Italy Trip
(July 12-22)
Rome (July 12-14)
❖ Attractions
➢ Colosseum
■ Hours: 8:30 to 5:30
● Best time to visit is first thing in the morning
■ Purchase tickets in advance
● (Coop Culture) - official website but sell out quickly
● Can also be used with Roma Pass
◆ Includes reduced prices on attractions and unlimited
use of public transportation for two to three days
➢ Can buy in airport, tourist info offices and
participating attractions
■ Pricing
● 18 euros- standard ticket
◆ Roman Forum
◆ Palatine Hill
◆ Colosseum
● 24 euros- Full experience
◆ In addition includes a visit to the Colosseum arena
and underground arena
➢ Recommended
■ Recommended doing a guided tour
■ Can also do guided tour at night
■ How to get there
● Metro: Colosseo- on line B
● Taxi
● Bus
● Walk
➢ Roman Forum/ Palatine Hill
■ Included in entrance ticket of the colosseum
■ Palatine Hill
● The remains of temples, palaces and a museum
● Visit Terrazza Belvedere del Palatino
◆ View of the Roman Forum and Colosseum
■ Roman Forum
● A complex of government buildings, temples, marketplaces
from 2000 years ago
● Notable things
◆ Via Sacra
◆ Temple of Venus
◆ Temple of Romulus
◆ Temple of Antonius/ Faustina and its “hanging door”
◆ Temple of Vesta
◆ Temple of Saturn
◆ The arch of Septimus Severus
◆ Temple of Julius Caesar
➢ Vatican City
➢ Smallest country in the world. In 1929 -independent from Italy by signing
the Lateran Treaty
■ St. Peter’s Basilica
● Every Wednesday morning, the Pope holds an audience in
St. Peter’s square @ 9:30 am
◆ OPens at 12:30 pm
■ Sistine Chapel
■ Vatican Museums
● Recommended going early - 7:30/ 8 am
● Guided Tour recommended
◆ Skip the line
◆ More education
◆ Expensive for early morning starts
➢ $100 - 140 US per person
➢ Less crowds
■ Getyourguide.com
◆ 9 am starts
➢ $80 US per person
● Independently
◆ Cheapest option
➢ 8 am -St peter’s Basilica to avoid line
■ Dome climb first for an additional fee
■ Free entry
➢ Vatican Museums - 10 am
■ Book tickets several weeks in advance
■ Museums and Sistine Chapel are visited
on ticket
■ Guided Tour 35-60 euros
➢ Trevi Fountain
■ Best time to visit is early morning/late at night
■ Visit Garden Roof Trevi
➢ Pantheon
■ One of the oldest buildings in rome
■ Pay 5 euros for entry
➢ Spanish Steps
■ One of the most popular places in rome
● Don’t sit on the Spanish steps
◆ 400 euros fine
➢ Piazza Navona
■ One of Rome’s most famous squares
● Fountain of Four rivers
● Fountain of Neptune
● Fountain of the Moor
● Sant Agnese in Agone
■ Many cafes/ street performers
➢ Borghese Gallery/ Gardens
■ Can only visit with a reservation
● 9- 7 pm- two hour time slots, last entry 5:45 pm
● Have to collect your tickets 30 mins before
● Closed mondays
● Cost: 15 euros
● Website: www.galleriaborghese.it
● Nearest Metro Station: Barberini
➢ Castel Sant’ Angelo
■ AKA mausoleum of Hadrian for the Emperor and his family
■ Opening Hours: 9am - 7:30 pm
■ Best time to go is around sunset
■ Tickets
● Reserved Entrace 17.50 euros
● Tickets with Audio Guide - 25 euros
➢ Trastevere
■ Best location to stay and restaurant guide
➢ Altar of the Fatherland
■ Built between 1885 -1935 to honor Victor Emmanuel II, who was
the first king of unified Italy
■ Climb the stairs to the upper terrace for free
■ Best view- ride elevator to the top for 12 euros
● Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basicila , Palatine Hill, Roman Forum
➢ Via dei Fori Imperali
■ Nice place to take a stroll
➢ Capitoline Hill
■ Good view of the Roman Forum
■ Visit the Capitoline museums
➢ Appian Way/ Catacombs
■ An ancient Roman road used to connect Rome to Brindisi
■ Many monuments/catacombs
● San Sebastian Catacombs
◆ Closed Sundays
◆ Open 10am- 5 pm
◆ Standard Tickets are 8 euros
◆ fragments of ancient frescoes, stucco work, and
well-preserved mausoleums.
