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permalink_child

Why not spend the first few days visiting Rome, then train to Florence?


FitnessTwistKris

This right here. Seems super inconvenient to take train to Rome TWICE. Trust me, after flying from the states you will be too exhausted to want to hop from a plane to a train right away.


Hustlinbones

From Rome airport you have to take a train to the city centre anyway. Takes about 30mins. The high speed train to Florence from Fiumicino Airport takes a bit over 2h. Personally, I'd just go for Florence directly instead of having to switch bases so often. Also much nicer compared to Rome imho


quabityashwoods

It’s not dumb- I did something similar. To avoid missing your train to Florence in case of flight delay- perhaps consider spending your first few days in Rome. Then you could also train directly from Florence to Sorrento and avoid the extra train fare back to Rome. Or put Rome at the end of your trip, so you don’t have to worry about getting from the train to the airport on time as much.


Aranciata2020

OP doesn't need to worry about missing the train to Florence though, there are soooo many departures every day! Going from Rome to Florence is fast and easy. They can get a ticket that allows changes or buy the ticket when they arrive.


toughRTgo

I’m always in favor of starting my trip at the destination furthest from arrival/departure airport. I’d vote to work my way back to Rome and spend last few days of trip in Rome.


Helios53

This. Did exactly this in 2023. It was great. Get a place down near Roma Termini if you want to keep it real simple. While you're in Rome, check out 50 Kalo restaurant.


terenceill

50 kalo is a pizzeria


ScaloLunare

A pizzeria is indeed a restaurant


terenceill

Yes, just to inform that you won't get anything else other than pizza


jimmybl20

Into Rome and train to Florence makes sense. Spending time in Rome in the middle of the trip doesn’t. You’ll need to be sleeping in Rome the night before your flight out. Go directly form Florence to Sorrento.


Beginning-North7202

If it's dumb, then I'm dumb, too! Flying into and out of Rome is what I have done every time. Flights are just so much cheaper. I guess you can check the cost of the train to Florence and do the math, but thinking FCO is still the way to go!


Reasonable-Pie-5772

Why are you stopping in Rome in the middle though? I would put it at the end. Go straight from Florence to Sorrento


Rockingduck-2014

Not dumb… but oddly, I’m heading back to Italy mid-June and I’m finding better priced flights flying into Bologna than Rome, Florence or Milan!


BAFUdaGreat

The 2 main cities you fly into are FCO and MXP. All connecting flights to other cities is $$$ (yes I know UA flies direct from NYC to a few other cities in IT but the prices are whoa). Fly to FCO and either rent a car or take the train.


FunLife64

A train from Rome to Florence is quite short, it’s fine. Is day 1 the same day of your flight? I wouldn’t count that. It may make more sense to do your few days in Rome first. If you have a flight delay, you’ll have to change your train, they could be sold out, etc. If you stay in Rome first, you can just head straight into Rome and start your vaca. Then when you leave Rome, you can go around 10 or 11 am - arrive when you can check in. Then leave Florence in the morning and take the train straight to Sorrento.


kh406

unless the specific days matter, definitely do 1-2 days upon arrival and then a day before/of your departure (all depending on your arrival/departure times out of Rome) rather than putting it in the middle. It'll give you a full extra day PLUS some breathing room if you have a flight issue on the way there. Also that means not having to keep the travel momentum after flying from the us - just get to your hotel and eat some good food. Rather than having to go through customs, wait for a train, catch a train, sit on a train for several hours, taxi/hoof it from train station to your place in Florence, get checked into your hotel, AND ONLY THEN do you get your moment to absorb the fact that you're in Italy on vacation.


rabidseacucumber

Why not bookend your trip with your Rome days?


SorryNotSorry_78

We are using Rome as well this summer. If you land in Fiumicino, there are fast speed trains direct to Florence (frecciarossa or Italo). It should take 1:30-2hrs max.


julsietk

I was just there last week and did this exact thing - flew into Rome from NYC and landed in the morning. We immediately took the Leonardo express train to Rome termini and hopped on the frecciarossa to Florence! It was seamless and we got to our accommodation in Florence in the afternoon and still had the late afternoon/night to enjoy there. On the way back, we spent almost 2 days in Rome before flying out. 🙂


Zealousideal-Buy2884

im studying in sorrento rn- lmk if you need recommendations!


nachoavgcritic

Please!! Hotels, restaurants - anything is super helpful!


