Best day trips from Florence (without a car)
Florence is located in the heart of Tuscany, in the middle of central Italy. It is a strategic position that allows you to quickly reach many other interesting places in Italy. After visiting the city of Florence, you can spend one or more days to discover villages nestled in the rolling hills, towns rich in history and art, little-known and off the beaten path places. In this post you will find a list of the best day trips you can do from Florence, even without driving a car, with all the information you need: how to get there, how long it takes and what to do and see.
At the end of this post you will find a map where I have pointed all the places I’ve mentioned.
My name is Claudia, I’m local licensed tour guide in Florence with more than 10 years of experience. Learn more about me and my guided tours in Florence!
Tuscany, day and half-day trips from Florence by train or bus
Here you will find all the day trips from Florence that you can do. Medium and large towns are easily reached by train, while small villages are often off the railway lines, and the only way to reach them without having to drive a car is with an organized tour including transport.
Some destinations are very close and small enough to be visited in a few hours, so you can also do a half day trip, in case you don’t have much time.
In case you want to rent a car to move around freely, I recommend you to use RentalCars to compare the prices of the main car rental companies and find the best deal. Click below to find all my tips on…
Day trip from Florence to Tuscany wine tasting
Chianti is a country region of Tuscany, that stretches between the cities of Florence and Siena, famous throughout the world for its landscape (the famous rolling hills of Tuscany) and for its excellent wines. A day in Chianti to discover vineyards, ancient castles and charming villages is one of the experiences not to be missed during a trip to Florence and Tuscany.
- More info about wine tasting tours in Florence
If you want to visit Chianti independently, the only option is a rental car: the most beautiful villages and vineyards for wine tasting are scattered in the countryside and cannot be reached by train or bus.
The simplest solution for those who don’t want to drive is to book an organized guided day trip that includes transport. Guided tours usually include lunch, a visit to a vineyard, and one or more wine tasting experiences. In my opinion it is the best way to see and do as many things as possible in one day in Chianti. Here are some ideas:
- Chianti wine tour and San Gimignano with lunch
- Wine tasting experience in Chianti (with olive oil tasting and local food)
- Vespa tour in Chianti with lunch
- Cooking class in a farmhouse in Chianti
Siena, best day and half-day trip from Florence
Siena is a beautiful city, rich in art, history and magnificent monuments, such as its gothic cathedral. For centuries a rival of Florence, Siena has a strong local identity and ancient traditions such as the Palio di Siena, a horse race in the narrow medieval streets of the city. Siena is small and its historic center can be explored entirely on foot, but there are so many places to see, churches and museums to visit that one day is just enough.
Siena is about an hour’s drive from Florence, or an hour and a half by train. The regional trains from Florence Santa Maria Novella to Siena FS are frequent (one every 30 minutes) but often crowded and late.
If you get to Siena on your own, then take a guided tour of the city to optimize your time there:
Also in this case you can choose to take an guided tour of Siena, including transport to and from Florence, and perhaps also including some other activities, such as a visit to a countryside village or a wine tasting experience. Here are some ideas:
- Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa day trip with lunch at a winery
- Siena and San Gimignano small group tour with lunch
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is a medieval village famous for its ancient towers, built in the 1200s by local families to show off their wealth and power. Once there were 72 towers, today 13 remain. Most of these are private property, and therefore cannot be visited, but you can climb the top of the Torre Grossa, in the Palazzo Comunale, and the Torre Salvucci Maggiore, the tallest of the twin towers of San Gimignano.
San Gimignano is also home to one of the best and most famous gelato makers in the world, winner of countless awards, Gelateria Dondoli. Be prepared to queue a lot to eat a gelato here!
San Gimignano is located in the province of Siena, about halfway between Florence and Siena. By car from Florence it takes about an hour, driving along scenic roads of the Tuscan countryside. There is no train station in San Gimignano, so it cannot be reached by railway. There are local buses, but they are infrequent and I don’t recommend them.
San Gimignano is very small, it can be visited entirely on foot and half a day can be sufficient. Being close to Siena, the two cities can be visited together, during the same day trip.
As for organized tours, take a look at these:
- Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa day trip with lunch at a winery
- Siena and San Gimignano small group tour with lunch
- San Gimignano and Siena small group tour with lunch
- San Gimignano, Siena, Monteriggioni and wine tasting in Chianti
Cinque Terre: beach day trips from Florence
The one to Cinque Terre is definitely one of the most popular day trips from Florence. The Cinque Terre region is not located in Tuscany, but in Liguria, which is a different Italian region. However, Liguria is quite close to Florence, close enough to visit the Cinque Terre with a day trip from Florence.
