We will be going to italy, flying in venice, 3 nights, 7 nights in florence with day trips and 4 nights in rome, all with no car. My question however is I'm afraid one week in florence in the center (b&b il bargello)will be clausterphobic, because I heard that florence was noisy, traffic etc. I would want to get out in the country and visit Sienna, Chianti, Lucca and maybe Bologna. Do you think it's a good idea to stay in the center of florence, or should we rent something in Fiesole for instance to get away from the noise and pollution and still be accessible to the train station? My husband loves to be walking distance to everything at night to stroll and have dinner without having to commute.

Florence is crowded for a reason -- it is sensational. I don't know your particular hotel, but whether your room at night is noisy is a function of the room's particular location -- overlooking a busy street or an interior garden, etc. -- and whether the windows are double-paned. BTW, it is unlikely there will be much car traffic -- most of the historical center is pedestrian and taxi access only.

To enjoy exploring Florence on foot, I love to be able to "drop by the room" -- to drop off purchases, rest up, use the facilities, even soak my feet in a hot tub for 15 minutes. On those occasions when we stayed on the outskirts of Florence, we were traveling with friends who had a hotel room in the historical center. I love Fiesole, but I would find it pretty inconvenient to have to make what would amount to an hour round trip from the Duomo just to stop by our room.

So, I agree 100% with your husband. Get some earplugs for sleeping just in case, but I think you'll benefit from having lodging in town for your base.

Also, those day trips you are describing -- Siena, Bologna and Lucca -- when you're in those towns you'll not be "in the country," you'll just be in somewhat less popular towns. (I assume you're arranging for a bus tour to a winery somewhere in Chianti.) The scenery near Siena and in Chianti will be great, but if you read about what there is to explore in Florence, you easily could spend seven days there and hardly "see it all."

Besides the major points of interest (Duomo, Campanile, Baptistry, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, Accademia with David and Michelangelo's Slaves, the Bargello), there is so much else to see. Here are examples of the first dozen wonderful things that come to mind: (1) San Lorenzo, the art in the interior of the church and the Old Sacristy, the Laurentian Library, and the Chapel of Princes, with the New Sacristy, (2) San Miniato, and Piazzale Michalengelo, (3) Santa Croce, and the Pazzi Chapel, (4) Santa Trinita, the archtecture and frescoes inside, and then a view back to the Ponte Vecchio from Ponte Santa Trinita, (5) Santo Spirito, and the shops in the lower Oltrarno, (6) Palazzo Medici-Ricardi, with the Adoration of the Magi fresco, (7) San Marco, (8) Piazza Santissima Annuziata, with Brunelleschi's Foundling Hospital (Ospedali degli Innocenti), (9) Pitti Palace and Boboli Garden, perhaps after walking down from the Belvedere if you are adventurous), (10) Palazzo Vecchio, (11) Palazzo Davanzati, (12) Casa Buonarroti, with Michelangelo's very earliest carvings. And look, I left out the Duomo Museum, Orsanmichele and Santa Maria Novella, and . . . I promised to stop at twelve. OK, time for gelato.

And when you're in Bologna, climbing Torre Asinelli, seeing young Michelangelo's delicate figures in San Domenico, or feasting on tortellini, by necessity you're missing something great in Florence. Once you're in Florence, there's no need to travel farther to see more.

It would be a treat if you got a tourist guide for light reading -- like "Eyewitness" for Florence, with photos -- and learned about all of these places before your trip.

P.S. After your stay in Florence, let us know how you liked the B & B Bargello.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ZiaMartina,

What time of year are you going? I am not a big fan of staying in Florence for any length of time exactly for the reasons you already posted. Instead, we like to stay just outside Florence in Fiesole at a lovely B & B Le Cannelle (reviewed on this site). There is a bus in the center of the piazza which takes you into and out of Florence daily (#7 bus) and you can buy tickets right there at the kiosk. Fiesole is small, charming, fresh and has the most incredible view of Florence from above that you will ever see (on a clear day that is....)

Here's another suggestion though: How about staying 4 nights in Florence and 3 nights in Fiesole or the other way around? This way you get the best of both worlds...rent a car for the time you are in Fiesole for your day trips.

