medieval
Siena
the Campo, the Duomo, the contrade
Siena
outdoors
Florence's historic rival, all uphill and brick. The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, the striped Duomo, alleys that change flags with every contrada.
- best time
- a full day, leaving early
- what to see
- Piazza del Campo, the Duomo and Piccolomini Library, Santa Maria della Scala
- getting there
- Autolinee Toscane express bus from the coach station near Santa Maria Novella, about 1 hour 15; regional train about 1 hour 30, the station is down below and you go up by escalator. By car about 1 hour on the Florence-Siena road; the centre is a ZTL.
- duration
- a full day
host's note
On Palio days (2 July and 16 August) the city is packed: beautiful, but not for a quiet day out.
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city walls
Lucca
tree-lined walls, bikes, a hundred churches
Lucca
outdoorswith kids
A town enclosed by intact walls that are now a park: you ride round them by bike above the rooftops. Inside, round squares, towers with trees on top and a slower pace than Florence.
- best time
- a full day, best in the sun
- what to see
- a bike ride round the walls, Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, Torre Guinigi, San Michele in Foro
- getting there
- Direct regional train from Santa Maria Novella, about 1 hour 20; the station is just outside the walls. By car about 1 hour on the A11.
- duration
- a full day
host's note
Rent a bike just inside the walls: the full loop is about 4 km, flat and shady.
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the tower
Pisa
Piazza dei Miracoli and a real city
Pisa
booking recommendedoutdoors
Everyone knows the Tower, but Piazza dei Miracoli still surprises you in person: white marble on green grass. Then the riverside and Borgo Stretto, a university town that lives without tourists too.
- best time
- morning or afternoon, pairs well with Lucca
- what to see
- Piazza dei Miracoli, climbing the Tower, the riverside, Borgo Stretto
- getting there
- Train from Santa Maria Novella, about 50 minutes to 1 hour; from the station to Piazza dei Miracoli it's a 25-minute walk. By car about 1 hour on the Florence-Pisa-Livorno road.
- duration
- half a day or a full day
host's note
To climb the Tower, book online: entry is at fixed times and slots sell out.
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towers
San Gimignano
towers, Vernaccia and hills
San Gimignano
outdoors
The village of towers, the postcard of medieval Tuscany. Crowded at midday, magical early in the morning and at sunset, when the coaches have left.
- best time
- early morning or late afternoon
- what to see
- the towers, Piazza della Cisterna, the Collegiata, a glass of Vernaccia
- getting there
- By car about 1 hour (Florence-Siena road, Poggibonsi exit); car parks outside the walls, the centre is a ZTL. By public transport about 2 hours: train or bus to Poggibonsi, then Autolinee Toscane bus 130.
- duration
- a full day
host's note
By car it's worth stopping at Monteriggioni too, the village with its crown of walls, 20-25 minutes away.
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wine
Chianti
Greve, Panzano, wineries and hills
Greve in Chianti
booking recommendedoutdoors
The hills between Florence and Siena: vineyards, cypresses, wineries and small villages. Greve in Chianti is the easiest starting point, with its arcaded square.
- best time
- a full day, in spring or during the grape harvest
- what to see
- a wine tasting at a winery, the square in Greve, Panzano, the views
- getting there
- By car 45 minutes to 1 hour on the Chiantigiana (SR 222); the road itself is the highlight. By public transport: Autolinee Toscane bus 365 to Greve, about 1 hour.
- duration
- a full day
host's note
Whoever drives doesn't drink: limits in Italy are strict. Book wine tastings ahead, and many wineries also arrange transport.
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art
Arezzo
Piero della Francesca and Piazza Grande
Arezzo
booking recommendedoutdoors
An art town without Florence's crowds: Piero della Francesca's frescoes, the sloping Piazza Grande, antique shops.
- best time
- a full day; the Antiques Fair is held on the first Sunday of the month
- what to see
- the Legend of the True Cross in San Francesco, Piazza Grande, the Duomo
- getting there
- Regional train from Santa Maria Novella, about 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 35; the station is a few minutes' walk from the centre. By car about 1 hour on the A1.
- duration
- a full day
host's note
To see Piero's frescoes up close in San Francesco, book: entry is in time slots.
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fast train
Bologna
porticoes, towers, tortellini
Bologna
booking recommendedrainy day
Outside Tuscany but just a step away: 40 minutes by fast train. Miles of porticoes, red squares, a university town that eats extremely well.
- best time
- a full day, fine even when it rains
- what to see
- Piazza Maggiore, the Two Towers, the porticoes, the Quadrilatero, tortellini and mortadella
- getting there
- Frecciarossa or Italo from Santa Maria Novella, about 40 minutes: worth booking. By car about 1 hour 15 on the A1, but the train is easier.
- duration
- a full day
host's note
The porticoes cover almost the whole centre: it's the right trip for a rainy day.
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nearby
Fiesole
the hill above Florence
Fiesole
outdoorswith kids
The Etruscan and Roman hill town that looks down on Florence. A Roman theatre, a convent at the top and a view over the whole city.
- best time
- afternoon until sunset, half a day
- what to see
- the archaeological area with the Roman theatre, the climb to San Francesco, the view
- getting there
- Autolinee Toscane bus 7 to Piazza Mino, 20-25 minutes; a bus about every 20 minutes. On the way back you can walk down the lanes, about 1 hour.
- duration
- half a day
host's note
Bus 7 also stops in Piazza San Marco, two minutes from home: it's the easiest trip of all.
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