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 enduring cathedral; Florence has so many superb 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 record vacationer exercise. The metropolis heart is an absolute hub for sightseeing and embracing indulgent Italian residing. So in the case of day journeys from Florence, discovering day journey locations that truly justify tearing your self away from Florence metropolis heart can appear ludicrous in case you aren’t acquainted with its surrounding ‘day trip territory’. Please don’t make the rookie transfer of staying in Florence’s metropolis heart; these day journeys from Florence are nicely price it.
22 Best Day Trips from Florence
Whether you need a leisurely half-day journey or an bold regional practice scramble, these greatest day journeys from Florence will present a few of the most memorable experiences in your Italy itinerary. A day journey from Florence is likely one of the most fun issues you are able to do, and also you’ve acquired to benefit from the unbelievable community of high-speed trains and the town’s prime location in the Tuscan countryside. Don’t make Florence your remaining vacation spot – irrespective of how alluring that Florence Vespa tour appears.
Planning Your Trip To Florence Right Now?
Below are a few of the prime 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 decide a memorable day journey, Cinque Terre is likely one of the most traditional day journeys from Florence. Cinque Terre is a world-famous row of historic seaside villages dotted in clusters alongside the dramatic Riviera shoreline. The area is known for its colourful homes and cliffside enchantment, with the homes virtually spilling over rock faces on their manner all the way down to the oceanfront.
Cinque Terre has 5 foremost cities: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Monterosso, and Corniglia – in case you can, go to all of them. Each city has its practice station, and it is likely one of the greatest day journeys in case you’d wish to indulge in nice meals, aesthetic city scenes, and optionally available mountaineering 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 practice or automotive
2. Wine Tasting
To be a wine lover, it’s essential to go to Tuscany and its stunning 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 courting again to earlier than the early fifteenth century, and you’ll take a guided wine tour that whisks you round one of the best. The Chianti wine area is widespread due to its excessive density of wine estates and the tastiness of its produce.
You ought to ebook a guided tour for this Florence day journey for apparent causes. Public transport is restricted in distant areas, and rental automobiles 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 very good 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 practice system, you’ll be able to attain Pisa in lower than an hour from the central Florence practice station. A day journey to Pisa is filled with sightseeing and tradition; you’ve got the enduring Leaning Tower, scrumptious meals, and plenty of artwork museums. Pose in the traditional ‘hold up the Leaning Tower’ place and wander via gorgeous white marble buildings; visiting Pisa is unbelievable for the relaxed sightseer kind of traveler.
Wine lovers can put all their newly accrued wine tour data to the check by ordering a glass to people-watch with and dine al fresco. A day in Pisa needs to be in your playing cards. It is likely one of the greatest cultural spots in Italy, and direct trains just like the Pisa to Florence connection are God sends in the case of Florence day journeys.
Distance from Florence: 1 hour by practice
4. San Gimignano
If you need a extra rustic, medieval-style day journey from Florence, a San Gimignano day journey needs to be on the playing cards. San Gimignano is a tiny hill city with historic metropolis partitions that date again to the Thirteenth century and a skyline coated with medieval spires and rooftops.
San Gimignano’s feudal ambiance has lingered over time, and it has a ‘step back in time’ high quality that draws many vacationers. The city can also be a chosen UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Florence day journey is good for anybody wanting a small, walkable vacation spot. And San Gimignano’s historical past is tough to withstand.
You can catch a practice to Poggibonsi after which a bus to San Gimignano to get there. There are common practice schedules, so planning practice rides and bus journeys is simple, regardless of the transient stopover in Poggibonsi, and the entire journey takes lower than two hours a technique. Or you’ll be able to ebook 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 foremost Florence day journeys. This time, although, it has a particular darkish aesthetic, with orangey brown buildings and a solemn architectural vibe. Volterra has seen the whole lot from the Etruscan to the Roman and Medieval durations, and this half-day journey from Florence is likely one of the most historic small-town locations you’ll be able to 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 sights, good for history-loving day trippers. A serious Volterra attraction is the Roman Theater advanced, which has bathtub ruins courting again to the third century. Visit the Roman Theater and in addition 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 heart. Lucca has a cobblestone aesthetic with some large metropolis sights 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 practice to Lucca practice station via rolling hills, having fun with some beautiful 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 likely one of the most photogenic day journeys from Florence and is greatest for hopping between monuments. It additionally has among the finest 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 about throughout the Tuscan countryside and is likely 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 pink 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, sights just like the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biagio change into much more dramatic.