Cinque Terre means Five Villages, because it is made up of 5 villages located along the coast, one after the other. The five villages are very close to each other and well connected by local trains that stop in each of them, and connect them to the city of La Spezia.
I don’t recommend to go to Cinque Terre by car, parking is mission impossible, and the restricted traffic zones are a nightmare. You have two alternative options:
- By train – it takes about 2 and a half hours, changing trains twice, in Pisa and in La Spezia.
- With an organized tour including transport (like this one with optional hiking).
Organized tours often also include a boat ride and the chance to hike the trails around the villages.
Cinque terre optional hiking day trip from Florence
Here you will find all the information on day trips to Cinque Terre from Florence and how to get there by train.
Day trip to Pisa
Pisa is a town near the coast of Tuscany, about 90 km (56 miles) away from Florence. I don’t think there is any need to remind you that Pisa is the city of the Leaning Tower, but there is much more besides the tower. The medieval complex of Piazza dei Miracoli (which is where the leaning tower is) is beautiful, and also includes the cathedral, the baptistery and the ancient cemetery. Pisa is a lively university town, with a historic center full of interesting museums, characteristic streets, bars and restaurants.
If you only want to see the Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli half a day is enough. If, on the other hand, you also want to discover the rest of the city, plan to spend the whole day there.
You can easily reach Pisa both by train and by car (in both cases it takes about an hour and a quarter). Here I explain in detail how to go from Florence to Pisa (and vice versa).
If you want to visit Pisa without any stress, book a guided tour including transport. There are several options:
- Pisa afternoon tour from Florence (6 hours, with a licensed tour guide)
- Day trip to Pisa and Lucca from Florence (9 hours, customizable with entrance tickets and guided tours).
- Pisa and Cinque Terre day trip by train (with a tour guide)
Beach day trip to Pisa
If you want to escape from summer heat and spend a day at the beach, Pisa might not be the best option. The city of Pisa, even if very close to it, is not by the sea.
The closest sandy beaches are at Tirrenia and Marina di Pisa, two smaller towns that you can reach by bus from Pisa. There are several beach resorts and some free beaches.
Other options for a beach day trip from Florence:
- Livorno (cheapest option and great local seafood)
- Viareggio
- Lido di Camaiore
- Forte dei Marmi (very fancy and quite expensive)
Lucca
Lucca is an ancient city, still today surrounded by its medieval walls, rich in history and monuments. It is famous for its ancient towers, such as the Guinigi Tower, on top of which there are oak trees! The medieval walls have now become a beautiful public park: one of the experiences not to be missed is a walk along the walls of Lucca to see the city from above.
Lucca is also famous for its antiques market which takes place every third weekend of the month in the narrow streets of the historic centre.
Every year, at the beginning of November, Lucca becomes the European capital of comics, cosplay and collecting, hosting the Lucca Comics event, which attracts fans from all over the world.
You can reach Lucca from Florence both by car (but parking in Lucca is difficult and paid parking is expensive) and by train. By train it takes from one hour and 20 to one hour and 45 minutes, depending on how many intermediate stops the train makes.
- Here are my tips on how to get from Florence to Lucca
Pisa and Lucca are very close and well connected to each other, both by road and by train. For this reason it’s easy to visit both towns in a single day trip. And tours often include both places.
- Day trip to Pisa and Lucca from Florence (with transportation)
- Walking tour of Lucca and the walls
- Lucca bike tour with food and wine
Best day trip by train from Florence: Arezzo
Personally I love Arezzo, in my opinion it is one of the most beautiful cities in Tuscany, so rich in art and history. And at the same time it is one of the least known by mass tourism.
Starting from its stunning Piazza Grande, dating back to the 1200s, you can spend an entire day walking the medieval streets and alleyways, indulging in restaurants, cafes, and small craft shops. Don’t forget to visit its churches, especially those that house the Renaissance masterpieces of Piero della Francesca: the Cathedral and the church of Santa Maria della Pieve.
An important antiques market is also held in Arezzo, every first Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday.
You can reach Arezzo by train in about an hour with the direct regional trains (an hour and a half with the regional ones that make more intermediate stops). The city is very walkable and you won’t need to use public transport to get around.
