6 Best Day Trips from Florence: Lucca, Siena, Val d’Orcia, & More

Looking for fantastic day trips from Florence? Luckily, you’ve got plenty of options. From exploring the rolling Tuscan countryside to discovering medieval towns and historic cities, there’s no shortage of places you can easily reach from Florence.

You can easily spend the entire day exploring any of these day trip options. Or, if you want to see as much as you can, you can combine them for a full, rewarding day in Tuscany. Just don’t forget to schedule yourself time to relax over a glass of local wine! Without further ado, these are the places we recommend these fantastic day trips from Florence.

There are plenty of day trips from Florence to enjoy, and beautiful places to explore in Tuscany

Lucca: Florence’s graceful neighbor

Lovely Lucca offers up cobblestoned streets, elegant palaces, elaborate churches, and a ring of Renaissance-era fortification walls that have been transformed into walking and cycling paths. For music aficionados, it also happens to be the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini.

How to get to Lucca from Florence: The train takes around 1 hour 20 minutes, and Lucca’s station is just outside the historic center, making it a very convenient option. The walls are only a few minutes’ walk from the station. By car, Lucca is around 1 hour 15 minutes west of Florence, depending on traffic.

Insider tip: If you want to spend the entire day in Lucca, check out our article on visiting the lovely city of Lucca. Our friends at Devour Tours also have a great article on the best places to eat in Lucca.

Lucca’s elaborate Duomo.

Pisa: More than the Leaning Tower

If you want to get what must be one of the most iconic photos in Italy, Pisa’s your place. Yes, the Leaning Tower is spectacular, even more so in person than in pictures. But the medieval city also boasts an 11th-century Duomo filled with gorgeous art, an elaborate Baptistery, and beautiful historic palaces. The Cathedral, Baptistery, Leaning Tower, and Camposanto together form the spectacular Piazza dei Miracoli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How to get to Pisa from Florence: Direct regional trains from Florence to Pisa take around an hour, making the journey an easy day trip. From Pisa Centrale station, it’s roughly a 20–25-minute walk to the Leaning Tower, or you can take a local bus. If you’re driving, Pisa is around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes from Florence, depending on traffic.

Insider tip: If Pisa sounds right up your street read on to discover more things to do in Pisa. And here are some tips on the best restaurants in Pisa to check out.

Photo By Florian Hirzinger

Visit Lucca and Pisa in one day trip from Florence

Want to avoid the biggest crowds in Pisa? One option is to make Lucca your first stop and visit Pisa later in the afternoon. Leave Florence in the morning and arrive in Lucca around mid-morning. Enjoy a relaxing walk along the Renaissance walls, explore the historic center and churches, and stop for a leisurely lunch before continuing to Pisa.

From Lucca, Pisa is just around 25 minutes by direct train. If you leave Lucca in the mid-afternoon, you can reach Pisa in time to explore the Piazza dei Miracoli and see the Leaning Tower in the softer late-afternoon light. It may also be quieter than during the middle of the day, although there’s no guarantee that the crowds will have disappeared. After exploring Pisa, you can take a direct regional train back to Florence, with the journey taking around an hour.

Insider tip: If you want to climb the tower, check the opening hours for your date and book your time slot in advance, as closing times vary throughout the year.

Chianti: Wine country

Tuscany has numerous wine regions, but if you want to enjoy wine tastings and the Tuscan countryside without going too far from Florence, Chianti is an obvious choice. The nearest parts of the region are just 30 minutes or so south of the city, while the wider Chianti area stretches between Florence and Siena. Keep in mind that its proximity to Florence makes it more popular with visitors than areas farther south, such as the Val d’Orcia.

Small towns and villages such as San Casciano, Montespertoli, Gaiole in Chianti, and Panzano in Chianti make lovely stops, and you’ll find vineyards and wineries scattered throughout the surrounding countryside.

