Best day trips from Florence
Florence: Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti day trip
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What are the best day trips from Florence?
Pisa (1h by train, €10–15 return) and Lucca (1h20, €12 return) are the easiest. Siena takes 1h30 by bus (€8 return) and rewards with a car-free medieval centre. Chianti and Val d'Orcia require a car or guided tour. Cinque Terre is beautiful but genuinely long — 2h30 each way from SMN.
Why Florence is the perfect base for Tuscany
Florence sits almost exactly in the centre of Tuscany, which makes it one of the best-positioned cities in Italy for day trippers. From Santa Maria Novella (SMN) station, you can reach the Leaning Tower of Pisa in an hour, Siena’s medieval piazza in 90 minutes, and Bologna’s famous food market in under 40 minutes on the high-speed rail. Even Cinque Terre — which everyone wants to visit — is reachable, though honestly it makes for a long day.
The key is matching the destination to the right transport. Trains dominate for Pisa, Lucca, and Bologna. Buses beat trains for Siena. A car or guided tour is genuinely necessary for Chianti, Val d’Orcia, and Volterra. Below, you’ll find every major day trip laid out with honest times, fares, and what to prioritise if your time is limited.
Quick comparison table
| Destination | Best transport | Travel time (one way) | Approx return cost | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pisa | Regional train | 55–70 min | €18–30 | Pisa day trip |
| Lucca | Regional train | 1h20 | €12–24 | Lucca day trip |
| Siena | Bus (Tiemme rapida) | 1h15 | €8 | Siena day trip |
| San Gimignano | Tour or car | 1h30+ (via Siena) | €15–80 | San Gimignano day trip |
| Chianti | Car or wine tour | 40–60 min to first estate | €40–70 car / from €39 tour | Chianti day trip |
| Cinque Terre | Train (change La Spezia) | 2h30 | €30–40 | Cinque Terre day trip |
| Val d’Orcia | Car or guided tour | 2h to Pienza | €40–70 car / from €49 tour | Val d’Orcia day trip |
| Fiesole | City bus 7 | 25 min | €3.40 (return) | Fiesole half-day |
| Bologna | Frecciarossa | 37–40 min | €20–50 | Bologna day trip |
| Arezzo + Cortona | Regional train | 1h / 1h20 | €14–22 | Arezzo and Cortona |
| Volterra | Car or tour | 1h40 | car only practical | Volterra day trip |
| The Mall outlet | Shuttle / car | 40 min | free shuttle / €25 taxi | The Mall outlet trip |
The easiest day trips by train
Pisa — the classic (and worth it)
Pisa often gets dismissed as a one-trick pony, but the Piazza dei Miracoli is genuinely impressive once you’re standing in front of it. The Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the monumental cemetery (Camposanto Monumentale) together form one of the finest Romanesque ensembles in Europe.
Trains leave Santa Maria Novella roughly every 30 minutes. The fast regional (Intercity) takes 55 minutes; the slower regional takes 70 minutes. Fares start around €8.90 each way, no reservation needed. Leaning Tower tickets must be booked in advance — they sell out, especially in summer. The tower opens at 9am and the last entry is typically at 7pm in summer, so the day is flexible.
Full details in the Pisa day trip guide.
Lucca — the underrated gem
If Pisa is the famous sibling, Lucca is the quietly charming one that most visitors miss entirely. The city’s intact Renaissance walls are wide enough to cycle on top — rental bikes are everywhere inside the walls — and the historic centre is almost entirely car-free. The Guinigi Tower with its rooftop oak trees is unlike anything else in Tuscany.
Trains take about 1h20 from SMN (change sometimes required at Pisa Centrale). Return fares run €12–24. The city is small enough to see in half a day but rich enough to fill a full one, especially if you combine it with a Pisan stop on the same day.
Full details in the Lucca day trip guide.
Bologna — the surprise starter
Bologna surprises people. It’s a university city with some of Italy’s most serious food culture — the home of ragù (bolognese sauce), mortadella, and tortellini. The Piazza Maggiore is one of Italy’s great civic spaces. And it’s only 37–40 minutes from Florence on the Frecciarossa (from €9.90 each way if you book 2–4 weeks ahead).