● San Callisto Catacombs
◆ Closed at noon/ Wednesdays
◆ The largest/ most visited catacombs
◆ Crypt of the Nine Popes, Crypt of St. Cecilia, and carvings of
early Christian symbols.
■ Rent bikes/take a tour
● Couple euros
◆ Appia Antica Cafe
● Takes about an hour
● Tour
◆ Takes out the hassle from transporting from Rome
◆ 3-4 hours
➢ Transportation
■ To get to the Appian Way and Appia Antica Cafe:
● take metro line A to the Colli Albani station, and from here
take bus 660 for a 20 minute ride to the Cecilia Metella bus
stop.
■ To get to the Appian Way Visitor Center:
● Take bus 118 from the Piramide or Circo Massimo metro
stops. Take the bus away from the city center and get off at
Appia Antica/Travicella for the visitor center. Stay on this bus
to travel further up the Appian Way to the catacombs. Here
is a list of the bus stops: Domine Quo Vadis Church, Appia
Antica/Cafarella, Catacombs of San Callisto, and the
Basilica San Sebastian.
■ To get back to Rome:
● you can do the above in reverse. Or, from the San Sebastian
Catacombs, turn left on the Appian Way, make the first left
onto Via delle Sette Chiese, walk 400 meters, and catch bus
218 to the San Giovanni metro station (line A)
❖ Rome Day 2
➢ 9:00 am: The Colosseum
10:30 am: Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
12:30 pm: Lunch
1:30 pm: Via dei Fori Imperiali
2:00 pm: Altar of the Fatherland
3:00 pm: Capitoline Hill
5:00 pm: Aperitif at Oro Bistrot
6:00 pm: Trastevere
❖ Rome Day 3
➢ Morning (7:30/8:00 am): Vatican City
➢ 12:00 pm: Lunch
➢ 1:30 pm: Castel Sant’Angelo
➢ 3:00 pm: Scenic Walk to Piazza Navona
➢ 3:20 pm: Historic Heart of Rome
➢ 5:30 pm: Free Time or Rooftop Bar
➢ 7:00 pm: Dinner
❖ Rome Day 1
➢ 9:00 am: Appian Way & Catacombs
3:00 pm: Borghese Gallery
5:00 pm: Villa Borghese Gardens
6:00 pm: Aperitif
7:00 pm: Dinner
* Might cut out day 3 and split day 1 and 2 due to flight arrival time in order to visit Pompeii on
the way to Sorrento
Restaurants
➢ Near the Colosseum
■ La Prezzemolina.
■ The Court Mixology Bar.
❖ Piazza Navona
➢ Bernini.
➢ La Piccola Cuccagna.
➢ Ponte e Parione.
➢ La Baguetteria del Valle.Mr. 100 Tiramisu.
❖ Near Vatican City
➢ Alice Pizza on Via delle Grazie.
➢ Scialla the Original Streetfood..
➢ Borghiciana Pastificio Artiginale.
➢ Ristorante dei Musei.
❖ In Trastevere
➢ Nannarella.
➢ Enoteca Trastevere.
➢ Trapizzino.
❖ Rooftop Restaurants
➢ Oro Bistrot.
■ Location: Hotel NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali
■ View: Altar of the Fatherland, Trajan Forum, Roman Forum
■ Hours: 4 pm to midnight
■ Reservation: Highly recommended
■ Website: orobistrot.it
➢ Divinity Rooftop.
■ Location: The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel
■ View: Pantheon, Church of St. Ives (the corkscrew)
■ Hours: 11:30 am to midnight
■ Reservation: Highly recommended
■ Website: thepantheonhotel.com
➢ AcquaRoof Terrazza Molinari.