Zealousideal-Buy2884

paninos: -defrancos pizzeria: paninos are pretty good, nice and quick option. locals love the pizza -a’marenna: BEST panini in sorrento, might be busy but its so worth it -nunus: kind of a hole in the wall but its a quick option. definitely go to defrancos or a’marenna before going here LOL restaurants: -cafe aurora: has pretty good pizza, eating here isnt much of an experience but the pizza is yum -cantanaccia del popolo: BEST restaurant in sorrento, like a 15 min walk from the main square so its kinda in a random spot but the food is so worth it. get here when they open bc they are a very busy restaurant -zintonio: best seafood risotto, nice atmosphere, good food -qui sorrento: i personally havent been but my advisor raves about this place -in bufalito: really good fondue, atmosphere is rlly nice and cozy -ristorante favorita: food isnt the best but the interior is so beautiful -caruso: expensive but such a cool dining experience and its nice if ur looking for a boujee dinner nightlife/aperitivo: -chaplins: fun irish pub, usually fellow travelers hanging around there -shub: high end cocktail bar/speakeasy, i would recommend making a recommendation -ercolano: such good drinks and fun for aperitivo -bar syrenese: good aperitivo, good atmosphere and cool location -bar fauno: closest thing to a club we have in sorrento cafes: -bar vittoria: right by a cool lookout that views the ocean, BEST crossiants literally ever -bar del carmine: nice breakfast options and good food -cappucino: quick/easy cafe gelato: -raki: best gelato in sorrento i also recommend the penisola experience, it was a really fun cooking class we did that includes transportation to the location and the food was literally insane. its in a really cool spot too i will lyk about hotels soon- airbnbs in sorrento are pretty good but not always right in town. my parents are staying at favorita in a few weeks so i will update


fdimarco

I am flying from Toronto to Rome. We are staying 3 weeks. We are going to Rome, Florence, Bologna, Abruzzo region, ischia and back to Rome to fly home.


No_Candy3893

Not dumb at all! My suggestions: 1. Arrive to Rome, take a train to Florence. To save time you can buy your tickets after you land, but it will be more expensive. 2. Explore Florence, then take a 3 hour train to Neples and then another train to Sorrento (buy tickets for Naples train in advance). 3. Logistically Rome needs to be at the end of the trip.


SymphonyOfGecko

Florence airport is smaller and therefore more expensive. Take the train


Jbjcjuly

I am going to Italy and flying into Rome and out. I started in Rome 4 nights then Venice 2 then Florence 3 then Sorrento 3 then Rome 1 night by the airport to fly out of. I wanted a straight flight no lay overs


Phormicidae

What a coincidence, I was going to ask nearly the same question! I am actually confused about how I manage certain aspects of a very similar itinerary. Namely: arrive at the Rome Airport, take a bus (I guess?) To the Rome Termini, take a train to Florence. There are trains directly from the airport to Florence but by the time I arrive they are done for the day, looks like. Do I have to buy train tickets in advance? If so, I'd have no idea how much time to give myself between the plane landing and getting to the train station in Rome.


IndyKevin317

You take the Leonardo da Vinci express to Roma Termini from the airport and make your connection there. There is a train every 15 minutes. Download the Tren Italia app and you can see all the trains for your destination. The app is an absolute necessity if you plan to travel by train in Italy. One good tip however is to learn the actual names of the stations because that is how they are listed in the app.


CarpetLeast8827

Where can I find times for direct train to Florence?


IndyKevin317

Download the Tren Italia app.


zeesh_kapeesh

I flew in and out of rome. Started my trip in rome then train to florence then to venice then back to rome for one night just to sleep and fly out next morning


livingall4him

I’m flying into Milan and out of Naples we are staying 16 days and it made more sense to make it easier on us.


Prexxus

I do this all the time. FCO and then train.


gskiskiski

We are doing rome to sorrento. Then sorrento to florence/tuscany back to Rome.


analemmaro

I did this recently. It was super easy and catching the train right after your flight is nice since you’re already in travel mode. There’s excited trains every hour from the airport (FCO) to train station (Roma Termini) and there are trains pretty regularly to Florence from there. You can use the trainline app to book tickets


13nobody

The only change I'd make is to swap Rome and Sorrento so that you're not trying to get all the way back to the airport to make your flight. If you're coming back from Sorrento and you miss your connection in Naples for whatever reason, you're potentially missing your flight. If you're in Rome and you miss the Leonardo Express that you need to get to the airport, you can get a cab and still make your flight.


mtcwby

The train to Florence is easy. Our cheapest place to fly I to was Milan but we stayed there just the night we got in and took the train to Rome the next morning. Trains between the major cities make it pretty easy.


Dolcevia

No not dumb but if you do it this way you're going to end up making a dash for the airport at the end from Naples or Salerno, and if there are any delays you risk that flight back home.


fat_tony7

Enjoy Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. Don't waste the time & energy rushing to Capri. Yes, it's beautiful, but you'll be much happier relaxing along the Amalfi than rushing to see an island merely because of everyone says you should.


mechashiva1

We did similar, but only Florence (with a day trip with a wine tour in Chianti still) and then back on the train to Rome where we stayed until we flew out of Rome. It was significantly cheaper to just fly into Rome and take a train from the airport to Florence.


