Sights around the train station in florence?
 

We're thinking of staying in Lucca and taking the train for the day to Florence. What sights would be within walking distance from the train station?
Any other ideas of day trips from Lucca?
Thanks, serena

Hi Serena - There's a ton to see fairly close to the train station - Florence is a very walkable little city. Just a few blocks from the train station is the Duomo, and directly across the street is the beautiful cathedral of Santa Maria Novella - which houses Masaccio's "Holy Trinity." If you have no physical limitations, you could easily walk to the Arno River and back - it's not very far away. If you're thinking of seeing any of the museums, though, you may want to reserve in advance so you don't waste your time standing in very long lines (Rick Steves book on Italy has a good section on how to make reservations for museums. I did everything online). Have a nice time!

Most of all the major attractions are easily accessible from the station. Magellan is right. Depending on when you go you need reservations.

Hi S,

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
The easiest and cheapest way is to call Florence 1010987 (dial around number), 011 (U.S. international access code) 39 (Italy's country code) then 055-294-883 8:30-18:30 M-F and 8:30-12:00 Sat. Florence time. There is a long listing of press 1 for this and 2 for that--press 4 for bookings. You will get an English speaking operator and in 2-3 minutes YOU CAN RESERVE FOR BOTH. This is through the reservation service at the Uffizi and costs beyond the normal entry fee only about 3 euro for the service. This is MUCH cheaper than the commercial booking services.

You will not be charged for the reservations unless you use them.

Have a nice visit.

((I))

Hi

Florence is not such a huge sity so you can easily reach the main attractions from the train station. Here is my trip report with pictures and links: http://gardkarlsen.com/florence_italy_travelogue.htm . Check out this interactive Google map that I have made also http://gardkarlsen.com/Florence_Italy_google_map.htm . Here you can see the train station marked with a green pin and you can click on the various pins to get some more info. Hope this helps :d

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Everything except Piazza Michelangelo in Florence IMO is a short walk from the train station in this very compact historic town centre.

Train station area is not the best part of town so don't stick around it too much

And even Piazza Michaelangelo isn't massively far from the station (Although it is a reasonable climb).

Other day trips from Lucca include Pisa, Viareggio, Pistoia (all doable by train). I believe Barga is very picturesque (there is a regular bus service).

Fear not! Even if you get to Florence and have forgotten all the well-meaning directions, etc., from above, you will have absolutely no trouble finding things, especially the Duomo since it is hard to miss.

I wouldn't worry too much about the area around the SMN train station during the day unless there's a pickpocket about or a butt pincher.

Last Jan the area was looking cleaned up - it was winter but still in 60s and little of the seemingly dregs of society hanging about in the square opposite

i stayed in a hotel a block away and was around the area day and night and no pause for my concern at least.

From the train station, you could take the bus to Piazzalle Michelangelo. I believe it's bus #13 or 14. Then walk back into the city, since the return trip is downhill.

Hi 999,

Buses 12 and 13.

www.ataf.net/

((I))

bookmarking

Thank you so much for all the wonderful information, I'll be sure and take it with me when we go this spring!
serena

Check out the food market.

... the Mercato Centrale.

You also asked about day trips from Lucca. One is to go to Pisa, and you can also go to lots of places along the coast in Tuscany and up into Liguria. Get out a map and you will see.

Charnee

You can purchase a ticket for the hop-on-hop-off tour bus at the train station. There are two different routes you can take with one ticket. We did a lot of walking but it was nice to get a little narration and see the sites from a different point of view.