Florence is gorgeous, and the traditional picture of the domes of the Florence Cathedral at evening is a sight that has traveled the world photographically as postcards and social media posts for a very long time now. It isn’t simply the long-lasting cathedral; Florence has so many wonderful issues to do in 2023. It is a metropolis of arts, wine tasting, and gorgeous views.
You can simply see why visiting Florence is such a bucket listing vacationer exercise. The metropolis middle is an absolute hub for sightseeing and embracing indulgent Italian residing. So on the subject of day journeys from Florence, discovering day journey locations that really justify tearing your self away from Florence metropolis middle can appear ludicrous when you aren’t aware of its surrounding ‘day trip territory’. Please don’t make the rookie transfer of staying in Florence’s metropolis middle; these day journeys from Florence are properly price it.
22 Best Day Trips from Florence
Whether you desire a leisurely half-day journey or an formidable regional prepare scramble, these finest day journeys from Florence will present a few of the most memorable experiences in your Italy itinerary. A day journey from Florence is without doubt one of the most enjoyable issues you are able to do, and also you’ve received to benefit from the unimaginable community of high-speed trains and town’s prime location in the Tuscan countryside. Don’t make Florence your last vacation spot – regardless of how alluring that Florence Vespa tour seems.
Planning Your Trip To Florence Right Now?
Below are a few of the high day journey excursions from Florence. Don’t overlook to plan forward when visiting Italy!
Top Day Trip Activities and Tours from Florence:
1. Cinque Terre
If you need to tick off iconic locations and choose a memorable day journey, Cinque Terre is without doubt one of the most traditional day journeys from Florence. Cinque Terre is a world-famous row of historical seaside villages dotted in clusters alongside the dramatic Riviera shoreline. The area is known for its colourful homes and cliffside attraction, with the homes nearly spilling over rock faces on their method right down to the oceanfront.
Cinque Terre has 5 most important cities: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Monterosso, and Corniglia – when you can, go to all of them. Each city has its prepare station, and it is without doubt one of the finest day journeys when you’d wish to indulge in nice meals, aesthetic city scenes, and optionally available climbing trails. A Cinque Terre day journey is to not be missed, and you’ll try our full information to visiting right here.
Distance from Florence: 3 hours by prepare or automotive
2. Wine Tasting
To be a wine lover, you should go to Tuscany and its lovely wine areas. The most well-known is the Chianti wine area, which has Sangiovese grapes that create scrumptious pale wines. The Chianti hills are stuffed with wine estates, with the Chianti wines relationship again to earlier than the early fifteenth century, and you’ll take a guided wine tour that whisks you round the very best. The Chianti wine area is well-liked due to its excessive density of wine estates and the tastiness of its produce.
You ought to guide a guided tour for this Florence day journey for apparent causes. Public transport is proscribed in distant areas, and rental vehicles are an apparent no-go. Still, fortunately there are such a lot of organized wine-tasting excursions from Florence. Tours sometimes final half a day, lasting between 5.5 and seven hours – so that you’ll get to see a superb chunk of the Tuscan countryside whereas hopping between wine estates. A wine tour is a lot enjoyable.
Distance from Florence: An hour by automotive
3. Pisa
Who doesn’t dream of visiting Pisa? And due to Italy’s high-speed prepare system, you possibly can attain Pisa in lower than an hour from the central Florence prepare station. A day journey to Pisa is stuffed with sightseeing and tradition; you have got the long-lasting Leaning Tower, scrumptious meals, and lots of artwork museums. Pose in the traditional ‘hold up the Leaning Tower’ place and wander via gorgeous white marble buildings; visiting Pisa is incredible for the relaxed sightseer kind of traveler.
Wine lovers can put all their newly accrued wine tour information to the check by ordering a glass to people-watch with and dine al fresco. A day in Pisa must be in your playing cards. It is without doubt one of the finest cultural spots in Italy, and direct trains just like the Pisa to Florence connection are God sends on the subject of Florence day journeys.
Distance from Florence: 1 hour by prepare
4. San Gimignano
If you desire a extra rustic, medieval-style day journey from Florence, a San Gimignano day journey must be on the playing cards. San Gimignano is a tiny hill city with historical metropolis partitions that date again to the Thirteenth century and a skyline coated with medieval spires and rooftops.
