Semi-Private Tour: Day Trip to Florence and Pisa from Rome with Lunch included

We were in near accidents twice. Our driver Hugo, was a very reckless driver. He crashed the car twice on our way back from Pisa, Italy. First time was when he pulled over into a gas station and crashed the front of the car into the curb. Although the crash was minor, it was bad enough to rattle us. The next time was during the long drive in the highway, he swiped the side of the car onto the railing of the road. He was speeding at the time when it was rainy and dark. He said that the vehicle was ‘not good’ and so we were scared that the car might not be safe to drive. He was driving us alone without a guide with him, and he spoke very little English so it was hard to communicate with him. On top of that, our local guide in Florence was 30 minutes late and so we were rushed for time during the tour in Florence, and what was supposed to be a 2 hour tour was reduced to 1 1/2 hours.

The biggest problem with this tour was distance. Pisa is about 4 hours from Rome, and Florence 3. So for our nearly 10 hour day was over 8 hours in transit. When we got to Pisa there was no guide. We were on our own, but with barely an hour to explore there was little time to do much beyond look at the tower. This was unfortunate, as the site had multiple other things to see - including a basilica. But each required you to pay (even the restroom), so you didn’t want to gamble on waiting in line for tickets you could not use. I think that between 1/2 day and a full day might be enough time for Pisa, depending upon how interested you are in the local history. There is much to see even on the site. Did have some yummy pizza at a restaurant out by the souvenir shops (on your left as you walk toward the entrance). Lunch was supposed to be included but was not, so good thing we snacked! Florence was beautiful, and our guide was fantastic. I did not catch his name unfortunately, but he was from Pakistan, was a student, had lived in Italy for several years, and was very knowledgeable and pleasant. We had about 1.5 hours - would have loved more time. This tour might be fine starting from closer to (or in) Pisa or Florence, and it’s at least partly my fault for not looking at a map. However, at $500 for two people I think I would have done better to leave our stuff in Rome, rent a second hotel room for one or two nights in Pisa or Florence, traveled by train, and connected with local guides. The cost would have been comparable and we would not have been anywhere near as rushed. But travel is like that. Live and learn!

The van is not well maintained. We were bouncing off the seats with every crack & bump of the roads. We feel very unsafe. Then the driver told us, the trip is not included lunch when it started as advertised and listed on ticket conversation. Very rush at each stop and when we got to Florence, we waited for almost 30mins for a tour guide, who just started that week and have no history of any landmarks. All he said a ‘here is an old church’, ‘here is a statue of historian man’. When you ask - he said ‘I don’t know’. We pretty much google everything. Very expensive for a very poor experiences.