
Apr 18th, 2009, 02:11 PM
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Tell me if this is possible? Am I stretching us too thin?
Day One - (Tues)Arrive mid-morning in Florence from Venice
Uffizi and Accademia Galleries
Piazza del Duomo, shops, etc.
Day Two - (Wed) Day Trip to Pisa and Siena
Wine Tasting in Siena
Day Three - (Thurs)Day Trip to Arezzo
Back to Florence for more...
Day Four - (Fri) Early morning, off to Rome.
Day One - (Tues)Arrive mid-morning in Florence from Venice
Uffizi and Accademia Galleries
Piazza del Duomo, shops, etc.
Day Two - (Wed) Day Trip to Pisa and Siena
Wine Tasting in Siena
Day Three - (Thurs)Day Trip to Arezzo
Back to Florence for more...
Day Four - (Fri) Early morning, off to Rome.
Apr 18th, 2009, 02:55 PM
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Dawn333: Your proposed itinerary is indeed "possible", in the sense that The Great Race is a possible way to visit a foreign country.
But your itinerary reads to me more like a steeplechase.
You will spend most of your time in your car. (You are, I assume, planning to do all this by car. Because if you are thinking of public transit you can pretty much double your transit time, for itineraries such as Pisa-Siena).
I guess I am left wondering why you are staying in Florence at all. If I wanted a jumping-off point to visit Pisa, Siena and Arezzo by car, I would choose someplace outside metropolitan Florence. Or I would stay one night in Pisa, one night in Florence and one night in Siena, so as not to have to back-track daily.
But your itinerary reads to me more like a steeplechase.
You will spend most of your time in your car. (You are, I assume, planning to do all this by car. Because if you are thinking of public transit you can pretty much double your transit time, for itineraries such as Pisa-Siena).
I guess I am left wondering why you are staying in Florence at all. If I wanted a jumping-off point to visit Pisa, Siena and Arezzo by car, I would choose someplace outside metropolitan Florence. Or I would stay one night in Pisa, one night in Florence and one night in Siena, so as not to have to back-track daily.
Apr 18th, 2009, 04:36 PM
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Tegdale - I like your thinking. I had thought of one night in each place but not sure of where at all to stay in each city. We are coming from Venice via train, stopping in "Florence" and moving onto Rome via train. We are open to the one night stays in Florence,Pisa,Siena,etc. NO CAR.
Guess I am trying to fill Mon-Tues and Wed with Florence area before going to Rome and after leaving Venice, not sure of what to do. I have Venice and Rome down pat.
HELP.
Here's what we wanted to do somewhere and am lost as to where:
Venice - (Sat-Tues a.m.)
Florence - (Tues) Uffizi and Accademia Galleries
Piazza dei Ciompi/San Lorenzo Flea Mrkts
Pisa - (Wed) Train from Florence. Tower picture then off
to Siena for wine tour and night's stay.
Rome - (Thurs-Sun a.m.)
Changed itinerary to stay in Venice one more night vs. Florence. So only need accomodations for (3 nts)Venice,(1 nt)Florence,(1nt)Siena and (2nts)Rome, right? Will find more to do in Venice, so lovely there I am sure it won't be a problem.
Now need to convince others to pack and repack for city destinations, should be okay, we are packing REAL light.
Give me your thoughts.
D.
Guess I am trying to fill Mon-Tues and Wed with Florence area before going to Rome and after leaving Venice, not sure of what to do. I have Venice and Rome down pat.
HELP.
Here's what we wanted to do somewhere and am lost as to where:
Venice - (Sat-Tues a.m.)
Florence - (Tues) Uffizi and Accademia Galleries
Piazza dei Ciompi/San Lorenzo Flea Mrkts
Pisa - (Wed) Train from Florence. Tower picture then off
to Siena for wine tour and night's stay.
Rome - (Thurs-Sun a.m.)
Changed itinerary to stay in Venice one more night vs. Florence. So only need accomodations for (3 nts)Venice,(1 nt)Florence,(1nt)Siena and (2nts)Rome, right? Will find more to do in Venice, so lovely there I am sure it won't be a problem.
Now need to convince others to pack and repack for city destinations, should be okay, we are packing REAL light.
Give me your thoughts.
D.
Apr 19th, 2009, 07:54 AM
#7
Siena and Pisa in a day is not really possible as it is very difficult to get between the two cities without going back nearly all the way to Florence.
Lucca and Pisa would make a good day trip as they are only 20 minutes apart by train.
I don't really do the "1 city a day" type trip, but it is your vacation. If you did 2 nights in Florence, then took the bus to Siena (SITA - 75 minutes) spent the night there then took the SENA bus t Rome (a lot easier than the train)
Lucca and Pisa would make a good day trip as they are only 20 minutes apart by train.
I don't really do the "1 city a day" type trip, but it is your vacation. If you did 2 nights in Florence, then took the bus to Siena (SITA - 75 minutes) spent the night there then took the SENA bus t Rome (a lot easier than the train)
