bornintheusa

I am working on the middle leg of our 16 day trip to Italy in June...I have 5 days planned for Florence and side trips to Tuscany via the train/bus. Now I am wondering if the side trips are too far from Florence and if I can see the important sights in Florence in 2 days and use the other days to stay midway between Rome and Florence. Will be heading to Rome afterwards for another 5 days. These are some of the places I have heard Fodorites talk about--are some of these below "must sees and some "don't see" places? Can you tell me which can be done by train or bus and which can be done from what home base...also can several places be done that are close together in one train or bus trip??? Thanks for helping out
Siena
Orvieto
Assisi
Cortuna
Montepulciano
Civita di Bagnoregio
Pienza
Volterra
Monteriggioni
Spoleto
Montalcino

kybourbon

You can't do all those places in five days, especially without a car. Too far from Florence for day trips: Montalcino, Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio, Montepulciano, Pienza (probably others on your list that I haven't been to). You can day trip (by bus) to Siena (about 70 minutes). Some of the cities you've listed would require multiple bus connections and you would spend your entire day trying to catch a bus as they aren't often for some of the hilltowns.

You could stay 3 days in Florence with a day trip to Siena, then train south to Orvieto (on the way to Rome) for a couple of nights. You can catch a bus to Civita from Orvieto (be sure to buy your return ticket and don't miss the last bus back to Orvieto).

You need to narrow your focus and decide what you are really wanting to see.

annhig

hi born',

do you want to see Florence or Tuscany? will you be spending any time in the countryside? in a week in florence, we did 2 day trips - one to siena, and one [half day] to fiesole. that was it.

if you really want to explore tuscany, IMHO you'd be better off renting a car and staying somewhere like siena or Montepulciano. you can see quite a lot in 5 days, and it would make a nice change [dare I say rest?] before rome.

regards, ann

TDudette

Maybe check other posts for driver or guided tour for some of the places. That list is almost another trip.

For myself, I wouldn't miss Siena, Assisi, Orvieto or Spoleto. Other posters will have other ideas. DO check one of the travel books and see what really really calls out.

TuckH

San Gimignano is not on your list and it is definitely a "must-see".

Siena would be a good home base - you can make a number of daytrips from there.

For the 5 days in question, perhaps stay 2 nights in Florence, 2 nights in Siena, train to Orvieto and spend one night, then on to Rome.

bornintheusa

TuckH--thought I would do San Grimignano as a day trip from Florence since it is closer...

kybourban--how long is the train ride from Florence to Siena??

My thought was to get a glimpse of Tuscany by hitting just a few spots on my way to Rome..figured with this being my first trip would experience several areas and then know where I wanted to spend more time on return trips

Keep those suggestions coming!!!

TDudette

San Gim wasn't on her list. But oh yeah, try to see that also!