■ Location: Hotel The First Arte
■ View: Villa Borghese Gardens, Trinità dei Monti church, Rome
skyline
■ Hours: Noon for lunch, aperitifs, and dinner
■ Reservation: Highly recommended
■ Website: acquaroof.it
➢ TERRAZZA NAINER
■ Location: Palazzo Nainer
View: Piazza del Popolo, Villa Borghese Gardens
Hours: 6 pm to midnight
Reservation: Highly recommended although walk-ins are accepted
Website: palazzonainer.com
➢ CIELO TERRACE
■ Location: Rocco Forte Hotel de la Ville
View: Panoramic views of the Rome skyline
Hours: Noon to midnight
Reservation: Highly recommended
Website: roccofortehotels.com
➢ GARDEN ROOF TREVI
■ Location: Relais Trevi Fountain Rome
View: Trevi Fountain
Hours: Noon to 2 am
Reservation: Highly recommended
Website: relaisfontanaditrevi.com
➢ THE COURT
■ Location: Palazzo Manfredi
View: The Colosseum
Hours: 5 pm to 1 am
Reservation: Highly recommended
Website: manfredihotels.com
❖ Gelato in rome
➢ Venchi
➢ Giolotti
➢ Gelateria Della palma
❖ Michelin Starred Restaurants in Rome
➢ Imago
➢ Aroma
➢ Il Convivio Troiani.
❖ Best areas to stay in Rome
➢ Monti, stay in a charming neighbourhood with an excellent location and
the chance to stay in a hotel with a view of the Colosseum.
➢ Trastevere is well known for its maze of cobblestoned streets and great
restaurants.
➢ Prati, it is an easy walk to the Vatican.
➢ Testaccio, you will have an endless number of amazing restaurants and
bars at your doorstep.
Rome to Sorrento
❖ Visiting Pompeii along the way
➢ . From Rome, take the train to Naples (70 minutes).
■ When booking your train tickets, make sure you arrive at the main
train station in Naples (Napoli Centrale).
● The train to Pompeii leaves from this station.
➢ Once in Naples you will transfer to the Campania Express train and take
this to Pompeii (get off at the Pompeii Scavi station).
■ The Campania Express is a special tourist train that runs along the
same route as the Circumvesuviana but makes fewer local stops.
■ It costs a little bit more (€15 one-way and €25 round trip)
● For the Campania Express, we recommend booking your
tickets in advance.- link
➢ While touring Pompeii, you can store your luggage in the luggage storage
facility in the Pompeii Scavi station.
■ 8 euros per bag
❖ Visiting Pompeii
➢ 18 euros at entrance
➢ Purchase in advance
➢ Audio Guides available for 8 euros
➢ Guides linger around entrance - 12 euros per person
➢ HOURS OF OPERATION:
● April to October: 9 am – 7 pm
❖ Pompeii to Sorrento
➢ purchase a ticket for the Circumvesuviana line or Campania Express to
Sorrento.
■ it is not possible to purchase one ticket from Naples to Sorrento,
getting off a Pompeii, and then using that same ticket to travel
onward to Sorrento.
Sorrento (July 14-17) - home base for three nights
❖ Attractions
➢ Visit Old Town
■ Main area
■ Sample Limonoro
● Sweet lemon liqueur
➢ Stroll along the marina
➢ Piazzo Taso
■ Main piazza in sorrento
➢ Gelateria Davide
■ Famous gelato spot
➢ O Parrucchiano
■ A charming Campanian restaurant filled with lemon trees.
➢ 9. Basilica of Sant’Antonino
■ What is it? Named after Sorrento’s patron saint, this is the city’s
oldest church.
➢ Bellevue Syrene
■ One of Sorrento’s most bougie hotels, with a large shaded terrace
that happily welcomes non-residents.
■ Good for sunset
➢ Enjoy the view from piazza della vittora
■ See the bay of naples/ mt.vesuvius
➢ Villa comunale di sorrento
■ Another good viewpoint
➢ Valley of the mills
■ Crevasse that contains old mills overgrown by vegetation
➢ Sorrento is Bagni Regina Giovanna.
■ Sitting on the rocky coastline of the Sorrentine peninsula is a
natural pool that is surrounded by the ruins of a Roman villa that
dates back to the 1st century BC.
● Transportation
◆ get here by bus 5070.
◆ Can also kayak
Capri (day trip from Sorrento)
❖ Transportation
➢ Take a ferry to Capri at 9 am
■ Book tickets several days in advance- some booked out ½ days in
advance
■ Ferryhopper.com.
