Florence Break - advice needed

bigdavecox90

Looking to try and book a surprise break to Florence in January for my partner.

I've checked Skyscanner for flights, any other suggestions? Just looking for the best deal for the lowest price.

Have looked at booking.com for accommodation.

Any help or advice appreciated 😊

richardw

It's a great city to visit in the off season less busy and all the sights are there.
Skyscanner is good, but avoid those online travel agents that you've never heard of and look at actual prices direct from the airlines. Consider flying to Pisa and Bologna airports aswell as Florence airport.
Accommodation is not good value due to demand, be careful with places around the main SMN railway station which can be cheaper but not cheerful.
The Airbnb trick of advertising somewhere nice and well located and then cancelling on the day of arrival because of a heating problem etc and offering an alternative in a bad location is rife, check the reviews and if there are cancellations then avoid.

If you can fly from London check BA and Iberia flight+hotel deals.
Where in the UK are you?
When do you want to visit ?

AlexMac

great idea; we live close to London City Airport so BA or Cityjet flights from there to Florence are very reasonable as it save a stack of cash getting to, or parking at, the out of town London airports for the inconveniently early cheapo flights.
We also like B&B residenza Giotto, Via Roma 6, Florence, 50123, Italy which we have booked direct (+39 055214593) or via Booking.com.
A simple family run hotel with really helpful young owners and satff, and incredibly central, a few yards from the main central piazza and with views of the Duomo from its rooftop breakfast room and terrace.

On another visit we used a small apartment agency to find a self-catering flat near the Central market; run by a helpful, English speaking French guy called Jean - say you've been recommended and ask for a discount (a "sconti")
Florence Apartments Central , Borgo La Noce, 20/r - 50123 Firenze
Phone: +39 055 269 7723 Mobile phones: +39 331 942 2363 or +39 320 155 9811
Web: http://www.florenceapartmentscentral.com
E-mail: [EMAIL="info@florenceapartmentscentral.com"]info@florenceapartmentscentral.com[/EMAIL]

and we were recommended to a simple restaurant called Aquacotta ten minutes walk east of the centre which was great- Via dei Pilastri, 51-R, 50121 Firenze, ItalyPhone: +39 055 242907

Gleeful

Florence Dome hotel is fab

We flew into Pisa - cheap flights and only an hour by train to Florence

martindow

Also flew into Pisa.

I stayed here which was very pleasant and next to the Uffizi near the river

http://www.hotelfiorino.it/

bigdavecox90

Thanks so much for all of the replies guys, I live in Bournemouth however it seems I'll need to travel to London for flights. I've seen that flights to Pisa are much cheaper than to Florence. I'm just weary of travelling between the two? I've never been before so weary of the travel in a foreign country...?

Voyager2002

bigdavecox90 wrote: »

Thanks so much for all of the replies guys, I live in Bournemouth however it seems I'll need to travel to London for flights. I've seen that flights to Pisa are much cheaper than to Florence. I'm just weary of travelling between the two? I've never been before so weary of the travel in a foreign country...?

Weary or wary?

Pisa is the main airport that serves Florence, and the journey is short and convenient. Florence airport is small and specialist: I'm surprised that you have seen any flights to it.

richardw

Florence airport is getting more flights with Vueling doing more flights from Luton this summer.

Btw Southampton airport has flights to Milan Malpensa on Flybe.

slinga

Pisa seems a good airport to fly to and to find accomodation nearby for traveling around Florence, Cinque Terra, Lucca, Livorno, Sienna and Bologna.

Thinking of a 3 week period and maybe driving except trains to Bologna and maybe Venice.

I know it's a lot of places and we won't 'do' them all but any 'do not miss' and any other suggestions?

Should I start another thread or will a piggy back on this one be OK?

martindow

Pisa airport to Florence is an easy journey. There is a PisaMover shuttle service from the airport to the town station and then frequent trains to Florence. A through ticket is about 9 Euros. The last time I went the Pisamover was being upgraded and was replaced by buses, but it was due to be in service by the end of this year.

From Florence airport there is a bus service to and from Florence's main station.

bigadaj

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Weary or wary?

Pisa is the main airport that serves Florence, and the journey is short and convenient. Florence airport is small and specialist: I'm surprised that you have seen any flights to it.

Weary and wary seem to be interchangeable now, possibly an Americanism.

Pisa was possibly the best airport for arrival I've ever seen, walking straight onto the railway platform within a few metres of immigration and baggage collection.