The reason behind this is the cost of a permit to enter Florence to drop the group off and then having to park miles away and pay again to park. When I last came here five years ago the cost for a permit was €240. I have been told that it is now as dear as €700! Now that is ridiculous and I will not pay it out of principle other than anything else.
When I came to look at the hotel I spoke with Melina, our receptionist, and she said if I contacted her a couple of weeks before our arrival she would order the train tickets for us. So this is what I did and she has kindly booked them for me. I paid for them when we arrived and the total cost was €577.20. Plus we get a good ride on a train and the station is right in the heart of Florence where we shall be met by our guide.
Our train is due to depart at 09:09 so we all leave the hotel at 08:30 for the walk to the station which takes about 10/15 minutes with two people catching a taxi to the station. I am supposed to pick the tickets up at the station and to my surprise Milena was waiting for us to show me where to collect the tickets and what train to get on. This is very kind and sweet of her as it is her day off and she didn't have to do this. A lovely gesture. I bet she could find a missing case!
Our train departs at 09:09 and we sit back and enjoy the journey arriving in Florence at 11:00.
We meet our guide, Virginia, and after a loo stop begin our tour of this famous city.
It is very busy in Florence and a little difficult keeping a large group together but we manage it. At one point I go back to the Tourist Information at the station to grab a load of city maps to hand out when the tour has finished. I find the group close to the magnificent Cathedral.
It is never easy walking amongst crowds in a big, busy city and a few of the group lose interest and decide to do their own thing. I enjoy the tour and find Florence a lovely city. We finish the tour close to the famous Pont de Vecchio bridge at 13:00. This leaves a few hours to explore at leisure before our 16:10 train back.
Brian, Barry, Jayne and myself find a very busy restaurant for our lunch where we have to wait quite a long time to be served. We are hot and thirsty and ready for a beer though it must take 20 minutes to pour them! Nice when we get it though. Our food arrives soon after and that is as good as the beer!
We have arranged a meeting point close to the station so we can count numbers without the added hassle of the bust station. I always worry a little in a city that is strange to a lot of them that they find their way back but I needn't have worried as they are all back early and we make our way to the station and our train.
The train departs on time and we are back in Viareggio at 17:51.
It has been a successful day and using the train is a lot easier than taking the coach and more relaxing and enjoyable. By starting in Viareggio we are the first people on so can choose our seats and by the time we have left Lucca and then Montecatini it is standing room only.
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