■ 30 mins - 25 to 40 euros
❖ Attractions
➢ Boat Tour of Capri
■ visiting famous sights and natural formations such as Arco
Naturale, Tiberius’ Leap, the Faraglioni Rocks, the white and green
grottoes, and the Punta Carena Lighthouse.
■ Possibly add on the Blue Grotto for boat tour
■ Boat companies
● Motoscafisti Capri
● Laser
◆ Tour Cost 21 euros per person
◆ Add on blue Grotto is 16 euros per person
◆ Book in advance
➢ Visit the Blue Grotto
■ Mixed Reviews but i still recommend
■ Get off on land after Blue Grotto
■ Have to wait 45 mins in line to see for about 5 mins….
■ Very seasick
➢ Chairlift to Monte Solaro
■ Take bus from Blue Grotto/ Marina Grande to Ancapari
● Villa san Michele
■ 12 euros
■ Highest point on the islam d of Capri
● See the Faraglioni nRocks, Mount Vesuvius, Isle of Ischia,
Sorrento, Bay of Naples
● 45 min- hour
➢ Explore the town of Capri
■ Piazza Umberto
■ Restaurants/Bars
● Capri Rooftop
● La Palette Ristorante
➢ Visit Giardini di Augusto
■ 1.50 Euro entrance fee
■ Best view in Capri
➢ See Via Krupp
■ narrow/winding walkway
Amalfi Coast
❖ Transportation Options
➢ Renting a car
■ May- September
● Parking is non- existent
● Lots of traffic
● Windy/dangerous roads
● Alternating license plate system
■ By private driver
● Travel on your own schedule
● Get to towns not accessible by boat
● Driver deals with parking
● Expensive
◆ 100- 400 euros a day
● Traffic Jams
■ Bus
● Cheap
◆ 10 euros a day
● Never arrive on time
● Very crowded
■ By Ferry
●
●
●
●
Avoid traffic jam on Amalfi drive/ faster to get around
Good views of coast
Cheapest wat to get around by boat
Cannot get to Ravello, Tramonti, Praiano
◆ Ferry Companies
➢ Travelmar
➢ Alilaura Gruson
➢ NLG (Navigazione Libera del Golfo)
◆ Also book through FerryHopper.com,
TraghettiUp.com,
■ By Private Boat
● Freedom to travel on your own schedule
● Visit exclusive beaches/ restaurants and coves not
accessible to car/bus or ferry
● Good view
● Avoid traffic drive
● Sip on cocktails/ luxury experience
● Cannot visit Ravello or Tramonti
● Expensive
◆ $800-3000 euros
■ Small Group Boat Tour
● Pretty much the same but cheaper
■ By scooter
● Zip through traffic jams
● Easier to find a parking space
● Travel on own schedule
● Travel to towns not accessible by boat
❖ Attractions
➢ Positano
■ Beach
● Spiaggia Grande- main free beach
● Fornillio
■ Beach clubs
■ Go kayaking
● 20 euros an hour
■ Shopping
■ Dinner/drinks with a view
● La Sponda
● II Tridente
● Ristorante Adamo ed Eva
● Panoramic Restaurant (of Hotel l’Ancora),
● RADA Ristorante Rooftop,
● Le Galli Bistrot,
● Bar Franco.
■ Watch the sunset
■ Hike the Path of the gods
➢ Amalfi
■ Amalfi Duomo
● Cloister of Paradise
● The museum
● The crypt
● The cathedral
◆ Couple of euros to enter
■ Birthplace of limoncello
■ The Amalfi Beach
➢ Ravello
■ Visit the Villas in Ravello
● Villa Rufolo
◆ Used to host banquets for kings/ nobility in the 13th
century
➢ Entry tickets 7 euros
◆ One of the most iconic shots in Ravello
◆ Ravello Festival from June-August
● Villa Cimbrone
◆ Dating back to 11th century but buildings are the 20th
century
◆ Visit the gardens/ Infinity Terrace
➢ 10 euros
■ Visit Piazza Centrale- main area
■ Visit the Duomo di Ravello
● Visit museum and art gallery within the church
➢ Can only get to Ravello by bus, taxi, private driver
❖ Atrani
➢ Atrani is a very small coastal town that is famous for its beautiful beach,
with its backdrop of Amalfi Drive and Collegiate Santa Maria Maddalena
church.