This is one of the few day trips that works well even in winter, since it’s a city break with markets, restaurants, and covered porticoes to shelter under.
Full details in the Bologna day trip guide.
Day trips that need a bus
Siena — the essential Tuscan city
Siena is arguably the most important day trip from Florence for anyone interested in medieval Italy. The Piazza del Campo — the fan-shaped main square — is extraordinary, and the Duomo’s interior is more overwhelming than the Florence Duomo in some ways. Add the narrow contrade streets and the Pinacoteca Nazionale art gallery and you have a full day.
The transport trick: skip the train. The train route requires a change at Empoli and takes 1h30–2h each way. The Tiemme rapida bus from Florence Autostazione (next to SMN) is non-stop, takes about 1h15, and costs €4 each way (€8 return). Buy tickets at the Autostazione or at a tobacconist in advance.
Full details in the Siena day trip guide.
Day trips that need a car or guided tour
Chianti — Tuscany’s wine heartland
The Chianti Classico zone — the hills between Florence and Siena — is one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world, but it’s essentially inaccessible without a car or a tour. Narrow roads wind between vineyards, olive groves, and stone farmhouses (poderi). Village stops include Greve in Chianti, Panzano, Radda, and Gaiole. Most estates welcome visitors, but timings vary, so book winery visits ahead.
If you don’t want to drive, organised wine tours from Florence are genuinely worthwhile — they typically include transport, 2–3 winery visits with tastings, and lunch, all for €55–90 per person.
Full details in the Chianti day trip guide.
Val d’Orcia — UNESCO landscape perfection
Val d’Orcia is the cypress-lined, rolling-hill landscape that defines most people’s mental image of Tuscany. The key stops are Pienza (the ideal Renaissance town), Montalcino (Brunello wine), Montepulciano (Vino Nobile wine, hilltop town), and the village of San Quirico d’Orcia.
Getting here without a car is possible via a guided tour from Florence (about €50–80 per person, day-long trip), but the region is too spread out for public transport. Drive time from Florence to Pienza is about 2 hours via the A1 motorway and SP146.
Full details in the Val d’Orcia day trip guide.
San Gimignano — the medieval Manhattan
San Gimignano’s 14 surviving medieval towers make it instantly recognisable. It’s extremely popular and can feel overrun at midday in summer — arrive early or late afternoon. It works well as part of a Siena day trip (35km apart by car) or as part of a guided Siena–Chianti–San Gimignano combo tour.
There is a bus connection from Florence (Siena bus + local bus from Poggibonsi), but it takes 2h30+ each way and the schedules are infrequent. A guided tour makes much more sense for a day trip.
Full details in the San Gimignano day trip guide.
Volterra — Etruscan mystery city
Volterra sits on a dramatic plateau and has a different character from other Tuscan towns — more austere, with important Etruscan remains and an alabaster-carving tradition. It’s the least touristy of the major Tuscan hill towns and rewards those willing to make the effort. Public transport is very limited; a car or private tour is needed.
Full details in the Volterra day trip guide.
The long one: Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre — the five colourful fishing villages clinging to the Ligurian cliffs — is arguably the most photographed destination in northwest Italy. It’s reachable from Florence in a day, but you need to be realistic about the journey.
The fastest route is Florence SMN → La Spezia (1h45–2h on Frecciarossa or regional, with possible change at Pisa) → local Cinque Terre Express to individual villages. Total travel time from SMN to Riomaggiore: roughly 2h30 each way. You’ll have about 4–5 hours on the ground.
In high season, the coastal hiking trails between villages are often partially closed due to erosion. The villages themselves can be genuinely crowded at midday. A guided tour with a van allows you to stop at Pisa on the way, getting two destinations for one long day.
Full details in the Cinque Terre day trip guide.
Half-day options: Fiesole
Fiesole doesn’t need a whole day. It’s Florence’s ancient Etruscan hilltop neighbour, 8km northeast, with Roman ruins (a well-preserved theatre), archaeological museum, and the most photogenic panoramic view of Florence you’ll find. City bus 7 from Piazza San Marco gets you there in 25 minutes for a regular ATAF bus fare (€1.70 each way).