To get to Chianti from Florence: This is a day trip best done by car if you want the freedom to explore several villages and wineries. The SR 222, known as the Via Chiantigiana, runs south from Florence through the heart of the classic Chianti landscape.

Insider tip: Check out our Guide to Tuscan Wine Regions and Wine Tasting. 

It’s a great time to learn more about how wine is made… in the field!

Siena: A gem of a medieval city

Florence’s longtime rival, Siena is a gem of a medieval city. Take its 13th-century Duomo: one of the most stunning cathedrals in Italy, it contains works by Nicola Pisano, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini, as well as the extraordinary Piccolomini Library, whose walls are covered with colorful Renaissance frescoes by Pinturicchio and his workshop.

Then there’s the city’s unique, shell-shaped main piazza, Piazza del Campo, dominated by the 14th-century Torre del Mangia, which at 87 meters is slightly taller than Giotto’s Campanile in Florence. Siena is also home to a treasure trove of important art, including Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s remarkable frescoes of the Allegory and Effects of Good and Bad Government, the relics of St. Catherine, and the famous Palio horse races. You could happily spend a few days, or even a week, exploring Siena.

How to get to Siena from Florence: By car, Siena is around 1 hour 15 minutes south of Florence, depending on traffic. By bus, direct services operated by Autolinee Toscane take around 1 hour 15 minutes, making the bus one of the most convenient options for a day trip. By train, the journey takes around 1 hour 30 minutes, but Siena’s railway station is outside the historic center, so you’ll need to walk or take a local bus to reach the main sights.

Insider tip: For a comprehensive list of activities, read our post on what to see and do in Siena.

Beautiful Siena, one of the best day trips from Florence.

Visit the Chianti countryside + Siena in one day trip from Florence

To do this independently, you need to rent a car. Be aware that you could also easily spend a whole day exploring Chianti’s vineyards and small towns or a whole day exploring Siena so this is a combined day trip only for the energetic!

We’d recommend leaving Florence by 9 or 9:30am, making it to Chianti’s small towns and vineyards just as they “wake up” (and open), generally between 10am and noon. Enjoy wine and food tastings, and a relaxing lunch, before heading onto Siena by about 1:30pm. You’ll be in Siena by mid-afternoon, which will give you time for two or three of Siena’s main sites (don’t miss the Duomo!), and perhaps dinner, before taking the 1 hour 15 minute drive back to Florence.

Insider tip: Be sure to book your winery visit in advance, as many wineries offer tastings by reservation rather than on a walk-in basis. Or

You can of course, take the stress out of this day trip by taking our guided tour from Florence to Tuscany, which visits three stunning locations (Chianti, San Gimignano & Siena), and includes wine and a full lunch! You have the benefit of an expert local guide who knows the region like the back of their hand, and you wont have to worry about any of the logistics as everything, including transport, is taken care of!

More wine, please!

Val d’Orcia: Picture-perfect Tuscan countryside

Dreaming of cypress-lined roads, rolling hills, and rambling farms and vineyards? Then make sure one of your day trips from Florence is to the Val d’Orcia. Possibly the most stunning countryside in Italy (if not the world), the valley is a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape, recognized for its exceptionally beautiful Renaissance-era agricultural landscape. You could easily spend the day just rambling around here, exploring back streets and perhaps paying a visit to Montalcino, Pienza, or, just outside the valley, Montepulciano.

How to get to the Val d’Orcia from Florence: Public transport is tricky: while there are trains and buses serving parts of the area, there isn’t a convenient railway connection into the heart of the Val d’Orcia, and getting between its hill towns and countryside by public transport can be time-consuming. If you’re driving, you’ll have the freedom to explore several towns and scenic spots in a single day, something that’s difficult to do without your own transportation. The heart of the Val d’Orcia is roughly a 1 hour 45 minute to 2-hour drive south of Florence, depending on where you’re headed.

Insider tip: For a day trip from Florence to the Val d´Orcia, the easiest option is to rent a car or hire a private driver.