Florence
❖ Transportation
➢ Take the Campania Express/ Circumvesuviana Train to the Naples Train
Station
➢ Then from Napoli Centrale take train to Santa Maria Novella in Florence
❖ Attractions
❖ Itinerary Day 1:
➢ The Florence Cathedral, aka the Duomo.
■ The Dome
● Monday to Friday: 8:15 am to 6:45 pm with closing time at 8
pm
● Must have a reservation in advance
● Book 5-7 days in advance
● The Last Judgement painted on ceiling
■ the Baptistery
● 8:30 am to 7:30 pm with closing at 8:00 pm
● Famous for its three sets of bronze doors/ golden mosaic
ceiling
■ Giotto’s Bell Tower
● 8:15 am to 7:00 pm with closing at 8:00 pm
■ Santa Reparata
● Monday to Saturday 10:15 am to 4:30 pm with closing at
4:45 pm
● Was the first church built on this site
■ Opera del Duomo Museum
● Every day 8:30 am to 7:30 pm with closing at 8:00 pm
● Original Renaissance masterpieces
➢ Tips/ Tricks
■ The Brunelleschi Pass recommended to view all these sites
● Cost: €30
● Validity: 3 days
● https://operaduomofirenze.skiperformance.com/en/store#/en
/buy
◆ Buy tickets here
■ Dress Code: Shoulders and legs must be covered in order to enter
the Baptistery and the Duomo. This dress code is not enforced for
the bell tower and the museum.
■ Best time to visit is late afternoon for shorter lines
➢ Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s David
■ Make your reservation online in advance. recommend booking the
first time slot of the day.
■ Cost: €12 + €4 online reservation fee
● included on the Firenze Card
■ Hours: 8:15 am – 6:50 pm; closed Mondays
■ Website: https://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it/
➢ Piazza della Repubblica
■ One of the main squares- good place to eat or drink
● Tosca & Nino
● View on Art
➢ Piazza della Signoria
■ Large open square w/ open air sculpture gallery, a replica of the
David statue and the Neptune Fountain
➢ Palazzo Vecchio
■ April 1 to September 30: 9 am –7 pm;
■ Closes earlier on Thursday @ 2 pm
■ Cost: Museum €12.50, Tower €12.50, combined €17.50; included
on the Firenze Card
■ https://musefirenze.it/attivita/
■ Make reservation in advance
Itinerary Day 2
❖ The Uffizi Gallery
➢ One of the largest/oldest art museums in the world
■ Opening in 1865
➢ Make your reservation in advance.
■ 8:15 am and 10:00
➢ Cost: €20 March 1 to October 31
■ included on the Firenze Card
➢ Hours: 8:15 am – 6:30 pm; closed Monday
➢ Website: Make your reservation online in advance on the official website
or through GetYourGuide..
➢ Ponte Vecchio
■ Walk across the medieval stone bridge across the Arno River
➢ Boboli Gardens & Pitti Palace
■ the palace contains five museums: the Museum of Russian Icons,
the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Imperial and Royal
Apartments, the Museum of Costume and Fashion, and the Gallery
of Modern Art.
■ €6 for Boboli Gardens; €10 for Pitti Palace; €14 for a combined
ticket; included on the Firenze Card
■ Hours: Boboli Gardens opens at 8:15 am; closing time varies
depending upon the season; Pitti Palace is open Tuesday through
Sunday from 8:15 am to 6:30 pm
■ Website: Visit the official website for updated hours and pricing for
Boboli Gardens and the Pitti Palace. Reservations are required on
Saturdays and public holidays.
