I don't mean the one in Magic Roundabout, but the City in Italy
Wondered if anyone knows of a relatively easy (and cheapish) flight there?
Its for son in early April.
Hes tried Humberside up here..but the KLM Dutch co. are charging £570 single, with stopovers in Amsterdam and Paris !
There is an EasyJet one from Stansted to Naples (£45,single) but then he has to get train to Rome then another to Florence..
Have any of you done this trip? Any ideas please?
Just wondered if there was a flight straight there thats a whole lot cheaper than the KLM one!
We don't mind a drive to other airports..
Merci Beaucoup & all that
ellie

I heard that Dougal Airlines do a trip ...with a connection via Zeberdee in Holland

on a more seroius note ..just read this from regiao sul newspaper ..have you tried b.a ..if they are doing cheepy cheepy chip fares to faro then perhaps florence

First page > Business > News
Faro to London for 19 euros
GB Airways, the franchised airline of British Airways is promoting special fares from Faro. You can travel to London Gatwick from just 19 euros one way.

This promotion applies to tickets purchased between 7th and 31st January 2006 and is valid for flights from 7th January until 7th April 2006.

Then, from 8th April until 30th June 2006, this route will be available for the price of 29 euros.

There is no minimum stay required for these fares. The prices presented do not however include airport taxes or other supplements. GB Airways transports around two million passengers per year, with departures from Gatwick and Heathrow to 29 Mediterranean destinations including Faro and Funchal.

GB Airways has its head office at the Beehive, Gatwick Airport, and has been operating since 1995 as a franchise of British Airways

The airline won the Queen's Award for Enterprise and is a member of the Bland Group, a travel agency and airline group created in 1810.

Try looking here, you might be lucky

http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Florence/

Thanks for that site Rod..I've been having a browse through and theres quite a few options on there for sonny boy
very useful info..and d'you know, I must be bit of an ignoramous, as I wasn't aware of an international airport at Norwich!So not too far a drive....with flights from £202,which is a great difference..
Quite a few from Leeds/Bradford too, but will keep looking as there seems quite a choice,
Ta very much
Thanks to Martin too..but think we'll forego the Zebedee line in Holland

Easyjet fly from Bristol to Pisa - and from memory its not that far from Pisa to Florence

Elle - Florence does not have an airport so the best option is fly to Pisa and then get the train - it is a very easy journey from Pisa (from memory the railway and the train station are connected - you just walk off the plane, buy a ticket, GET IT STAMPED IN THE MACHINE (or face a hefty fine) and get on the train - it was about 90 minutes from memory.

British Airways, 11th - 19th April for £68.20 return Gatwick - Pisa

The Leaning Tower is about 20 minutes by cab from Pisa airport - we managed to visit it and get the obligatory photo whilst waiting for our return flight - I think it cost about 40E for the return cab trip (after some negotiating) but is was worth it as an add-on

Graham

Thanks for that info Graham!
Sons just been looking at site posted by Rod..and also one by RyanAir who do a daytime flight for £34 single (as he may be staying on longer) from Stansted..
we weren't aware of no airport at Florence and your advice on getting ticked stamped & then train from Pisa is appreciated..
Ta very much
ellie

When I worked in Italy, Ellie, I often used Ryan Air (dirt cheap). I once flew for £9 one way from Ancona to Stansted and also did cheap flights to and from Rimini to Stansted. They have several Italian airports they fly to. Or I used Alitalia from Gatwick to Milan and Bolgna. Aaaahhhh...Italia...il bel paese. Tbbr is talking about architecture on another post...I used to swoon every day I was in Bologna looking at all the buildings (e anche i ragazzi belli ).

One word of warning though...the Italian trains can be good but they are also prone to strikes or having 4 hour delays.

Thanks for that info Bruxhy
I will inform sonny Jim..and pass on your comments about train strikes too
BTW..hes been online just now, and there is an airport at Florence..but theres a message saying it will be closed from February for 3 months maintenance!
cheers mate

Just to let those of you who have helped out on this one,that son has booked his flight in April to Pisa...it was £95 single ( a Saturday flight)with Ryan Air from Stansted, he then catches the train from Pisa airport to Florence, that works out about £10........
just thought, that is cheap ...why can't our train fares here be more reasonable..... ?
Thanks to you all

I am jealous. I love going to Italia. Yes, the trains are very cheap, Ellie. I just hope they are running smoothly for him. If not, there are always the buses.

Couple of words of advice 1. Tell him to take earplugs if he wants to sit quietly on the train and read or anything. The Italians enjoy having animated conversations, especially on their mobiles. When he hears "Pronto, ciao Francesco, tutto bene..." (or whatever name) tell him to stick 'em in his ears quick or he will surely be deaf by arrival at his destination. 2. If he doesn't smoke, tell him to go to the smoking carriage. It is the carriage where they don't smoke!!!

Hope he has a great time.

I am hoping to get a visit in to Florence when Michael and I take our cruise in October. Either that or Pisa, we can't decide. It would be great to do both, but I suspect not possible and certainly not for any great length of time!!!!!

Thanks for the useful advice Bruxhy! Il show it to him when he gets in!
Js going on a month's language course Sharen and to look for work in teaching..
I'm keeping fingers crossed that it gels for him, as it will be a good excuse to visit
Nearest we've been to Italy was the border at Monaco..so would love to see the country!

I went to San Remo once, which was pretty.

I love the Italian language...there is something sensual about it imho! I have often toyed with the idea of learning it, so perhaps that should be my next mission!!!

I am sure your boy will have a fabulous time Ellie, and where better to learn a language than in its native country.

Yes it is a lovely language Sharen...almost 'musical'
J has a grasp of it (mind you, I think hes thinking of 'grasping' something else )..I know very few words,
But you've brought back an incident a few years ago,before we moved here. I was wandering down by Essex Marina, feeling very homesick for Algarve and I spied a couple of fellas fishing off the jetty..
I could only hear from a distance and strangely, I thought they were speaking Portuguese. One turned to me and said hello..I said 'Portuguese?'......he said 'No, Sardinian'.....so they were speaking Italian.
But there English was excellent and I fell into conversation with them. They were off one of the boats there and I sat and listened as they spoke about their beautiful homeland...
a very nice interlude
Boats used to pull in there and unload goods from many places but mostly from the Baltic..we often spoke to Russian guys(these fellas used to dig up Dock leaves that grew on the bank of the sea wall there, and cook them as greens on board ship)
Oh blimey..Ive gone right off topic.....sorry.......................
ellie