The Val d’Orcia, one of the most beautiful regions of Italy

Montepulciano or Montalcino: Perfect for wine lovers

These atmospheric medieval hill towns are two great places to visit if you’re a wine lover.

Montalcino, slightly smaller and less visited than Montepulciano, is famous for Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s most prestigious wines, while Montepulciano produces Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, another highly regarded DOCG wine and one of Tuscany’s historic wine specialties. Wine has been produced around Montepulciano for centuries, while the name Vino Nobile dates back at least to the 17th century. The wine became DOCG in 1980, making it the first Italian wine to receive the designation.

At either town, you can easily spend two or three hours wandering the medieval streets, admiring the views, and, of course, sampling local wines, meats, and cheeses.

How to get to Montalcino or Montepulciano from Florence: Don’t be fooled by the “Montepulciano” listing on the Trenitalia site: Montepulciano’s railway station is actually about 11 km (7 miles) from the historic hilltop town, so taking the train means arranging onward transportation. You can reach parts of the area by bus from Florence, generally with a change in Siena, but public transportation is slow and connections can make a day trip impractical. For a day trip, especially if you want to visit both towns, it is best to go by car. That gives you much more flexibility to explore the wineries and countryside between the two towns.

Insider tip: If you like the look of Montalcino and Montepulciano, check out our Guide to the best small towns in Tuscany

Montepulciano… and its wine

How to visit the Val d’Orcia + Montepulciano or Montalcino in one day trip from Florence

If you’re staying away from tours and private drivers you can still enjoy a fantastic day in the Val d’Orcia! We’d recommend renting a car, leaving Florence by 9am at the latest, and driving the couple of hours straight down to the valley. Have lunch in Pienza, Montepulciano, or Montalcino, then spend the afternoon exploring the hill towns, scenic country roads, and vineyards.

And don’t be surprised if you take a few wrong turns along the way. Even with GPS, the winding country roads can make navigation a little slower than expected. But that’s part of the fun of exploring Tuscany by car!

Insider tip: Montepulciano and Montalcino both have ZTLs (restricted traffic zones) in their historic centers, so follow signs to designated parking areas rather than trying to drive into the old town.

FAQ´s – Day trips from Florence

What is the best way to travel for day trips from Florence?

It depends on where you’re going. Trains are usually the easiest option for destinations such as Pisa and Lucca, while buses can be convenient for Siena. For exploring the Tuscan countryside, including Chianti and the Val d’Orcia, renting a car gives you much more freedom. If you plan to visit wineries, a private driver or guided tour can be a better option, as you won’t need to worry about deciding who has to be the designated driver.

How early should I leave Florence for a day trip?

For shorter day trips from Florence such as Pisa or Lucca, you can leave later and still have plenty of time to explore. For longer trips into the Tuscan countryside, such as Chianti or the Val d’Orcia, we’d recommend setting off around 8:30–9am. An early start gives you more time to visit several places and helps you make the most of your day without feeling rushed.

Should I book attractions and activities in advance?

For the most popular sights and activities, yes. If you want to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa, visit Siena’s Duomo, or take a wine tasting at a Tuscan winery, check availability and book ahead, particularly during spring, summer, and early fall. For wineries in particular, don’t assume you can simply turn up: many require advance reservations for tastings.

Ready to explore Tuscany without the logistics?

From Chianti’s rolling vineyards to the medieval towers of San Gimignano and the beautiful streets of Siena, some of Tuscany’s most memorable sights are just beyond Florence. But fitting them all into one day, and navigating the countryside, finding parking, and arranging winery visits, can be a lot to manage on your own.

Make it easy with our Florence to Tuscany day trip. You’ll visit Chianti, San Gimignano, and Siena with an expert local guide, enjoy a wine tasting and full lunch, and have all your transportation taken care of. All you need to do is sit back, soak up the scenery, and enjoy Tuscany!