Small cities like Montepulciano are greatest visited by rental automotive. With rental automobiles, you’ll be able to get pleasure from a extra liberating journey to Montepulciano. And apart from, with no direct practice, 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 title. And for many who have but to go to Milan, Italy’s style capital, it’s an unmissable day journey from Florence. The metropolis is known for Milan Fashion Week and has attracted big designer and mannequin names over the previous years. Milan is all buying and structure – so if both sounds up your road, this is likely one of the greatest day journeys from Florence. The iconic Duomo di Milano is the place to fill your structure bucket. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is likely one of the fanciest buying facilities ever seen.
Milan can also be one of the vital eco-friendly Florence day journeys; it’s faster to get there by practice than by automotive. The high-speed practice from Florence reaches Milan in lower than 2 hours, whilst you journey for 3.5 hours by automotive.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours by practice or 3.5 hours by automotive
9. Siena
Siena is way from only a stunning title; this UNESCO World Heritage Site has a hanging foremost square-shaped like a fan and a few ridiculously fairly medieval buildings. It is likely one of the greatest day journeys from Florence if you’d 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 when you are there. You must also climb to the highest of the Torre del Mangia and luxuriate in some native delicacies.
Siena is greatest reached by bus. You may catch the regional practice with out reserving practice tickets in advance. However, the bus is marginally faster, so in case 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 likely one of the greatest locations to go to in Italy, and in case you go to Florence, there’s no motive you’ll be able to’t have one of the 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 heart is greatest 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 need a day journey from Florence that may make an influence, a visit to Venice is considered one of your most dependable choices. Venice is magical.
Distance from Florence: 3 hours by automotive or 2 hours by practice
11. Rome
You’ll want your ambition for this journey, however Rome is likely one of the greatest day journeys from Florence. If you catch a quick practice, you’ll be able to arrive immediately at one of many central Rome practice stations in simply 1.5 hours. The quick trains are a wonderful manner 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 one of the best of Rome to see in only a single day – this metropolis often calls for three to 4 days not less than.
Pick a number of sights and analysis transport between them as a result of Rome is big; hardly explorable on only a strolling tour. The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Trevi Fountain mix nicely in a single day. While if you wish to see the Vatican City, you’ll want an entire day to go to this area of Rome.
Central Italy is nicely 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 one of the best locations to see in Rome right here.
Distance from Florence: 1.5 hours by practice
12. Bologna
Bologna is a kind of Italian cities you hear of hundreds however are inclined to overlook for extra mainstream locations. We are right here to vary your thoughts on stunning Bologna, although. And you need 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 right place to take a cooking class or meals tour. Think pasta, tiramisu, and extra. The complete metropolis looks like one large restaurant, and it even has the nickname ‘Fat City.’
Bologna is 40 minutes away by practice, so we suggest heading there for a night meal or a half-day journey from Florence. It is the right close by vacation spot to divert to for some high-quality delicacies. Keep your abdomen glad and add this to your must-do Florence day journeys.
Distance from Florence: 40 minutes by practice
13. Fiesole
Fiesole is a city of ruins however in the very best manner. The city has many historic and archaeological sights, together with the unique segments of the city’s Etruscan wall, preserved Roman baths and theater, and quite a few spiritual landmarks. Fiesole is likely one of the greatest day journeys from Florence to get a style of lesser-visited historical past. Its historical past is believed so far again even additional than its bigger neighbor of Florence, making it a sought-after location for historical past fanatics and people in the know.
You can benefit from regional trains or drive to Fiesole. The city is simply exterior of Florence’s bounds, so it is likely one of the most handy sightseeing locations you’ll be able to get pleasure from exterior the town heart.
Distance from Florence: 35 minutes by practice or 20 minutes by automotive
14. Verona
Verona is likely one of the most romantic cities on Earth, so in the case of essentially the most memorable day journeys from Florence, Verona must be on the prime. Verona is the town of the opera Romeo and Juliet – which Shakespeare set in the town. You may even go to Juliet’s House to enter onto the tiny balcony to recreate the enduring ‘Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou’ scene. Love is a central theme of this metropolis, and if you wish to win some severe brownie factors, Verona is the place to deliver your important different.