- Check this private walking tour of Arezzo with a local guide
- Small group street food tour in Arezzo
Day trip to Valdorcia (Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano)
Valdorcia is a lovely valley in the Tuscan countryside, south of Siena. It’s an area famous for its charming and ancient villages, and for the typical local products: wine, pecorino cheese and extra virgin olive oil, one of the best in Italy.
The most famous villages are:
Montalcino – a medieval village surrounded by walls and dominated by an ancient fortress. It is known for its wine, the famous Brunello di Montalcino.
Pienza – a small medieval village transformed in the Renaissance by an ambitious pope who was born right here. This wonderful village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Montepulciano – surrounded by a beautiful hilly landscape, this town is famous for its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine.
The villages of Valdorcia are scattered in the countryside, and cannot be reached by train. The only options available are:
- An independent day trip with a rental car
- An organized day trip to Valdorcia with wine and cheese tasting, and transport to and from Florence.
Day trip to Bologna from Florence
Bologna is a fantastic city, rich in art and history. It is one of the cultural capitals of Italy, and is also a very lively university city. But Bologna is also and above all a gastronomic capital, whose culinary tradition has produced some staples of Italian cuisine. Especially the fresh pasta, and especially the lasagna! Bologna is the capital of Emilia Romagna, home of balsamic vinegar, prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Between one meal and another, don’t forget to visit its ancient towers, churches full of artworks and its unique museums.
If you want to visit Bologna, plan at least a whole day, but if you have more time available, I recommend spending at least two days there. Definitely one of the best day trips from Florence that you can take, in my opinion!
Most popular activities to do in Bologna:
- Bologna walking food tour
- Bologna food experience: factory visits, with lunch and wine tasting
- Ferrari and Lamborghini factories and museums – tour from Bologna
Bologna is easily reachable from Florence in about half an hour with high-speed trains. There are two high-speed train companies in Italy, both are valid and reliable:
- Italo – Italo trains are always high speed.
- Trenitalia – this company has both high-speed trains (called Frecce) and regional trains. I advise you not to go to Bologna with regionals, the journey is very long and there are some changes to make. Select “frecce” when searching.
From Florence to Venice or Rome day trip
Many travelers ask me if it is worth taking a day trip from Florence to Rome or Venice. I understand that you want to try to visit as many places as possible in the time available, but I think that is not a good idea.
First of all because Venice and Rome are quite far from Florence: it takes at least an hour and a half by train to go to Rome, and two and a quarter hours to reach Venice. By car or bus it takes even longer. You would spend at least half your time on transport.
And then because Venice and Rome are two cities so rich in things and places to see, that a few hours are not really enough. I recommend planning at least 2 days for each of these cities (but 3 days would be better).
If you don’t have enough time to visit all those cities, you can always return to Italy for your next trip!
- How to get from Florence to Venice (and vice versa)
- From Florence to Rome by train
Fun activities for a day trip from Florence
If you want to do something new and fun, and spend a day enjoying authentic experiences in Tuscany, here are some ideas for day trips:
Cooking class in the Tuscan countryside. Learn how to make pasta from scratch, tiramisù and other staples of Italian cuisine, in a farmhouse in the Chianti countryside. There are so many different options: with or without transportation, with a shopping tour at a local market, gluten-free and vegan cooking classes… I have put them all together in a blogpost:
- All the best cooking class in Florence
Truffle Hunting in Tuscany. Spend a day outdoor in the countryside, together with a truffle hunter and his dog, to discover all the secrets of this ancient tradition. The experience takes places in San Miniato, one of the world truffle capitals, and includes transportation and a truffle-based lunch.
- More info about truffle hunting in Florence here.
Electric bike tours. With an e-bike you can bike all day long through the rolling hills of Tuscany, without too much effort. t’s a great way to explore the countryside (and the city of Florence too), and you can visit villages and do wine tasting experiences along your way.
- Read my blogpost about the best bike tours in Florence
Vespa tour in Chianti – drive a vespa along scenic country roads and enjoy the landscape of Tuscany. and then stop for a yummy traditional lunch. Hotel pick up and drop off is included. If you don’t want to drive a Vespa, you can be a passenger!
- Learn more about the best Vespa tours in Florence.
Map of the best day trips from Florence
I have pointed on a map all the places I’ve mentioned in this post, so you can have an idea of distances and locations.
That’s all for this time! I hope I have been helpful in choosing which day trips from Florence to do and which other places to visit in Italy. If you have other tips to add to mine, leave me a comment and share your experience with other travellers!