Florence Travel Forum

HI
I have read the train schedules and it looks like a quick day trip from Firenze to Lucca is certainly do-able. Pisa also? How long might the trip take to either or both places? Any advice on what to do to make it easier? What sights to visit?
Thanks
Doug

Yes, indeed it is entirely feasible.

And all very easy, for you will find that the ticket machines at Santa Maria Novella station in Florence have English language options (you don't need to buy tickets in advance). Just buy your ticket when you get to the station, validate (date-stamp) it using the yellow machines on the platform and get on the train. Platform disolays are easy to read, and (as I recall) announcements at Florence and Pisa are made in English as well as Italian).

http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html

will give you train times, details and fares in English.

Pisa is roughly an hour away, Lucca from around 1h 22m.

It will take you about 20/25 minutes to alk to the Campo dei Miracoli from Pisa Centrale station...an interesting walk in itself, for Pisa has much more to offer (see my Pisa pages...I have Lucca ones too). You will pass the Tourist Information office on the way, and can pick up maps etc if you wish. Alternatively, you can take the bus (4, I think) or a taxi from outside the station.

Lucca is very easy too. Exit the station, walk towards the main road, turn left and cross. Walk along and you will see the entrance through the town walls on your right. The tourist information office in Lucca is less obvious, but the town is well-signed.

Both towns are really very walkable (luca si smaller thanPisa), and bath have much to see. Have a look at the VT Pisa and Lucca pages (use the searchbox top right of this page to find them) for ideas on what to see/do.

With an early start and a late return it would be entirely feasible to do both places in one day. Trains from Lucca go to Pisa without returning to Florence, and vice versa. Check times on the link I gave...trains are frequent.

You can just buy each one-way ticket as you need it.....as far as I recall the Lucca ticket machines have English options, and the Pisa ones certainly do. Dead easy.

Just remember to validate each ticket before you board the train....there are substantial on-the-spot fines if you don't, and the inspectors do check!

Also near the leaning tower there is a small station in Pisa called San Rossore, this is on the Lucca line and will save you going all the way back to Pisa Centrale to travel on from Pisa to Lucca. I would go Florence to Pisa to Lucca and then Lucca back to Florence. This is because there is more to see and do in Lucca, IMO.

Tend to agree, although there really is plenty to see and do in Pisa apart from the Campo dei Miracoli. I was based there for 5 nights last October, and ended up spending an extra, unplanned, day just exploring the town.

Absolutely doable and yes, Pisa is not only the leaning tower, it has more and more...

I really like Lucca - fun to bike on the ramparts the surround the city, eat at Osteria Barella where you can sample the local fare (just off of the Antifeatro) like Tortelli Lucchese. Climb one of the towers like the Guinigi Tower with the 5 holm oaks above it, and see significant churches such as San Michele in Forno. This home of Puccini is also a place that has a good feel and is good to get around - while Pisa has the Field of Miracles and the Leaning Tower, i prefer to spend time seeing that and Lucca has more to offer overall.

Actually, Pisa has much more to see than the Campo dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower.

Both places warrant at least a day's exploration.

I wanted to come across as saying that Lucca is one of my favorite cities in all of Italy - i authored an article on the city, and if i were to choose between the two, then Lucca is my choice. I respect others opinions, and therefore i only offer my own, and I believe that is the value of virtual tourist. I would never challenge another's opinion, and hope they would not do the same. I do not have anything negative to say about Pisa, and did not, rather offer if given the choice, i would choose Lucca for its charm, feel, and character.

That's fine.

I simply disagreed with your opinion that Lucca had more to offer.