It wasn't without some sadness that I left Rome, a city that completely stole my heart. I think a part of me is still walking in Villa Borghese and another part is sitting on the Spanish steps.
Buying a ticket at the Termini Station in Rome is a pleasure. The officials at the station are obviously less stressed than their counterparts in India and you can feel the difference. An extremely nice lady gave me all sorts of alternatives for a train ride from Rome to Florence. She suggested I take a slow train in the first class to the renaissance city as I could enjoy the Lazio and Tuscany country-side on the ride.
The ride was smooth and yes, the views were breath-taking. It was interesting to observe several midieval towns on hill tops with smaller settlements at the foot of the hills. It was spring and the greenery of the Italian countryside made a beautiful sight. I could see Vivaldi composing his beautiful music as the train headed north.
The railways in Italy are super-efficient. The train left exactly at 15:45 and reached at 18:48, as promised. As the train crosses a series of tunnels and heads into Florence's Santa Maria Novella Station, you don't see any traces of the legacy of this great city. The station is about a 10 minute walk from the historical part of the city.
Italy is really a small country. Florence is only 315 kilometres away from Rome. If you take a fast train, you can do a day trip to the city.
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