There’s something magical about using Florence as your launching pad to explore the treasures scattered across central Italy. Standing in the shadow of Brunelleschi’s Dome, I’ve watched countless sunrise mornings knowing another adventure awaited beyond the Renaissance city walls. The heart of Tuscany pulses with possibilities—rolling hills carpeted in vineyards, medieval hilltop towns perched like eagles’ nests, and coastal villages where the Ligurian Sea whispers ancient secrets.
After weeks exploring these regions and countless trips crisscrossing Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, and beyond, I’ve discovered that Florence isn’t just a dream destination on its own—it’s arguably one of Italy’s best bases for day trips. The capital sits perfectly connected, with trains departing Santa Maria Novella station every hour, buses winding through cypress-lined roads, and rental cars ready to chase scenic views down country lanes. Most places lie accessible within 2 hours, letting you skip the hassle while diving deep into authentic Italian experiences.
Whether your soul craves sipping world-renowned Brunello in sun-drenched vineyards, strolling through Siena’s medieval streets where the Palio horse race thunders twice yearly, or walking coastal trails in Cinque Terre with the sea air filling your lungs, these incredibly diverse escapes give you a true taste of what makes this region unforgettable. I’ve been lucky enough to spend months here over 10+ trips, and this guide reflects the destinations truly worth your time in 2025 and beyond.
You won’t see Venice listed as a top option here—though I do share details in another post on how to pull that day trip off if you’re determined. Instead, I’m focusing on food-centered trips, classic Tuscan countryside escapes, tastes of Italy’s largest cities, and a little sun for good measure. While it’s beyond the scope to cover every possibility, I will mention we’ve visited with both a dog and a baby, so feel free to drop a comment below if you’d like specific advice on those situations, too.
The bulk of this guide structures destinations based on distance from Florence, with memorable countryside experiences toward the bottom and a reliable, tried-and-true option for those looking for a quick decision toward the top. Here’s where to find the best day trips from Florence, Italy, plus how to get there.
How to Reach Your Florence Day Trip Destination
While plenty of Florence day trip guides exist on the internet, many tend to gloss over one crucial detail: how to actually get there. This matters more than you’d think, because the difference between a high-speed train and a regional one can mean the gap between a relaxed day and a rushed nightmare.
The bulk of these day trips from Florence can be completed by train, and the time estimates I’ve used to structure this guide are based on taking the high-speed train—AKA fast train (in other words, not the regional train, more on that below)—to and from your destination. In a few cases, you’ll need to take a car or bus to reach the destination, and I’ve noted those where applicable.
If you’d like to rent a car for the day to explore on a mini road trip, I highly recommend it for some spots, though I suggest reading over the tips in our Tuscany road trip guide before grabbing the keys. We recommend searching for rental cars through Discover Cars, which is an aggregate that will price out multiple companies at once for you so you can compare easily. Personally, we have no loyalty to any one rental company and have rented with more companies than we can remember in Italy—but we do always choose to purchase the extra insurance.
High-Speed Versus Regional Trains in Italy: What to Expect
In Italy, including in Florence, you’ll find two types of trains: high-speed trains, for which ticket prices are dynamic, and regional trains, for which they’re set. When taking a high-speed train, you’ll want to book in advance, as prices can change as your day trip gets closer. Naturally, these tickets also tend to be more expensive overall than regional tickets.
Regional trains are cheaper, have fares set by the government (therefore you can simply purchase tickets as you leave for the day), stop more along the route, and are slower. When traveling to Bologna from Florence, for example, you have the choice between taking the high-speed train (about 40 minutes each way) or the regional train (about 1.5 hours each way) on your day trip.
Therefore, I’ve listed Bologna as a day trip located less than one hour from Florence—but if you don’t book your ticket in advance, you may find that it’s quite expensive to take the fast train at the last minute. We recommend using Omio to search for high-speed train tickets (it will search tickets and compare prices both for Trenitalia, Italy’s national train company, and Italo, a private company that offers some routes, as well as bus routes).
While some of these day trips from Florence are easy to use the regional trains for and generally don’t require train tickets to be purchased in advance (like Pisa, for example), others (like Rome) require a high-speed train ticket to even be feasible. If you have your heart set on a particular day trip, we recommend researching exact train times and prices as soon as possible to get a realistic look at what your day will look like.
Quick Decision: An Epic + Easy Day Trip from Florence
Does choosing among a couple of dozen potential day trips from Florence feel a bit overwhelming? Want to make a quick, easy, reliable choice that is bound to be unforgettable? Enter this full Tuscany day trip, which covers a visit to Siena, a wine tasting in the Chianti countryside, and a trip to the beautiful village of San Gimignano, all in one day.
This is a one-stop-shop day trip from Florence and includes a little bit of everything: a smaller city, some delicious local food and wine, and a trip to a gorgeous village with incredible views of the rolling hills of Tuscany, making it an easy choice for those looking for a small taste of several different things that the region has to offer. With more than 1500 near-perfect reviews on Walks alone, this day trip is a tried-and-true crowd-pleaser from one of our favorite tour companies.
Don’t forget to save room after lunch for some of the best gelato in Italy from Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano.
Siena
Travel time by train: 1.5 hours. Travel time by bus: 1 hour 15 minutes.
Siena ranks as one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany and an absolute must-visit from Florence. As the second-largest city in Tuscany, Siena was once the mighty military rival of Florence—a history that shaped its incredible beauty, especially its Duomo, which is arguably even prettier than Florence’s own cathedral. I’ve been to Siena three times—twice as a day trip and once for a longer stay—and it’s a place that continues to captivate me with its biannual Palio di Siena horse race and timeless medieval streets.
A day trip from Florence is easily doable, but planning ahead is key to making the most of your time. For transportation, I recommend taking the bus over the train. While both are options, Siena’s train station sits about 2 kilometers from the center, requiring a 30-minute walk uphill. The bus, on the other hand, is faster and conveniently drops you just a 10-minute walk from the heart of the city, making it the easiest way to reach Siena on a day trip.
The easiest way via train takes between 1.5 and 2 hours on a regional line—if you keep an eye on which times the direct trains leave, you’ll trim off some travel time. Be sure to book your tickets for the Duomo Complex in advance to skip the lines, and if possible, reserve a spot for lunch ahead of time.
On a day trip to Siena, don’t miss an opportunity to admire Siena from above—our favorite angle is from the top of the Opera della Metropolitana. If you can fit in the behind-the-scenes rooftop tour, absolutely do. Visit the Piazza di Campo, the town’s historic center where the famous horse race takes place. Siena is a great place for a leisurely and delicious lunch, too. We can heartily recommend Antica Trattoria Papei if you’re looking for a place to eat.
While visiting Siena alone on a day trip doesn’t require a tour by any stretch of the imagination, if you’d like to squeeze several stops in, this extremely popular tour of Siena, San Gimignano, and the Chianti countryside is an excellent option.
Siena Tour Options:
- Siena Cathedral and City Walking Tour visits the Duomo and other historical sights with an expert guide on this 2-hour walking tour.
- Siena Walking Food Tour lets you enjoy a taste of Siena’s delicacies on this food tour, which includes a glass of Chianti wine.
- Tuscan Cooking Class teaches you to cook an entire Tuscan meal, including hand-made pasta, during this cooking class in the heart of Siena.
- Cooking Class at a Winery offers an authentic cooking class at this countryside estate, where you’ll prepare your Tuscan meal with stunning views of the vineyards.
Pisa
Travel time by train: 1 hour.
Just an hour west of Florence, Pisa makes for a great day or even half-day trip. Perhaps the most iconic of all these Florence day trips, heading over to the Leaning Tower of Pisa to snap cheesy-but-fun selfies while holding up the tower is on plenty of Tuscany bucket lists. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can easily combine it with a visit to Lucca.
Pisa is world-famous for its Leaning Tower, and many visitors make a quick stop just to snap some photos before moving on. While that’s totally understandable, there’s much more to Pisa than its iconic landmark. Truthfully, Pisa is a better half-day trip than full day trip, and for that reason we recommend combining it with Lucca—but if you’re the type to savor a destination, you may like to do it as a standalone trip.
The OPA complex, which includes the Leaning Tower, is well worth visiting. Beyond the tower itself, you’ll find the Pisa Cathedral, the beautifully designed Baptistery, and a museum. Once you finish up at the tower, be sure to spend some time in the rest of the complex visiting the stunning Pisa Cathedral and baptistery. Outside of its religious sites, there’s still plenty to see and do. Stroll through the Orto Botanico di Pisa (one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe), wander along the Arno River, admire artwork at Palazzo Blu, and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
The train from Florence to Pisa takes just an hour. Pisa is an easy regional train ride away from Florence, but if you want to climb the tower, we recommend pre-booking tickets in advance to ensure you get a chance to head to the top. Once you arrive at Pisa Centrale, it’s about a 25-minute walk through town to reach the Leaning Tower. If you’d prefer to save time, you can take a taxi (a quick 10-minute ride) or hop on a public bus for easy access.
A guided tour isn’t really necessary here, though if you prefer one, this is a great option.
Pisa Tour Options:
- Florence to Pisa Day Tour is a 6-hour day trip that includes a guide and tickets to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Cathedral—if you don’t want to plan the day trip yourself, this is a good option.
- Florence to Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano Day Tour is a full-day guided tour that takes you to Pisa, Siena, and the Tuscan town of San Gimignano from Florence—a good option if you are short on time and want to see multiple cities in a day.
- Pisa Walking tour is a 1.5 to 2 hour guided tour that takes you to the Pisa Cathedral, Leaning Tower, Baptistery, and Piazza dei Miracoli.
Lucca
Travel time by train: 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours.
While Lucca is one of Tuscany’s largest cities, it still feels like one of the region’s hidden gems. Often combined with Pisa for a two-destinations-in-one-day tour from Florence, Lucca is a laid-back and beautiful Tuscan city that is perfect for walking around and enjoying the ambiance of Tuscany without skipping from one sight to the next. A day trip is the perfect amount of time to take in the city’s highlights.
It’s also one of our favorite cities for simply soaking up the ambiance in Tuscany, and one that we’ll never be done revisiting. Start by biking along Lucca’s medieval walls, a fantastic experience that offers lovely views of the city. Don’t miss the opportunity to stroll (or bike) along the top of Lucca’s medieval fortified town walls—it’s the only city in Tuscany where you can walk the entire route.
Then, relax with a drink at Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, the beautiful oval piazza which began life as a Roman amphitheater. Climb the iconic Torre Guinigi (Guinigi Tower) for panoramic views, and wander through a handful of Lucca’s 100 churches—be sure to also duck into at least a couple, and you’ll find a mummy on display in more than one of them (no exaggeration).
Depending on the timing of your visit, you may also be able to experience a local festival. Lucca is between 1.5 and 2 hours away from Florence via the regional train. Take the train from Florence Santa Maria Novella train station to Lucca. The walk from the station to the city walls is only 5 minutes.
If you’d prefer to take a guided tour, this well-reviewed one will show you the best of Pisa and Lucca in one day.
LUCCA TOUR OPTIONS:
- Bike and Food tour takes you on a guided bike tour of Lucca’s old town and walls, where you’ll stop for some snacks at a few local shops on the way.
- Pasta Cooking Class lets you opt out of dinner at a restaurant and learn to cook your own pasta instead—this 3-hour, small group cooking class takes you into a local’s kitchen where you’ll learn how to prepare a couple of different pastas and tiramisu.
- Private Pisa & Lucca Full-Day Tour is a highly-rated private day tour from Florence that takes you to both Pisa and Lucca with an expert guide, where you’ll visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa and some of the highlights of Lucca—short on time? This is your answer.
Fiesole
Travel time by bus: 20 minutes.
Perched in the hills surrounding Florence, Fiesole is a charming village tucked away from the busyness of the city. Located high above Florence in the Tuscan countryside, Fiesole is unique among these Florence day trips in that it’s only located an hour from Florence—on foot. That’s right, enjoying an hour’s hike from the city to the village is one of the most popular ways to visit Fiesole from Florence.
Take the #7 bus from Santa Maria Novella station—it’s a quick 20-minute ride each way. While Fiesole is small, it has a handful of worthwhile sights. Explore the Roman archaeological area and amphitheater, visit the Duomo, and stop by the Bandini Museum for a dose of local art and history.
Once you’re in Fiesole (and manage to tear your eyes away from the stunning views of Florence below), be sure to visit the local Roman ruins (including an amphitheater), check out the incredible Monastery of San Francesco, the remains of walls left behind by the Etruscans, and of course see Fiesole’s beautiful cathedral. But perhaps the best reason to visit Fiesole is the breathtaking views overlooking Florence.
For a memorable lunch, eat at Ristorante La Reggia degli Etruschi, a fantastic Tuscan restaurant that pairs delicious food with incredible views.
Not a hiker? Don’t worry, for those less inclined, you can easily take a quick bus ride up as well, or even ride the hop-on/hop-off bus either one or both ways. Personally, we visited Fiesole via rental car and combined it with a trip to the Appenine Colossus, a gigantic statue with roots in the 1500s that I had been wanting to see for years. I can’t necessarily claim the statue is one of the best day trips from Florence, but I will say if you’re going to be driving to Fiesole anyway, it’s nearby and very cool to see in person.
Fiesole Tour Options: E-Bike Florence Tuscany Self-Guided Ride with Vineyard Visit lets you ride from Florence up into the Fiesole hills, complete with a wine tasting.
Arezzo
Travel time by train: 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Being only a 30-minute train ride from Florence, Arezzo makes for an easy day trip. For a day trip from Florence that’s less established on the tourist circuit as somewhere like Pisa (though it is far from unknown), head to the beautiful Tuscan city of Arezzo. This town is known for its antiques, art, and Tuscan charm.
Located less than an hour south of Florence by train, Arezzo is easy to reach and easy to enjoy, boasting gorgeous churches, beautiful views over the Tuscan countryside, and plenty to do. If you can plan your visit for the first weekend of the month, don’t miss the Fiera Antiquaria—one of the largest antique markets in Italy. The town’s main squares and streets overflow with vendors selling everything from vintage treasures to furniture.
While you’re there, be sure to check out the Medici Fortress, pay a visit to the archaeological museum (complete with the remains of a Roman amphitheater), admire the remarkable frescoes in the Church of San Francesco, and climb to the top of the clock tower at the Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici for some incredible views.
Arezzo is also the hometown of Giorgio Vasari, the Renaissance artist who painted the interior of Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence. You can visit his former residence, Casa Vasari, where he decorated many of the walls with his frescoes. Arezzo is also known for its antiquing, so if you’d like to do a little shopping for antiques during your trip to Tuscany, this is the place to do it.
Spend the rest of the day exploring the town’s historic churches, wandering through Arezzo Park, and soaking up the countryside. You can also combine this day trip with Cortona.
Take the train from Florence Santa Maria Novella to Arezzo. The walk from the station to the town’s center is 5-10 minutes. As another fairly sizable city in Tuscany, Arezzo is among the easiest day trips from Florence. There are plenty of trains each day, and while you can check the train schedule in advance if you like, there’s no reason to book your tickets ahead of time as long as you’re traveling on a regional train.
Bologna
Travel time by train: 38 minutes.
Just 38 minutes north of Florence by train, Bologna, known as the food capital of Italy, makes for one of my favorite day trips. As the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, Bologna is known primarily for its absolutely phenomenal food. I’ve spent months getting to know Bologna’s culture, flavors, and sights, and I even hosted a month-long food tour here.
If your plan for one of your day trips from Florence is simply to eat your heart out, this is one of the best places to do it. (Our other pick for food would be Parma, which is a bit trickier to get to but is a sublime option if Bologna sounds wonderful but you’re allergic to crowds—just saying.)
Bologna’s culinary scene is unmatched, from rich, slow-cooked ragu to handmade stuffed tortellini. The Emilia-Romagna region is the original birthplace of many of the dishes that are synonymous with Italian food abroad, though most people who visit agree that the original versions are far tastier. Parmigiano-reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar, mortadella (aka bologna), and tagliatelle al ragu (aka spaghetti bolognese) are just a few of the delicacies worth sampling on a day trip to Bologna.
But while the food is undoubtedly the star, Bologna offers much more. Its historic porticoes (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site), medieval architecture, and interesting landmarks like the Sanctuary of San Luca make it a destination worth savoring beyond the plate.
A day in Bologna is a fantastic excuse to sign up for a food tour like this, and we highly recommend adding one to your day trip itinerary. In between meals, consider heading to the top of the clock tower (or Asinelli Tower when it eventually reopens) for some amazing views of the city, hunting down Bologna’s hidden canals, visiting the anatomical theatre and library of Archiginnasio, and strolling through Bologna’s markets.
Take the high-speed train to Bologna Centrale. Bologna is easily accessed from Florence via train, and you can opt for either the high-speed train to get there faster (about 40 minutes), or save money by taking the regional train (about 1.5 hours each way). Be sure to purchase your tickets at least three weeks in advance to avoid steep last-minute prices. Once you arrive, it’s about a 20-minute walk to the city center—you can also take a taxi or bus.
While we do think taking a food tour once you arrive in Bologna is a great use of time, we wouldn’t recommend booking a tour that includes transportation from Florence unless you’ll also be stopping to do something incredible like touring a parmigiano-reggiano factory in the countryside like this.
BOLOGNA TOUR OPTIONS:
- Bologna History Tour is a 3-hour historical walking tour where your guide will take you to not only the main sights in Bologna but also some of the city’s hidden gems.
- Bologna Walking Tour is a 2-hour walking tour that takes you around the city center to Bologna’s top highlights—it’s also the most affordable tour option available.
- Bologna Food Tour is, in our opinion, the best way to experience Bologna—eat your way through it. On this 4-hour food tour, you’ll taste your way through the city sampling some of the most well-known dishes from the region.
San Gimignano
Travel time by car: 1 hour.
Nicknamed “Medieval Manhattan,” San Gimignano is one of the most popular day trip destinations from Florence. Easily one of the most popular day trips from Florence, San Gimignano is known for its soaring towers, beautiful views, prime location in Tuscany (once upon a time, it sat along a Roman trading route, enriching the town), and its delicious gelato.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this charming town is famous for its unique skyline with medieval towers—14 of its original 72 towers still stand today. Start your visit by climbing the Torre Grossa, the tallest tower in town, for panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
Then, wander the streets, try the “best gelato in the world” at Gelateria Dondoli—popular Gelateria Dondoli is known as some of the best gelato in all of Italy. Be sure not to miss San Gimignano’s beautiful Duomo or the remarkable Piazza della Cisterna while visiting. For a taste of local wines, stop at one of the town’s enotecas (wine bars) for a wine tasting.
San Gimignano is perfect for a half-day trip, which is why I recommend pairing it with a visit to the nearby hilltop town of Volterra. To get to San Gimignano, you’ll need to either rent a car or book a guided tour. The drive from Florence only takes an hour.
Though you can’t take a train directly to San Gimignano, you can travel there independently by car or a combination of train and bus (the train goes as far as Poggibonsi and then you’ll need to switch to a bus, you can browse routes here). The slight trickiness in getting to San Gimignano combined with its small size make it extremely popular on multi-stop guided day trips like this one, too.
SAN GIMIGNANO TOUR OPTIONS: San Gimignano & Chianti Wine Tour from Florence is a full-day guided tour that includes a visit to a small winery, wine tastings, lunch, and a tour around San Gimignano. Private Walking Tour is a 2-hour guided walking tour where you’ll learn more about the history of San Gimignano with a visit to the town’s main attractions. Tuscan Cooking Class lets you prepare a 5-6 course lunch with a local Tuscan family just a short drive from San Gimignano.
Volterra
Travel time by car: 1 hour 20 minutes.
Volterra is a quiet hilltop town known for its stunning views and ancient Etruscan heritage. Dating back to the Etruscans and far less crowded than many of these best day trips from Florence, Volterra is a delightful Tuscan hilltop town with a plethora of interesting sites and history. The drive to this medieval gem takes you along winding roads, past rolling fields and rusting farmhouses—a quintessential Tuscan experience.
Start your visit at Porta dell’Arco, part of the town’s remaining Etruscan walls that date back to the 5th century. From there, wander through the charming cobblestone streets, stopping to admire the Duomo and the impressive Roman Amphitheater.
Pay a visit to the Piazza dei Priori, stroll through remaining Etruscan walls and gates, check out the city’s Roman ruins, and visit the beautiful local cathedral and baptistery. To delve more into Volterra’s history, I recommend visiting the Etruscan Museum. Alternatively, you can check out the Pinacoteca, the town’s art museum, which showcases works spanning centuries.
Twilight fans will recognize Volterra as the seat of power of the Volturi, though if you’re hunting down filming locations, you’re in the wrong place: Montepulciano actually stood in for Volterra in the films. Volterra is downright gorgeous and, thanks to a combination of being a bit trickier to reach and not as commonly featured on the organized tour circuit, less overwhelmingly crowded than places like, say, San Gimignano.
I recommend combining this day trip with San Gimignano. Other than booking a private tour, the best way to reach Volterra is by car. The drive takes about an hour and 20 minutes, and having a car makes it easy to combine your visit with another nearby town, like San Gimignano.
Unlike most of these Florence day trips, Volterra is not reachable directly by train. Driving is by far the best way to reach Volterra, and it takes about 1.5 hours to get there from Florence. If you’d rather not drive yourself, you can find an occasional guided tour that stops in Volterra.
Volterra Tour Options: Private tour to Volterra and San Gimignano lets you spend the full-day with a private guide exploring two of Tuscany’s most charming medieval hilltop towns.
Cortona
Travel time by train: 1-1.5 hours (Camucia Cortona).
Famously known as the town featured in Frances Mayes’ “Under the Tuscan Sun,” Cortona is a lovely hilltop town and perfect for a half-day trip from Florence. The real highlight of Cortona is the town itself.
Start at Piazza Garibaldi, then stroll along Via Nazionale to Piazza della Repubblica, the town’s lively central square. From there, walk to Piazza Signorelli to visit the Etruscan Museum and the Duomo. Spend some time exploring some of the shops, taste wine at an enoteca, and get lunch at La Buccaccia, known for its traditional Tuscan cuisine.
To get to Cortona, take the train from Florence Santa Maria Novella to Camucia-Cortona, then hop on the local bus—it’s just a quick 12-minute ride into the center of town.
Cortona Tour Options: Private tour from Florence to Cortona & Montepulciano lets you enjoy a full-day, private tour with a guide and driver to these wonderful Tuscan towns.
Chianti Wine Region
Travel time by car: 45 minutes.
For wine lovers, a day trip to the gorgeous vineyards of Chianti is a must. Spend the day tasting world-class wines while taking in the beautiful landscapes that Tuscany is known for. The easiest way to explore the region is by booking a guided wine tour, which often includes transportation, tastings, and visits to multiple vineyards.
If you prefer a more independent experience, you can rent a car, explore popular Chianti towns like Greve or Castellina, and book your own wine tastings at local wineries.
Here are a few guided tours I recommend: Small Group Chianti Wine Tour is a half-day guided tour that takes you to 2 wineries and provides up to 7 different wine tastings—maximum group size is 8 people. Private Chianti wine tour lets you spend the day tasting your way through the towns and vineyards in the Chianti region. Half-Day Wine Tour offers an affordable wine tasting experience with wine tastings at a couple of wineries.
