The best round trips from Florence

Florence is an excellent city to be chosen as a base! It is well located, has great travel options to all of Italy and, of course, it is beautiful! If you chose Florence as your base city and would like to visit places close to the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, this post was made for you! Let’s get to our post of the day: the best round trips from Florence. Here at   Italy’s Dream Tourism you make the trip of your dreams !!! ALSO: see our  “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

Introduction

What to talk about Florence? It is practically a city that needs no introduction, but many things come to mind when we talk about this fantastic city: its Cathedral, with the incredible Dome, Vecchio Bridge, Davi, by Michelangelo, and many others. Florence is a city, in fact, UNIQUE!

Florence is beautiful and requires time to get to know it. Rich in history and culture, it offers endless possibilities for tours and, best of all, most of it is concentrated in its historic center, which makes it easy to tour on foot. In this list, we have put together some of the best round-trips from Florence, as there are a multitude of options and it would be impossible to list everything in one post! Also read, how to go to Florence from Rome?

1) The best round trips from Florence: EXPLORE CHIANTI!

Wine lovers have certainly heard a lot about this wonderful and fascinating region of Tuscany, as it is home to incredible vineyards such as Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile di Montepulciano and even Chianti Classico Gallo Nero. In other words, we can say that Chianti is simply a little piece of paradise for wine lovers.

People often think that Chianti is a city, but it’s not! Chianti is a mountainous area located between the cities of Arezzo, Siena and Florence. But it has its own small towns, such as Greve in Chianti, a city with many medieval churches and castles. Or even the interesting Montefioralle, the birthplace of Amerigo Vespucci (although they say he was born in Florence), a famous navigator and ocean explorer. In the village, there is even a house with the family coat of arms and everything.

In addition to Greve in Chianti and Montefioralle, take a trip to Panzano in Chianti, where you will find the Panzano Castle, an important support during the wars between Siena and Florence; Castellina in Chianti with its Historic Center and Archaeological Sites; Radda in Chianti, a village in Siena, rich in folklore events.

The journey between Florence and Radda in Chianti, as shown on the map below, takes around 1 hour and 37 minutes by car, which is the best option, as they are very close to each other. It is therefore best to rent a car. However, if you do not intend to drive on this trip, you can consider hiring a transfer service. Read also: What are the main locations in Chianti, Tuscany?

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Map with the Driving Route from Florence to Radda in Chianti.

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2) The best round trips from Florence: ENJOY SIENA!

Siena is one of the most famous cities in Tuscany, with around 53,000 inhabitants and one of the best-known tourist attractions is Piazza del Campo, with its reddish-brown architecture and its medieval style, which has been very well preserved.

In addition to the square, which is the symbol of Siena, you can also stroll through the Basilica of San Domenico, where the relic of the head of Saint Catherine of Siena is preserved. Two other places that you can’t miss are the Civic Museum and the Torre della Magia, with its 400 steps and 87m high, from up there you have a beautiful view of the city!

As it is one of the main cities in Tuscany, you can choose to go by car, bus or train, the latter being a very convenient option. It is best to leave from Santa Maria Novella Station, as from there Trenitalia has trains that go directly to Siena and take around 1h30 between one city and the other. Read also: What to do in Siena in one day?

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Map with the Driving Route from Florence to Siena.

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3) The best round trips from Florence: BE AMAZED BY SAN GIMIGNANO!

This village deserves to have a special day all to itself, as a very magical energy circulates through this fantastic little town! San Gimignano is about an hour’s drive from Florence and its medieval atmosphere is so present in every corner of the city that it makes you think you’ve really gone back in time, so much so that it is one of the most visited places in Tuscany, not only by tourists, but also by Tuscans themselves who like to go and enjoy a break and go to the city.

The Tower Houses give San Gimignano a very special charm, even with the passing of time, the city has still managed to preserve 13 of the 70 towers that existed in the past. Buildings from the 12th century, such as the Cathedral of San Gimignano and the Palazzo Comunale are worth visiting as they are full of historical details.

Want to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city? Then don’t miss the Rocca di Montestaffoli, a place where you can feel completely immersed in the energy of the place. Nowadays, events, art exhibitions and concerts are held here. A real spectacle! Read also: Why visit San Gimignano?

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Map showing the driving route from Florence to San Gimignano.

