Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Flip

Original poster

Florence?... 2 nights, enough?

18 replies

flippyfloppy · 03/02/2014 22:13

Hi all, DH 40 th in May and my parents have kindly "volunteered?" to look after our two children for two nights ( squuuueeeeaaaalll!) DH really wants a city break. Due to flight time/date restrictions I have narrowed search down to Florence. Just wondered if 2 nights will be enough for us to do it justice? Or will it be really rushed? We will be flying early morning Wednesday and returning midday Friday ? Ahhh, you see I would normally talk this over with DH but I can't!! Tia . Any tips would be gratefully received too!

OP posts:

girlywhirly · 04/02/2014 08:39

I'd suggest 3 nights if you can possibly do that and it wouldn't inconvenience your parents too much. There is so much to do and see. One tip we were given if you want to go to the Uffizi art gallery is to go to join the queue at around 4-4.30pm, as this is after all the big tourist excursions have gone and you stand a chance of getting in without standing outside for hours!

TickleMyTitsTillFriday · 04/02/2014 08:42

I agree, 3 nights would be better. What time of year are you planning to go?

TickleMyTitsTillFriday · 04/02/2014 08:43

Oh sorry I see May! Would be lovely in May. Try to convince parents one extra night! But if not, go for two nights and know you'll go back for longer one day

GhettoPrincess001 · 04/02/2014 09:02

Two nights might be to much of a squeeze.

What do you want to see in Florence ?

There's the Ufizi Gallery. It's nice and has some famous art works but it's not huge like the Louvre. Buy your tickets for the Ufizi in advance on the internet or you will queue all day to get your tickets. OK, you'll queue to get the advanced tickets but there will only be about four people in front of you, not two thousand. I kid you not.

There's a replica of Michelangelo's David overlooking the city near a the Academia which is within walking distance of the city. You can get a bus back into town, we did.

If you like it, you can decide to go back another day after your 'taster' session to Florence.

juneau · 04/02/2014 09:07

What do you want to do in Florence when you get there? Are you big museum goers? If so, no, two nights is not going to be enough as there is so much to see and you'll come away frustrated that you've only scratched the surface and the spent the entire time running from one place to another.

If the answer to that is 'not really', then fine, you can do the big ticket stuff in two days if you're organised and book timed entrance tickets ahead of time (you can do it all online).

Original poster

flippyfloppy · 04/02/2014 20:35

Thanks for all of your comments! Although we enjoy going to museums we are not big museum goers, if that makes sense! So I don't have a tick list of where I would like to go, rather I'll plan how to make the best of our time and get a taste of things once I know our schedule. I have a feeling two nights won't feel enough and three nights would be lovely but I'm worried it will be a lot for my parents (and the children!!) 4 days, they are only 6 and 2 . I can't do anything until payday at the end of month, in the meantime I'll continue my research and have a chat with my parents. Thanks again!

OP posts:

eurochick · 04/02/2014 20:44

There is so much to see, I would try to add an extra day if you can. We went to Tuscany for a week last summer and spent two full days in the city (from 9-5). We saw lots but there was plenty we didn't see.

The queues for the big sights mean that you lose some of the day. If you figure out what you want to do in advance, you can skip these. There are also people selling "prebooked" tickets for a premium to those waiting in the queue - it allows you to jump the queue if you are willing to pay the price.

The art in the Uffizi is amazing but all very samey (religious scenes) but the building itself is amazing, so it is worth a look for this. The cathedral is pretty special (good views if you climb the tower). The Giardino Bobolli (sp? I can't remember now) was good. The well-known bridge over the Arno is a must-see. The statues around the city - Dante, David, etc.

(BTW, here's an idea to let him know where you are going - present him with Dan Brown's Inferno. Most of it is set in Florence. I read it when we were there and it was complete trash of course but fun to think of Robert Langdon racing around the places we had been to the day before.)

Nevercan · 04/02/2014 21:36

Hop in and off the tour bus to fit in lots of things and see Florence from up in the hills

Original poster

flippyfloppy · 04/02/2014 22:05

Thanks for the tip nevercan! And good idea eurochick ( I took him to Paris for his 30th and I wrapped little French things up for him to open on the morning ) oooh I'm getting excited now! I'll have a proper chat with parents and see what happens from there xx

OP posts:

TheOneWithTheNicestSmile · 04/02/2014 22:11

The piazzale Michelangelo (I think) on the hill across the river is the place with one of the reproductions of the David statue - it has the best views over the city

It's about 35 years since I was last there so I don't remember much else. It is very lovely though but v v busy & crowded much of the time

Cleanthatroomnow · 04/02/2014 22:25

Try to fly direct. A lot of flights take you to Pisa and you will waste precious time on the bus getting to Florence.

NotCitrus · 04/02/2014 22:33

Train from Pisa airport to Florence is fine. Also enables you to see the leaning tower on way back - an hour was plenty.

We had 7 nights in Florence and wanted to see more.as.well.as not bothering with the Uffizi - but a two-day taster would still be enjoyable. Better than the tourists who only spend a morning there!

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 04/02/2014 23:16

Better 2 days than nothing at all.

dreamingbohemian · 04/02/2014 23:25

I would go. Two days will be too short in any lovely place you go. If you are not big museum goers then I would suggest just wandering around and enjoying the city, two days of that will be lovely. The food and wine are amazing!

You can get culture and history without queues as well, there's a church whose name escapes me but it has the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo and is completely gorgeous.... you can just wander in and poke around.

SoldeInvierno · 05/02/2014 08:44

I would go. Florence is rather compact so you can walk across all the sites. No need for public transport. I took DH there for his 40th and he loved it. We stayed in Hotel Pierre which was in a perfect location. If you prebook the ticket for the Ufficci, you can manage to do a lot in 2 days

juneau · 05/02/2014 08:59

That would be Santa Croce - and yes, it's gorgeous! There's a wonderful ice cream shop nearby too called Vivoli.

You can take a bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo. Go up at sunset, if you can. There is a bar up there where you can get a glass of prosecco and the little church of San Miniato al Monte is just down the road. It's Romanesque and very pretty.

Do a Google search of 'images' and you'll see what all these places look like.

Original poster

flippyfloppy · 05/02/2014 20:35

Thanks so much to you all for your comments and tips , I'll keep you all posted! X

OP posts:

Oldandcobwebby · 05/02/2014 20:39

We only had a half day there on a cruise, and that was more than enough for either of us. We are both keen on art and architecture, BTW, and we were really looking forward to seeing Florence.

Our overwhelming thought was that it was an overcrowded, dirty shit-hole. We wouldn't go back there for free!

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread