USVI-On-Line

I am trying to plan a surprise 40th b-day trip for hubby to FLorence IT in the fall. We're probably going to aim for T'Giving since we can get a whole week out of it and only use 3 vacay days. Exchange rate looks better than it has in a while and I'm hoping it improves.

This would be our second trip. I know November is rainy in Florence but I'm willing to take the chance or we might even push back to October.

Anyway-- for October and November I'm seeing coach fares from Dulles around $900- $1000 for each ticket which seems a bit high to me. Cheapest seem to be Swiss Air, Air France and KLM right now. What kills me is the actual airfare isn't bad but the taxes are CRAZy depending on the airline. Often they are as much as the actual ticket price.

Anyone have any thoughts-- advice??

IF you've done this trip recently... what did you pay for airfare and who did you fly?

We normally use points to fly first class but since I'm paying out of pocket on this one we're gonna have to fly coach.

Gromit - we haven't done this since the Thanksgiving before Katrina but we used to go to Europe over Thanksgiving frequently with our last two trips flying into Rome and taking a couple of days in Florence.

The reason we always went over Thanksgiving really had to do with the "Turkey fares" they put out as incentive to travel over there.

The weather in Italy never seemed bad over Thanksgiving as opposed to London and Paris where we froze our butts off. Some days I just had on a light sweater. It really wasn't rainy either.

I am pretty sure we flew American both times we went to Italy but not positive. The fares really didn't come out till much closer to when we would travel so it was always a last minute trip that we knew we would take...just didn't know what the exact dates were. I think $585 was what we paid in November of 2004 but not positive. I do know that about 4 years before that we paid $325 from New Orleans to Paris over Thanksgiving...crazy, huh???

Good luck! I love Florence!

Good to know!! Like I said, last time we used points for tix so cost wasn't an issue.

I've got a great deal with our hotel though -- we stayed there last time and loved it. They are offering 100 Euros a night. Which IMHO is crazy cheap for a hotel as nice as theirs and so centrally located.

If I hadn't stayed there before I would be suspicious!

And the exchange rate is $1 to 1.38 Euros which honestly is decent.

I LOVE Florence too. Hubby has been wanting to go back since we left so I'm anxious to try to fulfill his wish!

Thanks!

We went with European Destinations our flights and Hotels were 1600 for 10 day.

you may want to wait a bit and see if airfares come down--also, airfrance and brit air often run specials to france or england in the fall when their season stops--then you could get a ryan air (or someother ) over to Italy--
i was also looking at florence in november as my husband has a meeting there (lucky him0--but at the beginning of the month-- and was coming in at 1000 from NY!--let me know if you find anything (and i will do the same)

Gromit - I think we always got our tickets in October.

Gromit, have you tried flights into Pisa? It is the way we went about 4 years ago and it was maybe a 40 minute drive into Florence. We found it very easy and we saved quite a bit of money. Kind of like flying BWI vice DCA.

All-- thanks for such great suggestion and keep them coming.

Arooba-- I forgot about that option. How did you get from Pisa to Florence? Train?

I don't want to rent a car. We'll just be hanging out in the city and walking everywhere.

We flew into Rome and out of Florence Took a train from rome to florence on the way back we flew from florence to rome to catch our flight to ord I like the train ride better.

Hey girl!!

Not necessarily... just keeping options open in case you guys decide you want to do something different.. you know me!! I gotta have a backup plan!!

Well then we need to make a plan!!!! and I can sideline this one. I think Andy would be just as happy sailing!

Let's discuss!

Gromit, we rented a car because we started in Pisa, drove down to a house we rented for the week overlooking Lake Trasamino, then drove up to Florence for four days. We then returned the car at the airport in Pisa for our flight out.
I do believe they have trains that can get you to Florence from Pisa. Sounds like a question for Anthony!

What hotel are you looking to stay at?

Italy is on my radar and I'm starting to compile the info for future reference.

Thanks.