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4) The best round trips from Florence: ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF PISA AND LUCCA!

These two fantastic cities can be visited on the same day, as the distance between them is about 110km. You can also go by car, bus or train, and of course, the train is once again an excellent option.

Pisa is a very beautiful city and its main tourist attraction is the famous leaning tower. And yes, it is very fun to watch people trying to do the classic poses for photos, where they try to pretend they are holding up the tower! In addition to the tower, Piazza Duomo or Piazza dei Miracoli is worth a visit, as it has great historical relevance. This square was built between the 11th and 13th centuries and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, such is its importance.

Lucca is that city that sometimes many people don’t even think about including on their itinerary of cities to visit, but once you get to know it, you will never forget it and you will definitely want to go back again!

It is completely surrounded by walls, which were built between the 16th and 17th centuries. The city wall houses the beauty of this charming city, with its small streets and squares full of flowers and well-kept gardens. Piazza Napoleon, known as Piazza Grande by the locals, the Mansi Palace, a building built in the 17th century, and Piazza del Amphitheater, with its craft shops and restaurants, are not to be missed during your visit! Read also: What to see in Pisa in one day? and What to do in Lucca in one day?

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Map with the car route between Florence, Pisa and Lucca.

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5) The best round trips from Florence: MARVEL IN CINQUE TERRE!

There are so many incredible cities near Florence for you to visit and fall in love with that it is practically impossible to fit them all into just one post! And here is another fantastic place for you to include in your itinerary of places to visit in the region! Cinque Terre is, as its name suggests, Five Lands (literally translated). In fact, there are five small towns that make up the place: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

The Mediterranean Sea is incredibly present in each of them. Cinque Terre is also rich in trails such as the Sentiero Azzuro from Corniglia to Vernazza, the Infinite Path from Riomaggiore to Portovenere, or even the Path of Love, which connects Riomaggiore to Manarola. Whichever of these trails you decide to take will be unforgettable, as the view of the sea reflecting the sunlight is simply fascinating.

Do you want to indulge in seafood and fish? The restaurants and bars in the area offer excellent service, with fresh produce, which really makes the flavors irresistible. What’s more, the establishments are usually located on the slopes and offer you spectacular views while you enjoy good wine and good food.

Best way to get to Cinque Terre

Oh! The best way to get from Florence to Cinque Terre is by train. You can even go by car, but it will take you about 3 hours to travel, which would take up at least 6 hours of your day between going to and returning from Florence, which I consider a lot for a day trip. Furthermore, during high season, parking can become a big challenge, which means more wasted time.

It’s much easier with the train. Trenitalia runs the route, but remember that when you buy your tickets, it is best to put the origin – Santa Maria Novella Station and the destination you should put the name of one of the small towns (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore), because if you put Cinque Terre, the destination will not be located! Read also: How to go to Cinque Terre from Florence?

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Map with the Driving Route between Florence and Cinque Terre.

 

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Golden Tips:

• If you are going to Italy and have chosen Florence as your base city, I advise you to choose a hotel close to train stations; however, it is important to know that many places, especially in the interior of Tuscany, require another means of transport to be reached, and the car ends up becoming essential. If you decide to travel by car, I will give you one more tip: be aware of the ZTLs, especially if your hotel is central. Check out our section Driving in Italy!
• When we talk about back and forth, consider that the ideal back and forth is the one that, considering the travel times – combined – are less than, at most, 4 hours (two to go and two to return). Trips with a travel time of more than 4 hours end up not being worthwhile, because, in addition to having some unexpected circumstances, you may have little time in the destination city and need to do everything in a hurry, which I do not advise.
• The trains that operate the mentioned sections are from Trenitalia and Ítalo and you can get tickets online and save a lot by buying tickets in advance.
• If you prefer not to rent a car, but want to visit places where you need a car to get to, I recommend hiring a private transfer. Wherever possible, take the train: it’s fast, efficient and safe! Check out our Traveling by Train section!

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Conclusion

The best round trips from Florence? Tuscany is one of the most incredible regions in Italy! With its historic, unique and beautiful cities, the region offers several options for day trips from Florence. I hope you make the most of these cities I have recommended! They truly are magical places!

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Still in doubt? Be sure to post your questions below, or just send me a message and I will answer you as soon as possible!

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