➢ Piazzale Michelangelo
■ Best place to watch the sunset in Florence
➢ Mercato Centrale
■ San Lorenzo market located here:
● Made up of two markets, an outdoor/indoor market
Best areas to stay in Florence
❖ Centro Storico (Historic City Center):
❖ Santa Maria Novella:
❖ Santa Croce & Sant’Ambrogio:
❖ Santo Spirito & Oltrarno:
Best Rooftop Bars in Florence
❖ 1. VIEW ON ART ROOFTOP COCKTAIL BAR
➢ Location: Hotel Medici
View: The Duomo
Hours: Noon to 10ish on weekdays, noon to midnight on Friday and
Saturday
Reservation: First come first served
Website: viewonart.en
❖ 2. DIVINA TERRAZZA ROOFTOP BAR
➢ Location: Grand Hotel Cavour
View: Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Bargello Museum
Hours: Opening times vary, check the website for hours
Website: hotelcavour.com
❖ 3. TOSCA & NINO ROOFTOP BAR
➢ Location: Piazza della Repubblica, Rinascente department store
View: Piazza della Repubblica and the Duomo
Hours: 9 or 10 am through 11 pm/midnight (hours depend on the day)
Reservation: This rooftop bar does not take reservations; it is first
come first served
Website: toscanino.com
❖ 4. SE·STO ON ARNO ROOFTOP BAR
➢ Location: The Westin Excelsior
View: The Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Arno River, Ponte Vecchio
Hours: 11 am to 1 am
Website: sestoonarno.com
❖ 5. FISHING THE ROOF
➢ Location: NH Collection Palazzo Gaddi
View: Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio
Hours: Hours vary, check the website for hours during your visit
Website: fishinglab.it
❖ 6. B ROOF
➢ Location: Grand Hotel Baglioni
View: The Duomo, Basilica di Santa Maria Novella
Hours: Hours vary, so check the official website
Website: b-roof.it
❖ 7. LA TERRAZZA ROOFTOP BAR
➢ Location: Hotel Continentale
View: Ponte Vecchio, Arno River, Palazzo Vecchio
Hours: 4 pm to 10 pm
Website: lungarnocollection.com
Tips and Tricks
❖ Firenze Card
➢ Official museum pass of the city of Florence
➢ The card can be purchased for 85€, is valid from 72 hours from the first
time it is used and gives you one admission to each of the Circuit
Museums to visit permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, without
any extra fee.
Day Trip to Tuscany
❖ Best day trips from Florence
➢ Siena
■ With its incredible Duomo, picturesque main square (Il Campo),
medieval streets to explore, wonderful collection of restaurants, and
the views from the top of Torre del Mangia,
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● one full day here.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The best ways to travel from Florence to Siena are by bus,
train, rental car, and private driver.
◆ By bus, take line 131R (the Rapida bus by Tiemme)
with a travel time of 1 hour and 15 minutes and a cost
of approximately €8.
◆ Flixbus also offers several buses per day from
Piazzale Montelugo or Villa Costanza in Florence,
with a travel time of one hour to one hour and fifteen
minutes and a cost of €8 to €10.
● You can also travel by train,
◆ 1.5 to 2 hours and a cost of €10 one way.
◆ There is a regional train with a travel time of 1.5 hours
with no transfers. Check train times on Italiarail.com.
➢ Monteriggioni
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● 1 hour
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● There is no train station in town but there are buses that run
frequently from Siena.
◆ Here is a link to the timetable (select “GLI Orari
Autobus da Siena a Monteriggioni).
● You can also get here by rental car. It is a 1 hour drive from
Florence to Monteriggioni and a 20-minute drive from Siena
to Monteriggioni.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME: This town is tiny. Take a stroll through the
center of town (it takes less than 10 minutes to walk from one end
to the other) and then walk the walls for the best views. A visit here
lasts about 2 hours.
➢ San Gimignano
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● You can travel to San Gimignano by bus, train, car, and
7pmon a tour.
➢ There are no direct buses.
◆ Buses run approximately every hour with a transfer in
Poggibonsi, for a total travel time of 1.5 to 2 hours
➢ take bus 131 from Florence to Poggibonsi and
bus 130 or 133 from Poggibonsi to San
Gimignano).
■ By train, take the regional train from Florence to Poggibonsi,
transfer to bus 130 or 133 to San Gimignano for a travel time of 1.5
to 2 hours.
■ If you have a rental car or driver,
● it takes just over one hour to drive from Florence to San
Gimignano, making this the fastest mode of transportation.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● With half of a day in San Gimignano, stroll the city streets,
climb one or two towers for views of the town, go shopping,
and have lunch or dinner.
➢ Lucca
■ Walking the Renaissance-era walls, climbing the numerous towers
for a view over the city, and having lunch in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro all
top the list of the best things to do in Lucca.
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● You need a half to a full day to visit Lucca.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The best way to get to Lucca is by train.
◆ From Florence, it takes about an hour and fifteen
minutes to travel to Lucca by train.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● Take a morning train to Lucca and spend the day exploring
the city.
