tuscany travel options...input please
 

we have two days to travel through tuscany from florence. our options are:<BR><BR>day one: take the train to siena for a full day and return in the evening.<BR><BR>day two: take fast train to pisa (we really want to see the tower) have lunch, train to lucca and return to florence that evening.<BR><BR>another option is to rent a car near our hotel in florence, drive the tuscan countryside on one or both days.<BR><BR>please offer your thoughtful suggestions.<BR><BR>geno<BR><BR>

One consensus commonly expressed here on this forum is that bus is a better way to get from Siena from Florence. My only trip to Siena didn't originate from Florence. Bus takes you "up the hill" so you don't have to climb; train does not. But someone recently complained that the bus was NOR air-conditioned and uncomfortably warm on a summer day.<BR><BR>Car is NOT a good way to make a day visit to Siena, in my judgment.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

IMHO, the only good way to get a feel for Tuscany is to drive. And, include some of the other hill towns other than the over-crowded tourist towns of Siena and Pisa. If all you want is to see those places, then bus and train. If you want to see Tuscany then drive.

Bus is better for Siena from Florence. It leaves you in the city instead of outside the city (where you would need to either find a bus or taxi), is a shorter ride by 30 minutes. About a/c, the buses are air conditioned normally but sometimes it doesn't work I am sure. Driving works great if you know where you are going. Taking the Siena-Firenze and get off at Siena Est and then turn right and then follow the road for Porta Tufi. Park at the Il Campo parking lot (paid) and walk in. Easy peasy.

My suggestion would be to rent a car in Florence, leaving early in the day, and meander through Tuscany. <BR><BR>We did just that in two days and managed to drive the Chianti route and have a memorable lunch amidst the vineyards, arriving in Siena late afternoon and spending the evening there. The next day we saw a bit more of Siena and then headed over to San Gim for a lovely afternoon and lunch and headed out of Tuscany late afternoon for Rome.<BR><BR>Have a great time.

topping<BR>

Much depends on what you want to see in your two days around Tuscany. If you are aminly interested in the big cities, that you should consider travelling to Pisa by NOn fast train (there is no fast train to Pisa, but the ordinary train reaches it from Firenze in 1 hour and a half or less) and Lucca (in the same day). On the second day you might go to Siena by bus (which is faster than the train), or even better visit some nearer place such as Fucecchio or Arezzo, still by train. Just, do not stay in Pisa for lunch, go to Lucca instead. On the other hand, if you are more interested in small villages, than you will have to rent a car, but in this cas it might b worth leaving your hotel altoghether and finding somewhere in the coiuntryside where to sleep (I live agritourisms) and leave your car to your next destination (say Rome), instead of returning to Florence. Check out my post somewhere about the Amiata (Santa Fiora and Pitigliano) which might be good places to visit on your way to Rome (http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=0&keyword=135).