If you are in Rome for a few days, can you easily do a day trip to Florence?

I was in Florence for about eight days and Rome was just too far—about 200 miles—and we just weren’t that interested in Rome. Eight days wasn’t even enough for me in Florence. winning a business trip sounds wrong AND 60 is no longer considered old

If I were in Rome for a week I would definitely find a way to visit Florence. It they are art lovers it is a must.

Florence is more than a day trip. But it is an easy train ride from Rome.

The train ride between Rome and Florence is very pleasant, but takes several hours. I do not know if the trains have sleeping quarters, but if they do, that would be the only way to make a day trip out of it. Since the euro has declined quite a bit, the cost may not be too bad.

The short answer to this question (even if it is in General) is that your friends should… do what the Romans do.

But I agree that even if you can get there and back in a day, Florence is more than “a day trip”. A trip to Florence shouldn’t be a sprint: “Can we make it there and back in a day?”

That’s like going to a fine restaurant and asking if they can serve you a fine meal… in fifteen minutes, so you can run to catch a bus.

It is a two hour train ride from Rome to Florence so you could do a day trip; it would just be a long day. It would take longer by car.

Just read the details and I think a bus trip would be feasible; they are generally planned for “older folk.” I would do it if I were them. Also, a bus trip will show them the highlights and also make bathroom stops at intervals.

I would stay in Rome, or book a longer trip. There is so much in both cities, that spending only two days in one, and part of a day in the other, would I think just make you feel like you are missing a lot, and wish you had more time in both.

If really set on cramming it in, perhaps see if there is a plane to take, or a night train, and/or the possibility of flying into one city and out of the other, so you wouldn’t need to go both directions between the cities.

Not really. Florence is a long train ride from Rome.

Unless your friend thinks he/she will never have the opportunity to go to Italy again, but no. Spend the time in Rome. Wasting the time to travel to Florence and then back to Rome Is a waste of time. Get the most you can out of Rome. Get to the small museum about Roman history, particularly if you watched the PBS I Claudius series. See the Catacombs. Get to an opera at the Baths of Caracalla and then there are the usual places people go. I’m sure you already have a list of those.

Forgot to add: Have a picnic along the Appian Way.

I wonder where the 12 hours come from. By using horses?

If your friend leaves right now this Friday afternoon a trip by train takes 1 hour and 32 minutes. Just checked it online

Roma Termini Fr, 17.02.12 ab 14:45 1:32 Firenze S.M.N. Fr, 17.02.12 an 16:17

@mattbrowne I agree; it is a quick trip.

When I’m in Rome, my favorite thing to do is explore the Forum. It’s just a short walk from the Colosseum.

Perhaps a bigger problem is that both Rome and Florence are each good for several days’ tourism. Heck, I lived near Florence and never saw it all.

@Nullo I agree completely.