Val d’Orcia
Travel time by car: 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Val d’Orcia is one of the most breathtaking regions in Tuscany, with its green rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, and picturesque hilltop towns. The rolling hills and endless fields of the Val d’Orcia are often considered the most beautiful place in Tuscany—and with good reason. This part of Tuscany is truly a feast for the eyes, and exactly where to come if you are looking for the idyllic Tuscan countryside of movies and postcards.
Renting a car (or booking a guided tour) is the best way to spend a day exploring this part of Tuscany. Unless you’re comfortable very driving in Italy and planning a bit of a mini road trip, this is one Florence day trip option where we fully recommend opting for booking a tour, simply because of the complexity of making multiple stops (with multiple parking situations to navigate) that can’t feasibly be accomplished via public transportation in a single day.
Here are a few of the must-visit towns: Montalcino, known for its world-famous Brunello wine, it’s a lovely spot for a wine tasting. Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage town and the best place to try pecorino cheese. Montepulciano, a pretty medieval village, known for its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine.
You can combine stunning countryside with adorable Tuscan villages and wine tasting with this epic day trip, which includes visits to the towns of Pienza, Montalcino, and Montepulciano (which happens to be one of my favorite villages in Tuscany).
If you would rather avoid taking a guided tour, you certainly can—but you’ll definitely need to rent a car and plan very carefully to effectively make the trip happen (and have someone willing to forgo the wine and act as your group’s designated driver).
Val d’orcia tour options: Full Day Tour to Val d’Orcia is a full-day guided group tour to the region’s hill towns, includes a wine tasting and endless scenic views. Val d’Orcia Private Tour lets you book this full-day tour to Pienza, Montalcino, and Montepulciano with a private guide and driver.
Cinque Terre
Travel time by train: 2-2.5 hours.
Is it possible to take a day trip to Cinque Terre from Florence? Absolutely. There’s no doubt that Cinque Terre is one of the most sought-after day trips from Florence. These delightful Ligurian fishing villages have captured hearts around the world, and it’s no surprise—they’re truly incredibly beautiful.
I’ve visited Cinque Terre several times, including twice as a day trip from Florence, and it’s very doable. While you can expect a packed schedule and plenty of crowds (it’s always busy), you’ll still be able to see the highlights in a single day.
But I will say, though I am still opting to include them here because you can enjoy the best of them in a day, they’re not the easiest day trip from Florence and if you’re just looking to enjoy the coast, you should consider a visit to Forte dei Marmi instead (very different vibe, but a lovely town with a big beach).
Start by taking an early morning train from Florence to La Spezia, where you’ll connect to the regional trains that stop at each of the five coastal villages. I recommend beginning your day in Monterosso al Mare and then slowly making your way back, with a hike between villages to enjoy the stunning views along the way.
Traveling from Florence to Cinque Terre and back in a day requires you to time the high-speed trains, spend lots of your day in transition between the villages, and dedicate a huge amount of energy to logistics on what is already a very full day. We go into detail on that in this blog post, so I won’t repeat myself too much here, but I will say that we absolutely recommend booking an organized day trip to Cinque Terre if you want to accomplish a visit as a day trip from Florence.
Your day will be much simpler for it, and you’ll be able to spend all of your energy focused on gorgeous views and tasty seafood instead of fretting about logistics.
Take the train from Florence Santa Maria Novella to La Spezia, with a transfer in Pisa along the way. Once you arrive in La Spezia, switch to the local rail system that connects all five villages. To make things easier, purchase a Cinque Terre Train Card, either online or at the station, which gives you unlimited access to the regional trains for the entire day.
cinque terre tour options: Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence with Optional Hiking is a 5-star rated, full-day guided tour that takes you through all five villages with an option to hike one of the trails—it includes transportation by bus, a guide, entry tickets to Cinque Terre National Park, a boat ride (from end of March to end of October), optional lunch, and extra time to wander around on your own. Seaside Beauty Day Trip to Cinque Terre takes you to Manarola, Vernazza, Riomaggiore, and Monterosso al Mare with a guide—from April 1 to October 31, you’ll get to enjoy a boat ride between Monterosso and Vernazza. Additionally, the tour includes an optional lunch, transfer between Florence and Cinque Terre by bus, guide, and free time to explore the towns or go swimming. Cinque Terre Private Day Trip from Florence is a highly rated private tour that includes a visit to all five towns, lunch, and a wine tasting in Monterosso—a private tour is a fantastic option if you are traveling with a group (up to 6) and want a more relaxed, tailored experience. Transfer from Florence is included, plus extra time to explore and swim.
Verona
In many ways, Florence and Verona have lots in common: they’re both beautiful Italian cities set on rivers, both have a plethora of art and history to explore, and both have delicious cuisines. In the details, though, they are very different. The food is different, the architecture is different, the history is different—and yet, both Verona and Florence rank among our favorite cities in Italy.