● You also have the option to combine Lucca and Pisa
together in a day trip from Florence, which we outline in our
article One Day in Pisa and Lucca.
➢ Pisa
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● A visit to Pisa takes 2 to 3 hours.
● This includes your time to walk to and from the train station
to the Leaning Tower, plus time for photos, to climb the
tower, and to visit the other monuments in the duomo
complex.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The best way to travel from Florence to Pisa is by train.
◆ Trains run frequently throughout the day with a travel
time of one hour.
● By car, it takes an hour and a half to drive here.
● If you prefer to take a tour, this highly rated tour of Pisa also
includes San Gimignano and Siena.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● For details on how to plan your day trip and how to visit the
Leaning Tower of Pisa and the duomo, read our article How
to Plan a Day Trip to Pisa.
● It’s also very easy to combine Pisa and Lucca together.
Learn how to do this in our article One Day in Pisa and
Lucca.
➢ Cinque Terre
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The best way to get from Florence to the Cinque Terre is by
train. There is no direct train.
◆ You will travel from Florence to Le Spezia and then
transfer to the regional train for the Cinque Terre, with
an average travel time of 2.5 hours.
◆ You can also visit Pisa on the way to the Cinque Terre
and we cover how to do this in our Pisa Day Trip
guide.
● If you have a car,
◆ it takes about 2.5 hours to drive to the Cinque Terre.
● This highly rated tour covers your transportation to and from
the Cinque Terre with the option to add on a short hike.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● Take an early morning train to the Cinque Terre.
● Spend the day visiting the five towns, either hiking or taking
the regional train from town to town. Have dinner, watch the
sunset, and then return to Florence by train.
➢ Chianti Wine Region
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● With one day, visit one or two of the towns located in the
Chianti wine region or take a tour of the Chianti vineyards.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● This depends on where you plan to go. Some towns are
easily accessible by bus (such as Siena) whereas others are
easier to reach by car or driver.
● One of the best ways to visit the Chianti wine region is on a
tour.
◆ This highly rated tour includes a visit to two wineries
in the Chianti Classico region with food and wine
pairings.
➢ Val d’Orcia
■ a region of Tuscany that includes the towns of Pienza, Radicofani,
Montalcino, and San Quirico d’Orcia. This is one of the prettiest
areas of Tuscany, with its rolling hills and picture-perfect hill towns.
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● With one busy day, you can explore the trio of Montalcino,
Pienza, and Montepulciano..
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The best way to get here is by rental car or driver. If
● , you can hire a private driver,
◆ visit Val d’Orcia on a private tour, or visit
Montepulciano and Pienza on a group tour.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● If you plan to rent a car or hire a driver, get an early start.
● It takes 2 hours to drive from Florence to Montepulciano.
● Spend a few hours in Montepulciano, drive to Pienza and
have lunch, and spend the afternoon in Montalcino.
● From Montalcino, it is a 2-hour drive back to Florence. You
can also do this in the opposite order (Montalcino to Pienza
to Montepulciano) and take out a town for a more leisurely
experience.
➢ Volterra
■ Volterra is similar to other Tuscan hill towns, with its medieval
streets, boutique shops, palazzos, and piazzas, but it contains a
longer list of museums and archaeological sites than you will find in
places like Montepulciano and Pienza.
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED: With half of a day,
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The easiest way to get to Volterra by car.
◆ From Florence, it takes an hour and a half to drive
here. The best place to park is Parcheggio La Dogana
Srl.
● The closest train station to Volterra is Volterra Saline –
Pomerance, which is 10 km outside of town.
◆ From the train station, you will need to take a bus or
taxi to get into town.
● By bus, transfer in Colle di Val d’Elsa.
● This highly rated tour includes San Gimignano and Volterra.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME: For a list of things to do and for a one
day itinerary, read our Guide to Volterra.
➢ Arezzo
■ With its grand piazzas, hilltop views, and medieval buildings and
streets, Arezzo is one of the most charming Tuscan hill towns.
■ On a visit here, you can fill your time by visiting the churches and
art museums, enjoying the views from the fortress, shopping for
antiques at the monthly market, and learning about jousting.
