Places to visit In Tuscany

If you are visiting Florence and have more than a few days to spare, you may want to consider visiting some of the other towns and villages in Tuscany. One of the best ways to do this is to hire a car and drive through the countryside, stopping to visit some towns or perhaps a vineyard or two along the way.

If you don't have a car, it is also possible to take a train from Florence to many Tuscan towns including Pisa, Siena and Lucca. If you want to visit smaller towns or villages in Tuscany that aren’t on the train route, or you would prefer to use a less expensive method of transport, there's a good regional bus service.

If you are stuck for ideas on which towns to visit in Tuscany, here are a few suggestions for daytrips from Florence.

Fiesole

If you have a limited amount of time to travel outside Florence, then Fiesole makes a great morning or afternoon break away from the city. Fiesole is just 5 miles away from Florence and offers amazing views of the city and the valley below. You can get there quickly by local bus, but if you have a bit more time and you're feeling more energetic you can walk from the centre of Florence to Fiesole in around 2 hours. Once in Fiesole its easy to spend two or three hours wandering round, taking in the sights, which include the Duomo (cathedral), some small museums, a Roman Amphitheatre and baths dating from 1 BC.

Pisa

Pisa is just 50 miles west of Florence and an hour away by train, so can easily be visited from Florence for a day or half day trip. Synonymous with Pisa is the world famous Leaning Tower, but many visitors overlook the other magnificant buildings in Piazza del Duomo, otherwise known as the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles). After visiting the Leaning Tower be sure to spend a bit of time city itself and wander down to the banks of the River Arno for a stroll along the riverside.

Siena

Siena is just over 40 miles south of Florence and is one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany. It can be easily reached as a daytrip from Florence, but it's also a good place to stay for several days, to savour the atmosphere and visit the nearby Tuscan countryside. Siena is built on seven hills and made up of a winding maze of streets and alleyways enclosed within the old city walls. It is a small city covering around a square mile and is easy and pleasant to walk around. Worth a visit is Siena's spectacular green-and-white-striped Duomo - entrance is free.

Volterra

Just over 40 miles from Florence, situated on a high plateau you'll find Volterra, thought by many to be one of Tuscany's best hill towns. Here you’ll find a small, but rich array of ruins and architecture from different historical periods. The ruins of the Etruscan walls mark the perimeter of the Parco Archeologico, a garden that occupies the highest point in the city, offering fantastic views over the surrounding countryside.

Lucca

Lucca is just over 40 miles west of Florence and has a unique town centre that is completely enclosed by a massive brick wall dating back to the 16th century. A good way to find your way around Lucca is to follow the 4km path around the top of the city wall. For the best views of the city, head to the 130 foot high Torre Guinigi and climb to the top for beautiful views of the rooftops of Lucca.

You can learn more about these destinations in the Ultimate Guide to Florence