San Gimignano’s feudal environment has lingered over time, and it has a ‘step back in time’ high quality that pulls many vacationers. The city can also be a chosen UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Florence day journey is right for anybody wanting a small, walkable vacation spot. And San Gimignano’s historical past is tough to withstand.
You can catch a prepare to Poggibonsi after which a bus to San Gimignano to get there. There are common prepare schedules, so planning prepare rides and bus journeys is straightforward, regardless of the temporary stopover in Poggibonsi, and the entire journey takes lower than two hours a technique. Or you possibly can guide a rental automotive and drive at the present time journey from Florence in an hour.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours by public transport or an hour by automotive
5. Volterra
Volterra is one other medieval city simply accessible as one of many most important Florence day journeys. This time, although, it has a particular darkish aesthetic, with orangey brown buildings and a solemn architectural vibe. Volterra has seen every thing from the Etruscan to the Roman and Medieval intervals, and this half-day journey from Florence is without doubt one of the most historic small-town locations you possibly can select. Ancient metropolis partitions encompass the city, and its Palazzo dei Priori is adorned with medieval frescoes.
A Volterra day journey is extra than simply wandering medieval streets. It has some sensible points of interest, good for history-loving day trippers. A significant Volterra attraction is the Roman Theater advanced, which has tub ruins relationship again to the third century. Visit the Roman Theater and likewise pay a go to to admire the extravagant ceiling of the Palace of the Priors.
Distance from Florence: 1.5 hours by automotive or 2.5 hours by public transport
6. Lucca
Lucca is a fantastically historic medieval metropolis recognized for its Renaissance partitions and gorgeous metropolis middle. Lucca has a cobblestone aesthetic with some large metropolis points of interest and is barely bigger than the medieval cities we’ve already listed. Split in half by the Serchio River and surrounded by tree-lined streets and Sixteenth-century ramparts, Lucca is gorgeous to discover on foot.
You can catch a prepare to Lucca prepare station via rolling hills, having fun with some attractive surroundings and Pisa stopover earlier than arriving in Lucca in underneath two hours. Alternatively, take the direct path to Lucca on the bus in simply over an hour. Lucca is without doubt one of the most photogenic day journeys from Florence and is finest for hopping between monuments. It additionally has top-of-the-line direct buses out of all these day journeys from Florence.
Distance from Florence: 1 hour and quarter-hour by bus or automotive
7. Montepulciano
Montepulciano is a hilltop city stuffed with character. The charming city is ready inside the Tuscan countryside and is without doubt one of the most rural day journeys from Florence. Vineyards encompass Montepulciano, and it’s a paradise for wine lovers; well-known for its vino nobile purple wine – medium-bodied and fruity. However, it isn’t all surroundings and wine. Visitors even have the city’s medieval historical past to get pleasure from. Set excessive in the Tuscan hills, points of interest just like the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biagio turn into much more dramatic.
Small cities like Montepulciano are finest visited by rental automotive. With rental vehicles, you possibly can get pleasure from a extra liberating journey to Montepulciano. And apart from, with no direct prepare, you’ll shave over an hour off your journey time.
Distance from Florence: 1.5 hours by automotive or 3 hours by public transport.
8. Milan
Milan is an enormous identify. And for individuals who have but to go to Milan, Italy’s vogue capital, it’s an unmissable day journey from Florence. The metropolis is known for Milan Fashion Week and has attracted enormous designer and mannequin names over the previous years. Milan is all procuring and structure – so if both sounds up your road, this is without doubt one of the finest day journeys from Florence. The iconic Duomo di Milano is the place to fill your structure bucket. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is without doubt one of the fanciest procuring facilities ever seen.
Milan can also be one of the crucial eco-friendly Florence day journeys; it’s faster to get there by prepare than by automotive. The high-speed prepare from Florence reaches Milan in lower than 2 hours, whilst you journey for 3.5 hours by automotive.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours by prepare or 3.5 hours by automotive
9. Siena
Siena is much from only a lovely identify; this UNESCO World Heritage Site has a placing most important square-shaped like a fan and a few ridiculously fairly medieval buildings. It is without doubt one of the finest day journeys from Florence if you would like medieval Tuscan sightseeing with out the trouble of inaccessible, out-of-the-way villages and hilltop cities.