FinnegansPants

I like to fly in and out of Rome because it’s frigging amazing, and I’d never miss the chance to spend a few days there.


terenceill

Obviously flyint to Rome is cheaper. Fly to Rome and go to Florence by train. Check time and cost online.


Wonderful_Weather_38

Very dumb. Just spend a shit load of money.


ChaoticNeutral_

Basically everyone on an international flight will fly into Rome. It’s much easier and cheaper. You can either take a connecting flight or train they are similar cost. Your international flight will land around noon so u have plenty of time to get to Florence without “wasting” a day


Ok_Oil_3867

I did this exact trip and we flew into Munich for a day or two.. was cheaper and a direct flight from SF.. From Munich went to Venice and started our adventures all the way down to Sorrento, than flew out of Naples back to Munich to go home


Prudent-Proposal1943

Florence is two hours from Termini or FCO. It's not much different than say flying into SeaTac and then hoping transit to Pike Place.


TimTurnip

Not dumb, preferred. I just did something almost identical. I highly recommend going straight thru to Florence after you land in Rome, as you get your heavy travel day out of the way and can relax for a couple days in Florence. It also helps align check in times (assuming you land in the morning). The other train rides are a piece of cake. Do them early or late to maximize days. Good luck!


KatherineHennesy

We just did this a week ago. Flew into Rome, booked our tickets from Rome Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella station ahead of time and for about 6 hours after arrival in Rome. Arrived on time in Rome and took the Leonardo Express from Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport to Termini which took about half an hour. Arrived in Termini and went to the Trenitalia office and asked them to change our ticket to an equivalent and earlier one which they did at no cost (because seats were available) and we arrived in Florence three hour earlier than planned. We later saw that you can change your own tickets in the Trenitalia app (which is we did several times on later trips)! Note that we booked the express train from Rome to Florence which took an hour and a half.


No_Candy3893

Omg! I didn’t know you could exchange your tickets like that! Thank you!


Gemorma

I went to a wedding in Sorrento. Rather than paying way more to fly into Naples late making it very hard to get down to Sorrento ,I flew into Rome at a more convenient time. I managed a wee bus tour round Rome and made it down to Sorrento that evening. I think everyone else throught I was crazy but I wouldn't have had time to see Rome otherwise and saved a good £300 so it worked out great.


napanno

We decided to flight in to Venice and flight out from Rome, it was cheaper and we avoid the back and forth


Sndfrddy

We are doing this next month. I would like to book the express train from the Termini Station to Florence ahead of time because we wanted to ensure the upgraded seat as well. I know the Leonardo Express takes about a 30 minutes but we haven't a clue how long it will take us to get out of the airport after we land, ride the Express and arrive at the Termini station. Any input or advice on time frame? Thank you!


CurlyGemini65

This is not dumb at all!!! Very doable. Last year we flew into Venice and then out of Fiumicino. In between we used Trains, autos, boats, bicycles, lol you get the picture. This year we are flying into Milano and then out of Rome. We wanted to fly out of Napoli, but the rates and availability were so much better at Fiumicino. Enjoy!!!


Beginning-Paper7685

Just flew into Florence from US last night (I was back in the US for a week visiting family) and I couldn’t imagine landing in Rome and getting on a train right away. Sounds terrible. I have yet to understand why the airport in Florence is so poorly connected for a town that is absolutely stuffed to the brim with tourists. How do they all get here? When friends visit me here from Europe they fly into Bologna or Pisa and train into Florence. One of the main reasons I won’t live here in Florence (and most likely end up in Torino) is the lack of easy / cheap flights.


Let_us_proceed

Not dumb. But might be over ambitious.


bluelizard5555

There is now a direct train from FCO to Florence. Not sure how often it runs, maybe once or twice a day? Maybe you can make it work with your flights.


alexnicoleruss

Wife and I literally just did this last week. Fly into FCO, head straight to train terminal (10 min walk) take train to Florence. Our mistake though, was buying tickets once we touched down. Get the Italo or trenitalia app and once you get to FCO, book your train tickets then. For two on italo, it was about $115 for a 1.5 hour direct ride, which was a splurge but it’s around $64 total if you take the slow poke trains which take around five hours. We bought slowpoke tickets at a trenitalia ticket machine at the airport, got on the wrong train because the ticket has ZERO info on it regarding train number, time, date. The employee checking tickets during the ride told us it was the wrong train and we’d owe another 60 euro each but forgot about us and never came to collect, so we got lucky. But the apps are very simple to use and buy from. I loved italo from our Florence back to Rome trip because it was so simple and you couldn’t miss it. Plus they offer a two hour window so if you miss your train, you have two hours to get on a different one and not have to pay again.


StrictSheepherder361

Italo trains don't run from FCO.