Fiesole is such an easy and short bus trip that it makes little sense to rent a car just for it. If you decide to jam in a third destination, make it some really contryside place, staying in an agriturismo, with a car. Yet, since you only have ten days, I'd say use the for no more than two destinations. The only thing I wouls change is that I'd rather stay three days in Florence and a week in Rome. But, alas!, I would be even happier to stay the whole time in Rome.

wow! such different insight, but that's what's great about this sight. The only reason I'm staying so long in florence because it is easy accessible to tuscany and we do want to get out of the city to see Sienna, San G., Chianti and perhaps Bologna. If my husband would want to rent a car, then I agree, that I should stay 3 nights in Florence and 4 nights wondering around the countryside. Oh how would love to see Montepulciano, Montalcino, Pienza and the lovely hill towns in tuscany. If I did that where do you suggest I station? My other option is 5 nights Florence and 2 nights exploring the cinque terre which I heard is awesome. We are travelling in October arriving in Venice for 3 nights,7 nights Florence with Tuscany and 4 nights rome. How much do you figure it would cost to rent an automatic car for 3 nights in tuscany and where do we station?

Hey Meesa. What about going to one of the Tuscan towns you mentioned (Montalcino, Pienza) and renting a car through this placeThey rent by the day and will bring the car to you (assuming you are within their reach, which the area you mention is. We are staying 3 nights in Cortona and are renting a car for one day to take a drive. In October, this area (and really all of Italy) is so beautiful. You'll have a great time.

I went to Cinque Terre about 12 or 13 years ago, before it became THE destination. Yes it is beautiful, but I wouldn't personally recommend it for a first timer.

Also, If you are going to split your time between FLorence and another place, I wouldn't go to Fiesole, literally 10 minutes away, I would suggest going to another part of Tuscany, like the places you mentioned.

PS Bologna is a great city, really. But it is opposite direction of anything else on your list of wants. Plus, it is another large city, not a countryside destination.

You'll have a great trip!

Not counting hta Bologna is certainly not in Tuscany at all. By the way, Florence does not have easy access to Tuscany, it's in Tuscany; actually it's the capital city of Tuscany!
Anyhow, Flornce has fast, cheap and easy train connections to Arezzo, Lucca, Pistoia and Pisa. Siena is better connected to Florence by bus (the station is quite off the center, while the bus will take you to the center of Siena). For Siena and San Goimignano you an also check out guided tours like this (it's not a suggested tour, just an example) that you can reserve either on the web or from the Florence tourist informations offices.
Chianti sia whole different problem. Chiantis is a rather wide area between Florence and Siena, with several small or rather large villages, but the true beauty of Chianti is the countryside. You can get to the villages with the SITA busses, but these will drive you to the main villages alone and the timetables revolve around the idea of making the trip esier for commuters, therefore departure are maouinly from the villages toward Florence in the moring and from Florence toward the villages in the evening. You may take a bus from Florence to Greve in Chianti at 8;30 am and take the return bus at 6;30 pm (about 1 hour trip), but the very last bus from Greve (actually, from Panzano) that reaches Flroence is the 6;30 (or 6;40). This may limit your enjoyment of the trip to the Chianti. There are guided bus tours (full day or half day) too, these also stop at farms for some wine tasting and visiting, but you will be in a very touristy crowd. Hey, I did some of these tours when traveling alone and/or without car, but they were exceptions in my hard-core indipendent travel routine, not something that I enjoy overmuch.
Alsol consider renting a car for one day only, driving out of Florence (after you are off the center the driving gets much easier) and back in in the evening to drop the car. You may enjoy one day driving in the countryside without the hassle of packing up and moving to the contryside.
Finally, consider that Flroence is a very rich place, so plan on speondiong a few days there, not just for sleepig and dining, for visiting too. And don't forget that the city is at its best when the crowds go, afer dinner and very early in the morning.

With a short trip I wouldn't try to see so much.
florence offers so much that a week is not going to be overwhelming.It is much less noisy than say most of Manhattan,and not quite as frenetic.You could split the time a stay somewhere in the countryside but I wouldn't try to see 5-6 towns in two-three days,waaaay too rushed.It is possible to rent a car for one day here Auto Europa.This company is not the same as Auto Europe which dosn't rent for less than 3 days.You could drive to a few wineries or have lunch etc. CT is not the small quaint place on the coast as it once was which was alluded too by the poster above.
RR

Meesa, My opinion was tailored to your thread title "one week in Florence with no car." As Bill says, there's no reason to use Florence as a "base" to see rural Tuscany, which requires a car to maximize your experience.

If you want to visit Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, Monte Oliveto Maggiore, etc., stay somewhere south of Siena, and rent a car. If you do not want to rent a car, there are bus tours from Florence to San Gimignano and Siena for the day.

P.S. Florence in October will be relatively subdued in contrast with Florence in July.

quote:

P.S. Florence in October will be relatively subdued in contrast with Florence in July.

Certainly more subdued, but based on my two week stay in Florence last October, not empty by any stretch of the imagination.

Italian cities are many wonderful things, but quiet has never been an adjective that I associate with them.