Siena is gorgeous, historic, and extremely accessible. Regarding must-visits, the fan-shaped sq., Piazza del Campo, is a best choice while you’re there. You must also climb to the highest of the Torre del Mangia and revel in some native delicacies.
Siena is finest reached by bus. You can even catch the regional prepare with out reserving prepare tickets in advance. However, the bus is marginally faster, so when you fancy saving your self half-hour, take the bus as an alternative.
Distance from Florence: 1 hour by automotive or bus
10. Venice
Venice is without doubt one of the finest locations to go to in Italy, and when you go to Florence, there’s no cause you possibly can’t have the very best of each worlds. Venice has many issues to do, together with taking a canal gondola experience and visiting St Mark’s Square.
The metropolis middle is finest skilled by strolling tour – guided or self-guided – and is famously set on water, divided by canals and linked by boats and tiny overwater bridges. If you desire a day journey from Florence that may make an impression, a visit to Venice is one in every of your most dependable choices. Venice is magical.
Distance from Florence: 3 hours by automotive or 2 hours by prepare
11. Rome
You’ll want your ambition for this journey, however Rome is without doubt one of the finest day journeys from Florence. If you catch a quick prepare, you possibly can arrive instantly at one of many central Rome prepare stations in simply 1.5 hours. The quick trains are a superb method of which means you continue to get loads of free time in your Rome day journey. The real-time cruncher is making an attempt to cherry-pick the very best of Rome to see in only a single day – this metropolis normally calls for three to 4 days at the least.
Pick a couple of points of interest and analysis transport between them as a result of Rome is large; hardly explorable on only a strolling tour. The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Trevi Fountain mix properly in a single day. While if you wish to see the Vatican City, you’ll want a complete day to go to this area of Rome.
Central Italy is properly price detouring to on a day journey from Florence. Just ensure you catch the direct trains and high-speed choices. You can learn all about the very best locations to see in Rome right here.
Distance from Florence: 1.5 hours by prepare
12. Bologna
Bologna is a kind of Italian cities you hear of hundreds however are likely to overlook for extra mainstream locations. We are right here to vary your thoughts on lovely Bologna, although. And it is best to carve out time for a day journey from Florence to Bologna, particularly in case you are a foodie. Bologna is famend for its scrumptious meals and is the proper place to take a cooking class or meals tour. Think pasta, tiramisu, and extra. The entire metropolis seems like one large restaurant, and it even has the nickname ‘Fat City.’
Bologna is 40 minutes away by prepare, so we advocate heading there for a night meal or a half-day journey from Florence. It is the proper close by vacation spot to divert to for some high-quality delicacies. Keep your abdomen comfortable and add this to your must-do Florence day journeys.
Distance from Florence: 40 minutes by prepare
13. Fiesole
Fiesole is a city of ruins however in the very best method. The city has many historic and archaeological points of interest, together with the unique segments of the city’s Etruscan wall, preserved Roman baths and theater, and quite a few spiritual landmarks. Fiesole is without doubt one of the finest day journeys from Florence to get a style of lesser-visited historical past. Its historical past is assumed so far again even additional than its bigger neighbor of Florence, making it a sought-after location for historical past fans and people in the know.
You can take advantage of regional trains or drive to Fiesole. The city is simply exterior of Florence’s bounds, so it is without doubt one of the most handy sightseeing locations you possibly can get pleasure from exterior town middle.
Distance from Florence: 35 minutes by prepare or 20 minutes by automotive
14. Verona
Verona is without doubt one of the most romantic cities on Earth, so on the subject of probably the most memorable day journeys from Florence, Verona must be on the high. Verona is town of the opera Romeo and Juliet – which Shakespeare set in town. You may even go to Juliet’s House to enter onto the tiny balcony to recreate the long-lasting ‘Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou’ scene. Love is a central theme of this metropolis, and if you wish to win some critical brownie factors, Verona is the place to deliver your vital different.
