Pam Thompson
New Member
A week from today my husband, 18-yr-old son and I will arrive in Italy where we'll spend 21 days (9 in Florence, 5 in Levanto & 7 in Turin). This is our first trip to Italy - my first trip to Europe in 30+ years! I've been lurking and searching Slow Europe for weeks now and have learned so much - I really appreciate all of it and have been so impressed by the kind, respectful, encouraging tone of these forums!
My first question is about walks around Fiesole:
On unseentuscany.com, I read about some interesting-sounding walks around Fiesole. The site mentioned four: an "Etruscan trail", "The route ‘Orchids in the world,’" "The route ‘Montececeri Park and its caves,'" and "The route ‘Ancient rural roads.’"
I couldn't find any specific information about accessing these routes. Is anyone familiar with these specific walks or any other walking routes that you'd recommend around Fiesole? I've read there is a tourist office in Fiesole, so perhaps we can find maps there?
Next, I need some train advice: I'm considering booking a steam train excursion from Siena to Chiusi and back on Sunday, May 27th. The excursion leaves Siena at 8:55 a.m., so we'd have to travel from Florence earlier that morning. Using Rome2Rio, I found a train that leaves SMN at 6:20 and arrives in Siena at 7:47, so it sounds like it could work. We're morning people, so an early-morning walk from our apt on Via del Bobolino in the Oltrarno to catch the train to Siena seems OK. Yet I'm hesitating. It could just be I'm apprehensive because this would be our first experience taking the train anywhere in Italy. Or Is my inexperience with trains & Italy & travel in general causing me to miss some crucial detail that could make this a hassle logistically?
And finally, we're scheduled to leave Florence and travel to Levanto by train on June 2, which I just discovered is Festa della Repubblica. Anything we should keep in mind for traveling on a national holiday? Super crowded? Should we get our tickets in advance?
Thanks very much!
My first question is about walks around Fiesole:
On unseentuscany.com, I read about some interesting-sounding walks around Fiesole. The site mentioned four: an "Etruscan trail", "The route ‘Orchids in the world,’" "The route ‘Montececeri Park and its caves,'" and "The route ‘Ancient rural roads.’"
I couldn't find any specific information about accessing these routes. Is anyone familiar with these specific walks or any other walking routes that you'd recommend around Fiesole? I've read there is a tourist office in Fiesole, so perhaps we can find maps there?
Next, I need some train advice: I'm considering booking a steam train excursion from Siena to Chiusi and back on Sunday, May 27th. The excursion leaves Siena at 8:55 a.m., so we'd have to travel from Florence earlier that morning. Using Rome2Rio, I found a train that leaves SMN at 6:20 and arrives in Siena at 7:47, so it sounds like it could work. We're morning people, so an early-morning walk from our apt on Via del Bobolino in the Oltrarno to catch the train to Siena seems OK. Yet I'm hesitating. It could just be I'm apprehensive because this would be our first experience taking the train anywhere in Italy. Or Is my inexperience with trains & Italy & travel in general causing me to miss some crucial detail that could make this a hassle logistically?
And finally, we're scheduled to leave Florence and travel to Levanto by train on June 2, which I just discovered is Festa della Repubblica. Anything we should keep in mind for traveling on a national holiday? Super crowded? Should we get our tickets in advance?
Thanks very much!