This is a perfect addition to a morning in Florence — go up for the view and lunch, then come back down for an afternoon at a museum.
Full details in the Fiesole half-day guide.
The Mall luxury outlet
The Mall Luxury Outlets at Leccio (near Reggello, about 30km south of Florence) hosts boutiques for Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and more, often at 40–70% below retail. There’s a free shuttle from Santa Maria Novella station — check the current timetable at the Florence Autostazione or on The Mall’s website. If you go by taxi or rideshare, budget about €25–30 each way.
Full details in The Mall outlet trip guide.
Combining day trips
Some destinations pair naturally:
- Pisa + Lucca: Doable on one day by train. See Pisa in the morning, Lucca in the afternoon (or reverse). Trains run directly between the two cities in 20 minutes.
- Siena + San Gimignano: By car or guided tour, these two combine perfectly — 35km apart.
- Chianti + Siena: Many wine tours end in Siena for a late afternoon piazza wander before returning to Florence.
- Arezzo + Cortona: Both reachable by regional train, about 1 hour apart from Florence. Cover them together on one day.
- Cinque Terre + Pisa: Guided tours often include a Pisa stop (tower exterior) on the way to the Ligurian coast.
Tips for Florence day trippers
Book train tickets in advance for high-speed routes. Frecciarossa fares to Bologna can be as low as €9.90 if you book 30 days ahead; they rise to €35+ on the day. Regional trains to Pisa and Lucca have no reservation requirement and fares are fixed.
Start early. Florence’s summer heat (June–August, regularly 32–36°C) makes late-morning sightseeing uncomfortable. Leave SMN before 8:30am when possible.
Avoid peak summer for crowded spots. Cinque Terre trails in July–August are heavily managed and may close sections. Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli is at its worst between 11am and 3pm in July–August.
ZTL zones don’t follow you. Florence has strict limited-traffic zones in its centre, but Siena, Pisa, and most Tuscan towns have their own ZTL areas too. If you’re renting a car for Chianti or Val d’Orcia, don’t drive into the old town centres of Siena or Pisa.
Carry cash for small towns. Many farmhouse wineries and small restaurants in Chianti and Val d’Orcia are card-optional at best.
Frequently asked questions about day trips from Florence
How many day trips can I realistically fit into a week in Florence?
Most visitors with 5–7 days in Florence can comfortably manage 2–3 day trips without feeling rushed. Pisa is fast enough (half-day) to combine with a Florence afternoon. Siena or Chianti each warrant a full day. Choose quality over quantity — trying to cram in Cinque Terre plus Val d’Orcia plus Siena in 3 days will exhaust you.
Is it better to do day trips independently or with a guided tour?
It depends entirely on the destination. For train-accessible cities (Pisa, Lucca, Bologna, Siena), independent travel is easy and cheaper. For wine country (Chianti, Val d’Orcia), a guided tour that includes transport, multiple winery visits, and lunch often works out similar in cost to renting a car — and you can drink the wine. For Cinque Terre, a guided group tour is more comfortable than figuring out the train connections yourself.
What should I wear for day trips in summer?
Light, breathable clothing and good walking shoes — Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli and Siena’s Centro Storico involve extensive walking on uneven stone. Siena’s Duomo has a dress code (shoulders and knees covered). Carry a small water bottle; most towns have free drinking fountains.
Do I need to book day trip transport in advance?
For regional trains (Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo), no advance booking is needed — just show up and buy at the machine. For Frecciarossa to Bologna, advance booking saves significantly. For Cinque Terre and Val d’Orcia guided tours, book at least a week ahead in spring/summer. Leaning Tower timed tickets should be booked 2+ weeks ahead in peak season.
Can I do a day trip with children?
Pisa is excellent with children — the tower is thrilling, the Cathedral is accessible, and there’s space to run on the lawns. Fiesole works well for older children (Roman theatre is fun to explore). Cinque Terre with young children requires good judgement about the hiking trails (some are steep and exposed). Chianti wine tours are adult-focused; look for agritourism farms that welcome families. See the day trips with kids in Tuscany guide for a fuller breakdown by age group.
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