Florence is gorgeous, and the traditional picture of the domes of the Florence Cathedral at night time is a sight that has traveled the world photographically as postcards and social media posts. It isn’t simply the long-lasting 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 checklist vacationer exercise. The metropolis middle is an absolute hub for sightseeing and embracing indulgent Italian dwelling. So in terms of day journeys from Florence, discovering day journey locations that truly justify tearing your self away from Florence metropolis middle can appear ludicrous when you aren’t acquainted with 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 effectively value it.
22 Best Day Trips from Florence
Whether you need a leisurely half-day journey or an bold regional prepare scramble, these greatest day journeys from Florence will present a number of the most memorable experiences to your Italy itinerary. A day journey from Florence is among 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 the town’s prime location in the Tuscan countryside. Don’t make Florence your closing vacation spot – irrespective of how alluring that Florence Vespa tour seems to be.
Planning Your Trip To Florence Right Now?
Below are a number 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 decide a memorable day journey, Cinque Terre is among 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 enchantment, with the homes nearly spilling over rock faces on their method right down to the oceanfront.
Cinque Terre has 5 foremost cities: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Monterosso, and Corniglia – when you can, go to all of them. Each city has its prepare station, and it is among the greatest day journeys when you’d prefer to indulge in nice meals, aesthetic city scenes, and non-compulsory climbing trails. A Cinque Terre day journey is to not be missed, and you’ll take a look at 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 need 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 filled 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 the very best. The Chianti wine area is standard 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 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 usually 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 may 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 might have the long-lasting Leaning Tower, scrumptious meals, and lots of artwork museums. Pose in the traditional ‘hold up the Leaning Tower’ place and wander by gorgeous white marble buildings; visiting Pisa is implausible for the relaxed sightseer kind of traveler.
Wine lovers can put all their newly accrued wine tour information to the take a look at by ordering a glass to people-watch with and dine al fresco. A day in Pisa must be in your playing cards. It is among the greatest cultural spots in Italy, and direct trains just like the Pisa to Florence connection are God sends in terms of Florence day journeys.
Distance from Florence: 1 hour by prepare
4. San Gimignano
If you need 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 ambiance has lingered through the years, and it has a ‘step back in time’ high quality that draws many vacationers. The city can be a delegated 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 difficult 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 simple, regardless of the temporary stopover in Poggibonsi, and the entire journey takes lower than two hours a method. Or you may ebook a rental automotive and drive today 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 every part from the Etruscan to the Roman and Medieval durations, and this half-day journey from Florence is among the most historic small-town locations you may 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 good sights, excellent 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 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 massive 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 prepare to Lucca prepare station by rolling hills, having fun with some attractive surroundings and Pisa stopover earlier than arriving in Lucca in below two hours. Alternatively, take the direct path to Lucca on the bus in simply over an hour. Lucca is among the most photogenic day journeys from Florence and is greatest for hopping between monuments. It additionally has among the best 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 filled with character. The charming city is about inside the Tuscan countryside and is among 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, sights just like the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biagio develop into much more dramatic.
Small cities like Montepulciano are greatest visited by rental automotive. With rental vehicles, you may get pleasure from a extra liberating journey to Montepulciano. And moreover, 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 a giant title. And for many 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 big designer and mannequin names over the previous years. Milan is all procuring and structure – so if both sounds up your road, this is among the greatest day journeys from Florence. The iconic Duomo di Milano is the place to fill your structure bucket. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is among the fanciest procuring facilities ever seen.
Milan can be one of the vital 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, when 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 stunning title; this UNESCO World Heritage Site has a placing foremost square-shaped like a fan and a few ridiculously fairly medieval buildings. It is among the greatest day journeys from Florence in order for you 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 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 among the greatest locations to go to in Italy, and when you go to Florence, there’s no motive you may’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 greatest skilled by strolling tour – guided or self-guided – and is famously set on water, divided by canals and related by boats and tiny overwater bridges. If you need a day journey from Florence that can make an impression, 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 prepare
11. Rome
You’ll want your ambition for this journey, however Rome is among the greatest day journeys from Florence. If you catch a quick prepare, you may arrive immediately at one of many central Rome prepare stations in simply 1.5 hours. The quick trains are a wonderful method of which means you continue to get loads of free time in your Rome day journey. The real-time cruncher is attempting to cherry-pick the very best of Rome to see in only a single day – this metropolis often calls for three to 4 days a minimum of.
Pick a number of sights 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 effectively 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 effectively value detouring to on a day journey from Florence. Just be sure to 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 inclined to overlook for extra mainstream locations. We are right here to alter your thoughts on stunning Bologna, although. And it’s 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 appears like one massive 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 joyful 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 absolute best method. 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 among the greatest day journeys from Florence to get a style of lesser-visited historical past. Its historical past is believed up to now 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 profit from regional trains or drive to Fiesole. The city is simply exterior of Florence’s bounds, so it is among the most handy sightseeing locations you may get pleasure from exterior the town middle.
Distance from Florence: 35 minutes by prepare or 20 minutes by automotive
14. Verona
Verona is among the most romantic cities on Earth, so in terms of essentially the most memorable day journeys from Florence, Verona must be on the high. 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 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 carry 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 powerful 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 foremost 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 dimension. You can go to impartial retailers 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 vital locations when planning a day journey from Florence. Arezzo is proof of why you must also contemplate a number of the smaller locations. Plus, it’s only a 30-minute prepare experience away. Arezzo is a large 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 bushes and delightful vineyards, it’s best to go to extra of the Emilia-Romagna area. And in order for you 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 in order for you 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 prepare. It is fast for one, and second, this implies you may 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 among the most accessible day journeys from Florence. So word this down as among the best day journeys from Florence in case you are brief on time or finances. This historic metropolis is often not on the vacationer radar. Only a number of enterprise out by 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 the town ground. Orvieto is among the most apparently laid out cities you may 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 important. The excursions often final an hour or so – leaving loads 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 effectively, Orvieto is among 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 fingers down among the best day journeys from Florence. This gorgeous city nonetheless has its historical 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 stuffed with ambiance, good views, and character – all of the completely different elements for a day journey of a lifetime.
Monteriggioni is a kind of day journeys that solely a tiny demographic of vacationers find out about and makes an effort to go to whereas in Florence. The city leaves such an enormous impression with its lingering medieval buildings 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, considered one of Italy’s two beloved patron saints. It goes with out saying that Assisi is among 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 exceptional place to go to, and the historical past is vividly displayed, making it an enticing go to. The medieval metropolis can 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 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 large 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 prepare station, so you may catch a direct prepare into the town – no advance prepare tickets are crucial.
When you attain Livorno, it’s 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 among the prettiest day journeys from Florence and is the filming website of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. A wonderful day journey candidate, it’s also one of the vital accessible hilltop locations you may 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 shouldn’t be 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, a superb 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 the town for the primary time, a day journey from Florence must be in your checklist. Italy is a kind of nations the place the extra you may match in, the higher. And these locations are simply too handy to overlook out on.
Is it value making a day journey from Florence?
Day journeys from Florence are among the best issues you are able to do in the town. The public transport system is so environment friendly that it’s 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 may 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 potential to do a day journey to Cinque Terre from Florence?
Yes, it’s potential to do a day journey from Florence to Cinque Terre. You can take an organized tour, go to by prepare, or ebook 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 mates? Or are you taking full benefit of the high-speed trains and whisking right down to Rome for a day? Any of those greatest day journeys from Florence will present a implausible 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 stunning as its Renaissance artwork and historic monuments are, once 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 motels and neighborhoods. Otherwise, have a beautiful time in your day journeys from Florence.