Come to Verona for a chance to tour a gorgeous Roman arena in the center of town, for stunning views from Castel San Pietro, and to visit the beautiful Piazza delle Erbe. Perhaps most famously, come to Verona to indulge in a little bit of Romeo and Juliet tourism in the hometown of the legendary star-crossed lovers.
This is a day trip you’ll want to plan a bit ahead for. You can reach Verona from Florence by train in 1.5 hours, but you’ll need to book high-speed train tickets in order to do so, and they can get pricey at the last minute.
Modena
Travel time by train: 1.5 hours.
Home to Ferrari, the world’s best restaurant, and balsamic vinegar—what more could you ask for? Modena is a must-visit for both food lovers and luxury car enthusiasts, and a day trip here offers plenty of ways to experience its highlights.
Ferrari Itinerary: Start your morning at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena. From there, take the shuttle bus to Maranello, where you can explore the Ferrari Museum, tour the factory, and even book a test drive on the Ferrari test track. In the late afternoon, head back to Modena for dinner.
Foodie Itinerary: Kick off your day with a food tour to sample Modena’s culinary specialties, including its traditional balsamic vinegar. Spend the afternoon visiting Modena’s historical sights, like the Duomo and Piazza Grande. Finish your day with dinner at a local restaurant.
If you want a mix of both food and Ferrari, then start your morning at the Enzo Ferrari Museum, then spend the afternoon on a food tour or exploring the city’s main sights. The train from Florence to Modena takes about an hour and a half. From the station in Modena, the walk to the city center is about 15 minutes.
Modena Tour Options: Modena Food Tour is a 4-hour tour of Modena with tastings of different specialties, such as Balsamic Vinegar, Lambrusco Wine, Tigelle, and more. Balsamic Vinegar Tour lets you spend 2 hours touring a historic acetaia with the owners—you will learn about the process of making traditional Balsamic Vinegar and enjoy lunch at the house. Pick up from Modena is available for an extra fee.
Ferrara
Travel time by train: 1 hour.
A hidden gem in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, Ferrara is a beautiful medieval city with roots dating back to the 5th century BC. Start your visit in the historic center at Este Castle, a medieval fortress surrounded by a moat. Inside, you’ll find frescoed ceilings and exhibits detailing the legacy of the powerful Este family, who ruled Ferrara for over 300 years.
Next, make your way to Palazzo dei Diamanti, a Renaissance building famous for its facade of 8,500 diamond-shaped stones. Don’t miss the Cathedral of Ferrara, a stunning 12th-century church that blends Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Before leaving, make sure to try Ferrara’s signature dish, Cappellacci di Zucca Ferraresi, a pumpkin-stuffed pasta shaped like little hats. You’ll find this local specialty at restaurants like Cusina e Butega.
The direct train from Florence to Ferrara takes 1 hour. The walk from the station to the center takes 20 minutes.
Ferrara Tour Options: Ferrara Private Walking Tour lets you spend a few hours with a tour guide visiting all of the main sights while learning about the city’s historic past.
Brisighella
Travel time by train: 2 hours.
An underrated medieval village located well off the tourist trail, Brisighella is one of the most beautiful small towns in Emilia-Romagna. The village is set among three striking hills, where you’ll find its main attractions: the La Rocca Manfrediana fortress, the Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologio), and the Santuario del Monticino. All are easily walkable from the station.
Stroll through the town’s quiet streets and don’t miss Via degli Asini (Donkey Street), an elevated walkway lined with arches. For nature lovers, walk the Sentiero dell’Olio (Olive Oil Path), which begins right in the center of town and winds through olive groves.
Before you leave, be sure to try some of Brisighella’s delicious local specialties. One must-try dish is spoja lorda, a fresh stuffed pasta filled with creamy raviggiolo cheese and parmesan.
Brisighella Tour Options: Brisighella Guided tour with lunch is a half-day walking tour of the main sights with lunch included.
Orvieto
Easily accessible by train, Orvieto is a dream of a hilltop town in the Italian region of Umbria and one of our favorite day trips from Florence (or from Rome, for that matter). Offering gorgeous views, a beautiful town center, plenty of interesting things to do, and some unique local foods definitely worth trying (starting with pigeon—yes pigeon—and Orvieto Classico wine), Orvieto packs lots of unique things to see into a small footprint, making it an ideal day trip option.
While you’re in Orvieto, definitely stop by the Duomo (including the fascinating Cappella di San Brizio inside), step inside St. Patrick’s Well, visit the Orvieto underground, tour the Etruscan necropolis, and climb the Torre del Moro for beautiful views over the city.
You can reach Orvieto by regional train in around 1.5 hours with good planning. However, some routes can take over 3, so we recommend at least familiarizing yourself with the trains you want to arrive and depart on when planning a day trip to Orvieto from Florence.
