One last Florence train question!

[CathyCruises]

Leaving tomorrow, just want to be sure I am on top of this. Presuming we can get a cab to the train station, do we have to connect through Pisa or can we go straight through to SMN? Either is fine, wouldn't mind showing DD the Tower, I just have read so many threads that I am confused.

 

One place we missed in our stay in Florence was the Pitti Palace (raining cats and dogs) so we figured we would do that--that way we can see something new and since it's all new to DD it won't matter. Is SMN still the closest station? I know the lay of the land, just not the train info.

 

Thanks and hold down the fort while I'm gone!!

 

Cathy

[Hlitner]

Leaving tomorrow, just want to be sure I am on top of this. Presuming we can get a cab to the train station, do we have to connect through Pisa or can we go straight through to SMN? Either is fine, wouldn't mind showing DD the Tower, I just have read so many threads that I am confused.

 

One place we missed in our stay in Florence was the Pitti Palace (raining cats and dogs) so we figured we would do that--that way we can see something new and since it's all new to DD it won't matter. Is SMN still the closest station? I know the lay of the land, just not the train info.

 

Thanks and hold down the fort while I'm gone!!

 

Cathy

 

There was a time when you had to sometimes change in Pisa or even Empoli but it seems those days are gone (at least for now). Just about every train between Livorno and Florence is direct.

 

Hank

[kuldalai]

Most trains are direct Livorno to Firenze S.M.N. No big deal if you have to change at Empoli . Service between Empoli and Firenze SMN is very frequent .

 

The Uffizzi is the mind blowing gallery in Firenze, not so much the Pitti Palace. Give the Pitti a miss and walk the stunning Boboli gardens behind the Pitti Palace instead .

 

With Pisa and the tower, and the Uffizzi and Pitti be sure to book your tix on line in advance otherwise you will stand for hours in queues, and in the case of Pisa the tower admissions are sold out usually days in advance .

 

Tikitaly will book you for all the major admissions, and for the Torre at Pisa book direct on line with Pisa Tower up to 45 days in advance .

[ab0si]

As stated, most trains are direct. There are some connections at Pisa Centrale. I don't think a change at Empoli is ever the best routing now-a-days.

 

The Pitti Palace is not a single museum, but a collection of specialty museums. If you have a special interest, it is worthwhile (e.g., my paternal grandfather was a silversmith, so I greatly enjoyed the silver museum). The Gardens, though, are always worth a visit if you have the time. SMN is definitely the station you want in Florence.

 

Unless you have a special interest, I think some of the "secondary" sights on the other side of the Arno (the side with the Doumo, etc.) is better for a first visit if you are not going to take your Daughter to see David or the Uffizi. (Of course, not taking her to see David is a WRONG <grin>.) These sights are secondary only because this is Florence. Any other city in the world, they would be "the" places to go.

[CathyCruises]

Thanks for the info. This will be our 4th trip to Florence and we stayed for 3-4 days last year, so I am familiar with the sites, just not the train stations!

 

If the weather behaves, it is the Boboli Gardens that I really want to see--I am not so sure how much museum-ing I will get out of DD. We debated buying tickets to the Accademia but I think for this short trip she will have to be content with the 'fake' David.

 

Whatever we end up doing, it will be a great day--it's Florence!

 

Thanks again,

Cathy

[ab0si]

Thanks for the info. This will be our 4th trip to Florence and we stayed for 3-4 days last year, so I am familiar with the sites, just not the train stations!

 

If the weather behaves, it is the Boboli Gardens that I really want to see--I am not so sure how much museum-ing I will get out of DD. We debated buying tickets to the Accademia but I think for this short trip she will have to be content with the 'fake' David.

 

Whatever we end up doing, it will be a great day--it's Florence!

 

Thanks again,

Cathy

 

If the weather is nice, a picnic lunch in the Gardens is wonderful. I have never been able to find out if one can "legally" bring food into the Boboli Gardens, but I have done it quite a few times without a problem.

[CathyCruises]

Oh, good suggestion! We might try that. Thanks.