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Holidays

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

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Original poster

Pisa or Florence for short break.

83 replies

Mumdiva99 · 14/07/2024 11:58

Hi,

After following MN advice and having an amazing time in Valencia, please can you help with an Easter trip for 2025. We are
wanting to go on a short break to Italy with husband and 3 teenagers.
Which would be better to stay in Pisa or Florence? We are anticipating going to both. (Or is there somewhere else more suited to us).

We want to see some history, eat some pizza, maybe see the sea. We like a museum and a few things to do. (I think Rome might be too built up for me to enjoy - although going to The Vatican is appealing.).

We are happy with nice self catering if enough rooms/beds and easy to buy food.
Or a hotel with b&b available.

Small to medium budget please. But I want it nice - so would rather pay a little more to ensure this.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

SwedishEdith · 14/07/2024 12:03

There's not much in Pisa other than the obvious so you may be better choosing Florence. You could visit Pisa from there - trains in Italy are easy to use and cheap. Neither are near the sea though.

Regalia · 14/07/2024 12:03

Florence. Pisa isn’t particularly interesting.

reluctantbrit · 14/07/2024 12:16

Florence and take the train to Pisa for a day.
But fly in and out of Pisa, Florence airport is a nightmare.

AnnaMagnani · 14/07/2024 12:18

Fly to Pisa - under no circumstances fly to Florence, the runway is too short so they cancel flights or bump passengers/luggage at a moments notice.

But you won't need more than half a day in Pisa.

yeesh · 14/07/2024 12:19

Fly to Pisa, get the train to see the tower and then go to Florence. Pisa is a couple of hours at most tbh

AnnaMagnani · 14/07/2024 12:20

BTW While Florence is obvs smaller than Rome, once you are there you don't feel it is less 'built up' as the centre is all narrow streets.

Both have open spaces, in Florence in the Oltrano, in Rome around the Forum and Colisseum, and yes the Vatican. Plus places like the Borghese gardens.

Ferfecksackmammy · 14/07/2024 12:25

It's a few years ago now but I stayed in Pisa and got the train to Florence. Accommodation in Pisa was much cheaper and the trains were cheap and frequent.

We also spent a day in Lucca which was beautiful and also a short journey from Pisa.

Pennyplant19 · 14/07/2024 12:46

Definitely Florence. Not much in Pisa other than the leaning tower.

Cardencallr · 14/07/2024 12:47

I'd go to Puglia!

Starhaf · 14/07/2024 12:49

agree with previous responses - not much to see/do in Pisa other than the obvious - which is fun to do, but i wouldn't base myself there.

TheBizzies · 14/07/2024 12:50

I fly into Florence I don't think it's a nightmare at all! More expensive though

Maddy70 · 14/07/2024 12:53

You really only need an afternoon in pisa. I wouldn't stay there. Florence is liveky

theresnolimits · 14/07/2024 12:56

Honestly Pisa is just a one shot tourist trap. Florence the better option but I’d prefer Sienna or Lucca (take the train from Pisa Airport) Go to the beach at Viagreggio by train.

Original poster

Mumdiva99 · 14/07/2024 13:07

OK, I am hearing you all loud and clear. But my little brain can't compute flying into Pisa, travelling to Florence to set up base and then taking a train back to Pisa for the day!!

Any suggestions of accommodation for 5 people?

I love the suggestion of Viagreggio, looks like a quick easy trip. It won't be sitting on the beach weather but a walk along the front should be good for the soul.

(I'm starting to think we should do a night here and a night there and a night elsewhere.....perhaps.....but taking baggage around is a pain.)

OP posts:

Original poster

Mumdiva99 · 14/07/2024 13:08

Cardencallr · 14/07/2024 12:47

I'd go to Puglia!

To do and see what? And can we do it by public transport? Which airport?

OP posts:

AnnaMagnani · 14/07/2024 13:13

@TheBizzies if you had turned up to discover carnage, people who had been bumped multiple days in a row, you got on your flight by the skin of your teeth after a load of other passengers were bumped - and then arrived in the UK to discover your luggage was still in Florence, you might feel differently.

Apparently there were 'high winds' - there absolutely were not.

Luggage people at Heathrow rolled their eyes and said 'it's always Florence with a problem'.

Cardencallr · 14/07/2024 13:14

Fly to Bari. Stay on the coast (Monopoli is lovely) - day trip to Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Alberobello and lots more - all doable by train but driving is super easy. Stay in Lecce - the Florence of the South. Puglia is a wonderful area and cheap too. One of our best ever holidays (we went in October).

SwedishEdith · 14/07/2024 13:14

Mumdiva99 · 14/07/2024 13:07

OK, I am hearing you all loud and clear. But my little brain can't compute flying into Pisa, travelling to Florence to set up base and then taking a train back to Pisa for the day!!

Any suggestions of accommodation for 5 people?

I love the suggestion of Viagreggio, looks like a quick easy trip. It won't be sitting on the beach weather but a walk along the front should be good for the soul.

(I'm starting to think we should do a night here and a night there and a night elsewhere.....perhaps.....but taking baggage around is a pain.)

Depends on flight times but you may be able to look at Pisa before setting off for to Florence or the reverse on the way back.

Deadringer · 14/07/2024 13:15

We went to Rome last year with teens and had a fabulous time so if that's anywhere in the mix I would go there.
If you have a morning flight one day in Pisa would be enough and you could go on to Florence in the evening. Or spend a few hours in Pisa on the way back depending on flight times. Pisa is very nice imo but a few hours in it is enough to see everything.

Cardencallr · 14/07/2024 13:16

But Florence us nice too. We stayed 2 nights in Pisa and did a day in Luca ( lovely), day in Pisa then train to Florence and stayed there. Florence is very busy but iconic. Trains are very cheap.

Flossflower · 14/07/2024 13:21

We had a short break. We flew into and stayed in Pisa. Much easier for the flights. We got the train into Florence 2 days and Lucca one day. Both were very easy journeys from Pisa. We went in summer and it was very very hot. If I go again it will be February and it will be less crowded then.

Original poster

Mumdiva99 · 14/07/2024 13:24

Thanks.
Best things to do in Florence and Lucca.
Best places to stay in any of the cities.

OP posts:

Roryhon · 14/07/2024 13:32

Definitely not Pisa. Lucca is worth a look too.

AnnaMagnani · 14/07/2024 13:39

Problem with Florence is how much do your teens like art? When we went we saw a lot of bored teens on school trips, and one boy who clearly loved it and was having the time of his life.

I would recommend climbing the dome of the Cathedral - needs booking
Walk up to San Miniato
Tour of the Palazzo Vecchio, better with a tour, needs booking
Uffizi - top floor only (yes the ground floor is lovely but you have to really really like art), also needs booking
General wandering around
Eating gelato
Food tour - can recommend Curious Appetite

Flossflower · 14/07/2024 13:58

The best part about staying in Pisa was that we saw the tower and the other 2 buildings just before closing time and they were practically empty. I agree with all the other places mentioned. Fiesole, a bus ride away from Florence is also with a visit. It is up on a hill.

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