It is a good day journey from Florence for all traveler sorts 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 practice to maximise your time sightseeing.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours quarter-hour by practice or 3 hours by automotive
15. Arezzo
Arezzo is one other of one of the best day journeys from Florence to achieve by practice – knocking a formidable 50% off your journey time as an alternative of visiting by automotive. So, in case you don’t drive or need to be extra eco-friendly, pay attention up. Arezzo is thought for 2 foremost issues; gold and style. Poets and artists alike have referred to as the tiny medieval townhome, and it has had a outstanding influence on Italian tradition for a hill city of its dimension. You can go to unbiased outlets and galleries and coordinate your journey to coincide with occasions like its month-to-month vintage market.
If you want regionally made valuables and searching for antiques, Arezzo is an incredible Florence day journey. It is simple to get diverted to the extra important 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 practice experience away. Arezzo is a big win, win.
Distance from Florence: 1 hour by automotive and half-hour by practice
16. Parma
As fairly because the Tuscan countryside is with its cypress bushes and delightful vineyards, you need to go to extra of the Emilia-Romagna area. And if you’d like an actual foodie hotspot, Parma is your day journey. The metropolis is famously dwelling to Parmesan cheese and Parma ham, and it’s a nice, smaller different to large Bologna if you’d 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 greatest to go to Parma by practice. It is fast for one, and second, this implies you’ll be able to indulge in some wine along with your cheese and ham tasting.
Distance from Florence: 2 hours by practice and three hours by automotive
17. Pistoia
Pistoia is likely one of the most accessible day journeys from Florence. So notice this down as among the finest day journeys from Florence in case you are quick on time or price range. This historic metropolis is often not on the vacationer radar. Only a number 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 practice or 45 minutes by automotive
18. Orvieto
Orvieto is lesser recognized however on no account much less important. This tiny metropolis sits on a tufa cliff with an thrilling community of caves beneath the town ground. Orvieto is likely one of the most apparently laid out cities you’ll be able to go to on a day journey from Florence. It feels thrilling, virtually legendary. And in case you go to, an underground tour of a few of its networks is important. The excursions often final an hour or so – leaving a lot extra time to discover the opposite sights, 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 nicely, Orvieto is likely 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 palms down among the finest day journeys from Florence. This gorgeous city nonetheless has its historic partitions, and the 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 the town partitions. It is filled with ambiance, good views, and character – all of the totally different components 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 historic 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, considered one of Italy’s two beloved patron saints. It goes with out saying that Assisi is likely one of the greatest 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 incorporates frescoes portraying the saint’s life, even holding his sarcophagus in its crypt.
Whether you’re spiritual or not, it’s a outstanding place to go to, and the historical past is vividly displayed, making it an attractive go to. The medieval metropolis can also be stunning 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 practice tickets on arrival at Florence practice station. However, we’d suggest 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 practice stations, having a coastal possibility is a big plus. Besides, after a number of days in the inland metropolis of Florence, you’ll seemingly be able to see the ocean. Livorno has its personal practice station, so you’ll be able to catch a direct practice into the town – no advance practice tickets are vital.
When you attain Livorno, you need to stroll the Terrazza Mascagni promenade for gorgeous ocean views. This promenade has hanging checkboard flooring with black and white patterns so far as the attention can see. There’s additionally the Fortezza Vecchia, an enormous 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 right alternative.
Distance from Florence: 1.5 hours by practice or automotive
22. Cortona
Cortona is likely one of the prettiest day journeys from Florence and is the filming website of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. A stupendous day journey candidate, it is usually one of the vital accessible hilltop locations you’ll be able to 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 is just not 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 desirous 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 are taking a tour for wine lovers or go to historic monuments for a day in Rome or Venice. Even in case you go to the town for the primary time, a day journey from Florence needs to be in your record. Italy is a kind of international locations the place the extra you’ll be able to 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 among the finest issues you are able to do in the town. The public transport system is so environment friendly that you need 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 are taking day journeys to Tuscany from Florence?
Yes, you’ll be able to take day journeys from Florence to Tuscany very simply. There are a choose few practice 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 practice, or ebook a rental automotive.
How lengthy is the practice experience from Florence to Tuscany?
The practice 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 mates? Or are you taking full benefit of the high-speed trains and whisking all the way down to Rome for a day? Any of those greatest day journeys from Florence will present a unbelievable expertise. It is as much as you to determine 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 stunning as its Renaissance artwork and historic monuments are, whenever you go to Florence, you additionally entry a community of fantastic locations. Make certain 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 one of the best resorts and neighborhoods. Otherwise, have an exquisite time in your day journeys from Florence.