It is a superb day journey from Florence for all traveler varieties and teams. You can go to the Verona Arena, Giusti Garden, Scaliger Tombs, and quite a few castles and basilicas. Verona is a fairly walkable metropolis and really doable as a single-day journey. Catch the prepare to maximise your time sightseeing.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours quarter-hour by prepare or 3 hours by automotive
15. Arezzo
Arezzo is one other of the very best day journeys from Florence to achieve by prepare – knocking a formidable 50% off your journey time as an alternative of visiting by automotive. So, when you don’t drive or need to be extra eco-friendly, pay attention up. Arezzo is understood for 2 most important issues; gold and vogue. Poets and artists alike have referred to as the tiny medieval townhome, and it has had a exceptional impression on Italian tradition for a hill city of its measurement. You can go to unbiased retailers and galleries and coordinate your journey to coincide with occasions like its month-to-month vintage market.
If you want domestically made valuables and purchasing for antiques, Arezzo is a tremendous Florence day journey. It is straightforward to get diverted to the extra vital locations when planning a day journey from Florence. Arezzo is proof of why you must also contemplate a few of the smaller locations. Plus, it’s only a 30-minute prepare experience away. Arezzo is a big win, win.
Distance from Florence: 1 hour by automotive and half-hour by prepare
16. Parma
As fairly because the Tuscan countryside is with its cypress timber and exquisite vineyards, it is best to go to extra of the Emilia-Romagna area. And if you would like an actual foodie hotspot, Parma is your day journey. The metropolis is famously residence to Parmesan cheese and Parma ham, and it’s a nice, smaller various to large Bologna if you would like a extra lowkey vibe. As a college metropolis, Parma is tremendous pleasant. Parma is fairly particular, and gastronomical custom and heritage rule supreme in this northern metropolis.
It is finest to go to Parma by prepare. It is fast for one, and second, this implies you possibly can indulge in some wine together with your cheese and ham tasting.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours by prepare and three hours by automotive
17. Pistoia
Pistoia is without doubt one of the most accessible day journeys from Florence. So be aware this down as top-of-the-line day journeys from Florence in case you are brief on time or price range. This historic metropolis is normally not on the vacationer radar. Only a couple of enterprise out via the Tuscan countryside to see Pistoia, which is an absolute disgrace.
Those that properly do are rewarded with medieval church buildings, fewer crowds, and festivals just like the Pistoia Blues Festival, which hosts artists like Mumford & Sons and the Arctic Monkeys.
Short and candy journey-wise, and rewarding attraction-wise, Pistoia is well a best choice when contemplating day journeys from Florence. Sometimes the very last thing you need is extra crowds, and underrated Pistoia is an antidote for folks overload.
Distance from Florence: 35 minutes by prepare or 45 minutes by automotive
18. Orvieto
Orvieto is lesser recognized however on no account much less vital. This tiny metropolis sits on a tufa cliff with an thrilling community of caves beneath town ground. Orvieto is without doubt one of the most curiously laid out cities you possibly can go to on a day journey from Florence. It feels thrilling, nearly legendary. And when you go to, an underground tour of a few of its networks is crucial. The excursions normally final an hour or so – leaving a lot extra time to discover the opposite points of interest, together with the Thirteenth-century cathedral and Well of St Patrick.
Orvieto has that wow issue and is extra off-the-beaten-track than the remainder of our greatest day journeys from Florence. If you already know Italy fairly properly, Orvieto is without doubt one of the higher choices to broaden your familiarity with the lesser-visited areas of the nation.
Distance from Florence: 3 hours by public transport or 2 hours by automotive
19. Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is arms down top-of-the-line day journeys from Florence. This gorgeous city nonetheless has its historical partitions, and town partitions are well-known for his or her medieval options, together with dramatic watchtowers. Monteriggioni is on the cusp of the wine-famed Chianti area and has gorgeous views over the rolling hills from town partitions. It is stuffed with environment, good views, and character – all of the totally different elements for a day journey of a lifetime.
Monteriggioni is a kind of day journeys that solely a tiny demographic of vacationers learn about and makes an effort to go to whereas in Florence. The city leaves such an enormous impression with its lingering medieval constructions and heritage; benefit from experiencing this firsthand. While visiting Monteriggioni, you must also go to the Arme Museum, which has replicas of historical weaponry.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours by bus or 1 hour by automotive
20. Assisi
Assisi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of St Francis, one in every of Italy’s two beloved patron saints. It goes with out saying that Assisi is without doubt one of the finest day journeys from Florence for spiritual or patriotic historical past. The Basilica of St Francis is the hub of all of the collective spiritual historical past and accommodates frescoes portraying the saint’s life, even holding his sarcophagus in its crypt.