Sorry for sounding a little insecure. I'm not trying to escape florence, but seeing we get so much valuable information from many sources, I'm looking forward to seeing florence since I love art, strolling, experimenting food and soaking the sights. I'm sure I could be busy for all 7 days, although a lot of people think 3 or 4 days in Florence is plenty and that's why I wanted alternatives to go outside the city and explore some tuscan towns. I know I am limited without a car. I know I could see Sienna and san G. and I could also do chianti on a tour, but as some suggested I could possible rent a car for one day or 2 if we feel we really want to see the countryside on our own. I know I will not see CT, since most have convinced out of it, I will see it one day, but not this trip. I just have to decide where to stay and I'm going out of mind and there so many options that I have investigated in this site, but I can't seem to make up my mind. I need to talk to people, so I think the bed & breakfast option is a good route for me. I am also becoming very fluent in italian after 2 years of courses in university.

Meesa, we just returend from a similar trip - One week in Florence, no car. I agree that there is so much to see/do in Florence that you could spend a full week and not see anything. That said, it is a busy city, lots of tourists and students, and though the streets are not as busy with cars due to traffic control, the exhaust from all of the scooters can be choking at times. So, it was great to get out of the city center for a bit of respite.

We did this in several different ways without a car:

1) Day trip to Siena via bus, about 26 Euro each way via Express bus, 1.15 hrs each way. (Great trip, but afterwards we were kicking ourselves for not planning to stay a bit more in Siena!)

2) Afternoon guided wine tour: Castillo di Verazzano. A bit expensive for the executive tour, but worth every penny. They picked us up from door to door, drove us through the country side, learned a ton about the history of the area, say beautiful country side, toured one of the oldest wineries in Tuscany, and tasted amazing wine and local foods.

3) Ft. Belvedere/Boboli Gardens area: you could spend a whole day here, exploring the gardens, amazing scenery, Florence's version of Central Park.

Hope this helps!

cameron S

Are you telling me it would cost us 52E each for a bus ride to sienna (since you said 26E one way). Is that 26E per person or for 2 people one way. Even if that was for 2 people, that's 52E for a bus ride. Sounds very expensive, it may be worth renting a car for a day. what do you think?

Meesa, 26E _total_ for 2 peopleround trip(approx 6.50 each person, one way) . I'd also advise buying the return trips at the Bus Station. Cheaper than a car I think, and you don't have to worry about driving, parking, or the bottle of red wine you'll drink in Sienna!

Take a train to Cortona!
It takes an hour, the scenery along the way is worth the price of the train ticket a thousand times over, and there are some pretty amazing things to see and do once you arrive...ask Alessandra for the name of the restaurant she took me to...the food was likely the best I've eaten in a long time....that might have something to do with the fact that our entree was home-made tortellini heaped, and I mean heaped, with paper-thin shaved white truffles...OMG! I thought I'd died and gone to heaven

Florence is busy, but in the middle of the busy-ness, there are such wonderful pockets of calm and peacefulness...walk up to San Minialto, especially on a Sunday afternoon, and then sit in the chapel for a 1 1/2 hour service, complete with Gregorian chants...when you leave by the front door, it is totally calm and quiet, there are no street vendors wanting you to buy their goodies and no crowds of people...only the residents in the area that attend the service and the heartiest of tourists who made the long walk up to the top of the hill with you. This is gorgeous and not to be missed.

Several times walking home along via Calzaiuoli, we stopped at San Lorenzo, stepped into the peaceful cloister area, found a place to sit along the garden and just sucked up the calm.

In Piazzas Signoria and Repubblica, there are cafes...Rivoire in Signoria and Gambini in Repubblica, where you can sit for ages outside the cafes and people watch, drinking cappuccinos galore, hot chocolate to die for or tall, slender ice-cold glasses of freshly-pressed orange/lemon/grapefruit juice, served with a pitcher of ice-cold water for diluting the juice, as well as a small goblet of sugar to sweeten it, if you choose.

A week in Florence? You'll only begin to scratch the surface...so take the time to really see what you see, if you know what I mean!

"In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourself and be still." ~ William Penn
Brenda

Hi Meesa,
I think that a week is a very short time to be in Florence! I spent a week there last year and wish I had time to visit there again on my next trip (and I will be in Italy for five weeks! )
I found that the city has lots and lots of quiet places in which you can lose yourself. Just remembering it all makes me wonder if I should rethink my plans?? nah, I will save Florence for another trip when I can savor it. Maybe an overnight trip from Rome is in order....

DMae

Look at Ira's trip report. I think he had 11 nights in Florence, with several day trips, and no car.

The B&B Bargello although very central is very quiet and sunny. You can always hang out on the roof top terrace to enjoy the sun away from the crowds. Good choice.