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● half of a day yo full day
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● From Florence, there are frequent trains to Arezzo and the
journey takes 1 hour to 1 and a half hours
● By car, it takes an hour and fifteen minutes to drive to
Arezzo.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
■ In the morning, drive or take the train to Arezzo.
■ Spend the day in Arezzo.
■ In the afternoon, you have the option to add on Cortona, but this is
best done with a rental car, since it can be tricky to get between
these two towns using public transportation.
■
➢ Cortona
■ Stroll the medieval streets, enjoy the views over Tuscany, go wine
tasting, and shop in the boutique shops.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The fastest, most convenient way to get to Cortona is by car
(it is an hour and a half drive from Florence).
● By train, there are frequent trains from Florence to the
Terontola-Cortona station with travel times ranging from an
hour to 1.75 hours, some direct and some with a transfer.
◆ From the Camuccia-Cortona station, take a bus or
taxi to the city center.
● You can visit Cortona on this private tour that also includes
Montepulciano and this full day tour that includes Cortona,
Montepulciano, and Siena.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● Cortona needs about 3 to 4 hours to see the highlights.
➢ Bologna
■ Bologna is famous for its food, medieval city streets, towers to
climb, and as the place where Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and
Ducati are located.
■ One of the best things to do in Bologna is to eat and this food tour
gets rave reviews and can be done as a day trip from Florence.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● The best way to get to Bologna is by train.
◆ By direct high-speed train, it takes just 40 minutes to
travel to Bologna.
◆ You can save a little money by taking a regional train
with a transfer for a travel time of just under 2 hours.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● Take an early morning train and spend the day exploring
Bologna.
● Taking a food tour is one of the best things to do on a visit to
Bologna. After dinner, return to Florence by train.
➢ Milan
■ HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED:
● You need 4 to 5 hours in Milan to tour the duomo, see The
Last Supper, go shopping, and have lunch.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● A direct, high-speed train to Milan takes 1 hour and 55
minutes, making the train the best way to day trip to Milan
● (by car it takes 3.5 hours).
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● Take a morning train to Milan, spend the day touring the
main sites, and return to Florence in the evening.
● For the best experience, it is best to book your duomo
tickets and tickets to see The Last Supper in advance.
➢ Assisi
■ One of the most beautiful places in Italy
■ Top places to visit in Assisi include the St. Francis Basilica, Piazza
del Comune, the Basilica of Santa Chiara, strolling the city streets,
enjoying the view from Rocca Maggiore, and having lunch and/or
dinner at an outdoor café.
■ TRANSPORTATION:
● By car, it takes 2 hours to drive from Florence to Assisi.
● There is a direct train from Florence to Assisi that takes just
over 2.5 hours.
◆ There are also train routes with one transfer that take
3 to 4 hours. To maximize your time in Assisi, pick the
earliest train with a direct route to Assisi.
● There is also a tour from Florence that includes Assisi and
Cortona.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● Plan your travel so that you arrive in Assisi as early as
possible (by taking a direct train early in the morning or
renting a car, leaving Florence around 7 am).
➢ Orvieto
■ tour the Duomo (which looks very similar to the Siena Cathedral),
explore the labyrinth of caves and tunnels under the city, gaze out
over the rooftops from Torre del Moro, go wine tasting, and explore
the maze of city streets.
■ Transportation
● Orvieto is located along the Rome – Florence – Milan train
line, so it is very easy to get here by train. Travel times range
from 2 to 2.5 hours.
● The train station is located just outside of the historic city
center. T
● To get to the city center, ride the funicular (the bottom station
is located next to the train station) to Piazza Cahen.
■ PLANNING YOUR TIME:
● Take an early morning train from Florence, spend the day in
Orvieto, and return to Florence in the evening by train
Recommendations
● If you only have time for one day trip and have never been to Tuscany, here are a
few recommendations:
● For those who want to visit several towns on a tour, I recommend this tour which
includes Siena, Monteriggioni, and San Gimignano or this tour of Siena,
Montepulciano, and Cortona.
● If you prefer to travel on your own schedule, rent a car and hire a driver.
Combining Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino together is a very long but
memorable day. For something a bit closer to Florence with less travel time, you
can visit San Gimignano and Volterra in the same day.
Returning to Rome ( Leave the 21/22)
● Book a direct train from Florence to Rome
○ Through ItaliaRail