Whether you might be spiritual or not, it’s a exceptional place to go to, and the historical past is vividly displayed, making it an attractive go to. The medieval metropolis can also be lovely to stroll round, and the Tuscan solar does it a favor, particularly when the white marble historic buildings seem sun-kissed at noon.
You can attain Assisi by public transport, simply buying prepare tickets on arrival at Florence prepare station. However, we’d advocate driving because it takes a very long time with a number of stops by public transport.
Distance from Florence: 2.5 hours by automotive and 2-3 hours by public transport
21. Livorno
Livorno has a distinct vibe from all the opposite day journeys from Florence in this information. A humble-sized port metropolis, it’s recognized for seafood and maritime tradition. Since most Florence day journeys take you to inland locations and use regional trains to achieve hilltop village prepare stations, having a coastal possibility is a big plus. Besides, after a couple of days in the inland metropolis of Florence, you’ll doubtless be able to see the ocean. Livorno has its personal prepare station, so you possibly can catch a direct prepare into town – no advance prepare tickets are obligatory.
When you attain Livorno, it is best to stroll the Terrazza Mascagni promenade for gorgeous ocean views. This promenade has placing checkboard flooring with black and white patterns so far as the attention can see. There’s additionally the Fortezza Vecchia, a large fortress as soon as devoted to defending the uncovered coastal metropolis. Of course, sampling native seafood is a should. For an perception into coastal Italian tradition, Livorno is the proper alternative.
Distance from Florence: 1.5 hours by prepare or automotive
22. Cortona
Cortona is without doubt one of the prettiest day journeys from Florence and is the filming web site of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. An exquisite day journey candidate, additionally it is one of the crucial accessible hilltop locations you possibly can go to from Florence. It takes simply 1.5 hours by automotive or public transport to achieve Cortona, leaving loads of time to benefit from the city.
Cortona just isn’t solely fairly however an absolute hotspot for museums. Check out the Etruscan Academy Museum, its Archaeological Park, and the Diocesan Museum. The city is sufficiently small to discover on foot, and since it’s so near Florence, an excellent candidate for these eager to spend time having fun with museums. You have barely any journey time on this Florence day journey.
Distance from Florence: 1.5 hours by automotive or public transport
FAQs About Day Trips from Florence
Day journeys from Florence are magical, whether or not you’re taking a tour for wine lovers or go to historic monuments for a day in Rome or Venice. Even when you go to town for the primary time, a day journey from Florence must be in your listing. Italy is a kind of international locations the place the extra you possibly can match in, the higher. And these locations are simply too handy to overlook out on.
Is it price making a day journey from Florence?
Day journeys from Florence are top-of-the-line issues you are able to do in town. The public transport system is so environment friendly that it is best to take full benefit of all of the high-speed trains to different main Italian locations. You can simply attain dreamy locations like Rome, Verona, Venice, and Pisa. Never thoughts all of the smaller romantic cities and villages.
Can you’re taking day journeys to Tuscany from Florence?
Yes, you possibly can take day journeys from Florence to Tuscany very simply. There are a choose few prepare stations with hyperlinks to Florence, many bus routes, and much more organized excursions.
Is it doable to do a day journey to Cinque Terre from Florence?
Yes, it’s doable to do a day journey from Florence to Cinque Terre. You can take an organized tour, go to by prepare, or guide a rental automotive.
How lengthy is the prepare experience from Florence to Tuscany?
The prepare experience takes round an hour, relying on whereabouts in Tuscany you select to go to.
To Conclude
Are you heading to a hilltop city for a medieval ambiance? Or to the Chianti wine area for wine tasting amongst associates? Or are you taking full benefit of the high-speed trains and whisking right down to Rome for a day? Any of those finest day journeys from Florence will present a incredible expertise. It is as much as you to resolve how far you need to go.
Florence is ideally positioned as a base to expertise much more of Italy; you do proper to take full benefit of that. As lovely as its Renaissance artwork and historic monuments are, whenever you go to Florence, you additionally entry a community of fantastic locations. Make positive you increase your Italy itinerary after touching down in Florence.
Would you want some extra Florence inspiration? Check out this information on the place to remain in Florence for the rundown of all the very best lodges and neighborhoods. Otherwise, have a beautiful time in your day journeys from Florence.