WWYD: Rome/Florence

[stlrod]

My wife and I are sailing on the Celebrity Refection on May 17. WOuld like to visit both Florence and Rome. Considering staying 2 nights in each city before and after cruise. Questioning whether we should fly into Florence and out of Rome or simply fly into and out of Rome and take a day trip to Florence from Rome. Seems like going into Florence might be easier and more relaxing except for the train to the port but if we choose the Rome option we could save the Florence part of the trip for post-cruise and then if we end up deciding just to see more of Rome, change our plans. Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

If you can do a direct flight to Florence and out of Rome for about the same amount as roundtrip Rome- I'd probably do that.

[stlrod]

Thanks. It's actually a little less expensive to fly into florence than rome using choice air. An additional connection but about the same amount of time. I'm using FF points for the return from rome.

[euro cruiser]

Florence is a very small airport, so any flight going there will require at least one change. However, it probably won't make a big difference in your ticket price to fly from home to Florence, and from Rome home.

 

I'd probably go to Florence first simply because leaving from Florence for North America (I'm making an assumption here, as you didn't specify where you are from) generally means a really, really early morning flight in order to make a connection in Rome or Milan (or elsewhere in Europe, depending on the airline you use).

 

I would absolutely stay overnight in each city, as much of the charm of each place is wandering about at night.

[stlrod]

We've been to the UK and France but not Italy. I'm a little concerned about navigating the train on the trip from Florence to the port but also probably a little more comfortable about experiencing Florence on my own first since it is smaller.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

It's not going to be difficult to do the trains to Civitavecchia from Florence. The journey should take about 3hr. 45min. on the slower train from Florence or about 2 hr. 30 min on the faster train.

 

http://www.raileurope.com/us/point_to_point/ptp_results.htm?execution=e1s1&resultId=60102088&noLock=1

[peralbk]

I'm so glad Stlrod asked the question for me. We'll be in Florence for a few days before go to Civitavecchia. I thought we have to take the train to Rome then take taxi to the port. I tried that link of Eurotrain, but it couldn't find the train from Florence to Civitavecchia:confused:. Help!!

[euro cruiser]

I'm so glad Stlrod asked the question for me. We'll be in Florence for a few days before go to Civitavecchia. I thought we have to take the train to Rome then take taxi to the port. I tried that link of Eurotrain, but it couldn't find the train from Florence to Civitavecchia:confused:. Help!!

Just go to the source, www.trenitalia.com.

 

The most direct train options will route from Florence Santa Maria Novella to Rome Termini, where you would change trains for a train to Civitavecchia.

 

You could also choose to route from Florence to Pisa Centrale where you would change trains for Civitavecchia, but this routing takes longer because the Florence to Pisa portion is on a regional train.