tostaky

Hi !
My wife and I will be in Italy for 12 nights (july 8 to 20). We arrive in Rome (5 Nights) and leave from Venice (3 Nights). We have made reservations for 4 nights in Florence. We now think that it could ne too much. We already plan à daytrip to Siena,but still 2 days and half for Florence. Since we are not that much into art I guess we will see main attractions in less than one day. We also ne there on weekend (friday to Tuesday) so maybe that change our options.


When I say that we are not that much into art, what I mean is that we wont do a trip only for that purpose. For us traveling is a package deal combining, culture, food, beer, wine, architecture, history and, yes, art.

We feel we still have to go to Florence because of the importance of the place in history. I'm a bit shy to say that now, i'm an history teacher. so history is something that can drag me somewhere. I've never taken the time to learn deeply art, I know the movements, classic artists an major artwork (David was , of course, on our list! ).

So for now I think we will keep our 4 nights in florence and just see what we will do once there. Go with the flow...

Oh and by the way we already have a stop in Padua plan between Florence and Venice, a friend of my wife lives there and we will go see them for 4-5 hours before heading to Venice for dinner time.

We cant add a day to Venice or Rome since our. Airbnb are fully booked before and after.

Any ideas of whatever we should or could do ?

Thanks !

ToujoursVoyager

What about staying in the countryside or a minor town in in Tuscany? There will be plenty of "culture, food, wine and architecture" and definitively art. The landscape will be beautiful. You could still do a day trip into Florence or Siena.

Andrew

You could find another place to stay in Venice for a night - would be great if you didn't have to change lodgings one extra time, but it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Consider an easy stop on the way north between Florence and Venice. Your train will stop in Bologna anyway, so that would be easy. (even if you don't spend a night there, consider stopping for a few hours in Bologna, leaving your bags at the station, and just wander around and explore and have a meal. Bologna is worth a visit if only for the food.). Bologna might also be a nice break for the mobs of tourists you will encounter everywhere else.

Otherwise - you could stop in Padua or Verona, close to Venice.

If you want to do an extra day trip from Florence instead of staying fewer nights, there are plenty of options there. E.g. a day trip to Pisa and/or Lucca. Day trip north to the Italian Riviera (I would avoid the mobbed Cinque Terre, maybe head further north by train to Santa Margherita Ligure or Camogli.)

isabel

There is plenty to do in Florence for four days even if you are not into art, especially if you are taking one day for Siena. You could do another day trip if you get bored - Pisa and Lucca are a good combination that are easily done in one day from Florence. But there is so much more to the city than the art museums. The churches (and there are many) are full of art, but they are also full of history and architecture. There are markets, parks, walks, etc. I wouldn't change your plans

aliced

Think that it's best to keep the 4 nights in Florence -- you'll need at least two days to see all the sights, do your research to find those off the beaten path besides the Uffizi & Accademia. The Medici Palace was interesting, the Pitti Palace with its Galleria del Costume is across the river along with the Boboli Gardens; also the Opera del Duomo Museum is on our list for this year, along with the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum (yes, I'm a shoe maven). G. Giannini & Figlio has been in the bookbinding & marbleized paper business since mid 1800s, another on our list. If you absolutely want to get outa town for another day, take the train to Montecatini or Lucca, both beautiful towns. We just find it so much easier not to change hotels too much, In Padua, am sure your friends will want you to see the Scroveni (sp??) Chapel. I must say, we were underwhelmed by it, but thought Padua a lovely city.

PalenQ

One nice day could be spent up in Fiesole (sp?) overlloking Florence from the south and offering a magnificent view over it - it has some nice resetaurants and stellar Roman ruins - just a few-mile bus ride so half-a-day maybe.

Also like Lucca and Montecatini Terme - one an ancient walled historic city known for its medieval towers where the wealthy lived high above the rabble and palgues raging below (or so they say)- easy doing two as day trip and Lucca can easily be twinned with Pisa's Leaning Tower area.

Bologna is an hour by train - one of neatest most historic cities in Italy - really underrated IMO because it lies between Florence and Venice by train -if elsewhere it would be a major must Italian stop.

And many more and as these are regional trains you need not book anything in advance as tickets are just as dirt-cheap at stations before your train.

sassy27

I was going to suggest a day trip to Pisa/Lucca. I regret not seeing both when I went to Pisa on a day trip outside Florence. I am not into art at all but spent 5 days in Florence and regret not spending more time in just that area. I instead took a day trip to Venice which wiped me out. When you say you have 4 nights does that truly mean 4 full days? I ask as this fall I will be going for 4 nights but it's not 4 full days. It's more like 3 and 1/2 days and plan to go to Siena, so 2 and 1/2 days in Florence before leaving for Pisa. That might affect how much time you truly have.

Andrew

On my first trip to Italy, I had three nights in Florence, and that was adequate for me. I'm not "into art" (or not museums, anyway), either, nor did I fall in love with Florence the way some do. I didn't hate the town just didn't love it. (A sunset picture I shot from Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence hangs in my dining room.) I day tripped to Siena (which I DID love), to Pisa, and to Fiesole. I wouldn't have wanted a 4th night without some other day trip planned, but a 4th night is probably neither a mistake nor a requirement in my opinion based on the OP's stated interests.

bella9440

You did not say whether you were driving, but if you are I would recommend as others have finding a smaller Tuscan town as a base to explore the area. You could catch a train into Florence for the day. If you do not plan on driving I would make Florence my base, it is well located and there are lots of day trips you could make from there. BTW the food and wine are wonderful in Florence.

bilboburgler

small towns also accessable by train, the whole Po plain is made up the things, often walled and with castles.
Either pick one or a few, Chioggia for instance is like a little Venice and you can take the vaperetto into Venice proper when you leave (how romantic is that?)
Or Brescello where the Camillo stories were filmed, or Ferrara where the town is a walled square with a central castle and the natives go everywhere by bike, or Legnago, of Mantua or even tiny Molselice a sort of half walled town.

annhig

Pal got in before me with the suggestion of Fiesole with its lovely Duomo and roman amphitheatre, [and don't miss the monastery of San Francisco further up the hill], you could get a bus to Siena or San Gimignano, and if you really want to get out into the countryside you could arrange a car service like Hills and Roads to take you out for a day.

or you could go cycling, or do a cookery course, - TA has a long list of things to do in Florence.

or go to see your DW's friend in Padua a day early and stay there overnight en route to Venice.

or Bilbo's ideas sound good.

So much to do, so little time.

HappyTrvlr

Why not stay in Siena and day trip to Florence since you seem to be having doubts about it.

okminty

I agree. The indoor market in Florence is worth half a day in my book. And sitting in the Piazza, sipping beer or wine or coffee and just watching people could take up the other half.