Also, a quick side note that I can’t help throwing in while we’re discussing the region of Umbria: Perugia, the capital of Umbria (though not particularly nearby), doesn’t quite make this list of the best Florence day trips, but it’s an amazing city and we love it there. If you find yourself sitting in Florence thinking “Oh my goodness I just want to board a train and get off in a walkable city without crowds”, you should go to Perugia.
Assisi
Travel time by train: 2.5-3 hours.
Known as the birthplace of St. Francis, Assisi is a deeply spiritual and religious city located in the heart of Umbria. As the birthplace of Saint Francis, one of the patron saints of Italy, Assisi is an enormously popular Florence day trip for Catholic travelers. Even if you’re not a practicing Catholic, though, the history and beauty of Assisi is sure to draw you in.
The main highlight here is the magnificent Basilica of St. Francis, one of the most splendid churches in all of Europe. No trip to Assisi could be complete without a visit to the UNESCO-recognized St. Francis Basilica, which is easily the top place to visit in Assisi. Built on the burial site of St. Francis, the basilica is dedicated to his life and legacy. Inside, you’ll find the walls and ceilings covered with spectacular frescoes, making this one of the most impressive artistic and architectural sights I’ve ever visited.
Beyond the basilica, there’s plenty more to see and do in Assisi. Visit the Basilica of St. Clare, wander the remains of the Roman Amphitheater, and explore Piazza del Comune, the heart of the city. Once you wrap up there, be sure to also check out Assisi’s Roman Forum, the Rocca Maggiore fort, the Roman Temple of Minerva located in the center of town, and the Cathedral of San Rufino.
Don’t miss a walk up to Rocca Maggiore, the medieval fortress with stunning views. While Assisi is a meaningful and interesting Florence day trip, it’s also a bit long, with most journeys take well over 2 hours each way—so be prepared for a long day.
To make the most of your visit, plan to spend a full day in Assisi. Be sure to catch one of the earlier trains from Florence so you’ll have plenty of time to see it all. Catch an early train from Florence to Assisi. The station in Assisi is 3km from the center, so you’ll need to either catch the “C” bus or a taxi into town.
While there are technically some trains that travel between Assisi and Florence in just under 2 hours, realistically you’ll probably end up with a route that takes between 2.5 and 3 hours in the morning, and the faster ride only when returning home to Florence in the evening. While these are regional trains, the distance is far enough that which train you take can greatly impact your travel time, so plan ahead if you can. You will also need to catch a local bus from the Assisi train station to get to the center of town, so be sure to account for that when timing your travels.
Prefer to leave the logistics to someone else? This well-reviewed Assisi day trip takes care of transportation concerns and also includes a stop in beautiful Cortona, the village of Under the Tuscan Sun fame.
Assisi tour options: Florence to Orvieto and Assisi Tour with Church Visits is a full-day tour to both Assisi and Orvieto, admission to main churches is included. Private St. Francis Basilica of Assisi and City Walking Tour is a private tour of the basilica and other sights. Small Group Tour of Assisi and St. Francis Basilica lets you explore the highlights of Assisi on this guided tour.
Ravenna
If there’s one word synonymous with Ravenna, it’s mosaics. If you’re the type to be delighted by 1500-year-old Byzantine mosaics adorning elaborate churches, then of all the day trips from Florence on this list, Ravenna is the one for you. We absolutely adore this city, and consider it underrated as a Florence day trip option.
Ravenna is fairly small, and you can see its major sites in just a few hours, making it an excellent candidate for a day trip (though if you want to see all of the city’s UNESCO mosaics, it’s better to spend at least one night—that’s tough to fit into most traditional first-time-in-Italy itineraries, though).
In addition to its world-famous mosaics, Ravenna is also a very peaceful, leisurely place, perfect for savoring a long lunch (featuring the incredible Emilia-Romagnan food we raved about in the Bologna section) in between sightseeing stops.
As one of the further afield day trip options we’ve included here, Ravenna is a place that you’ll likely want to plan ahead for. Well-timed train routes come in at right around 2 hours each way, but some options take far longer. Most routes will include at least one segment on a high-speed train, making it financially beneficial to plan ahead as well.
Once you arrive, you may want to have a guide with you to show you the best of the mosaics efficiently, too. We loved this tour of the most popular Ravenna mosaics.
Milan
Travel time by train: 2 hours.
Hop on a high-speed train from Florence, and in just a couple of hours, you’ll arrive in Milan. Italy’s fashion capital is located less than 2 hours from Florence by train, making it a simple and fun day trip that will give you a taste of an Italian city that feels very different from Florence. Known as Italy’s business and fashion capital, Milan is a city I’ve grown to love after many visits.
With just one day, you can cover the city’s main highlights, including the iconic Duomo, the elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, The Last Supper. Milan’s major sights, like its famous Duomo (don’t miss the chance to check out the rooftop—it’s absolutely fabulous), the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Castello Sforzesco, and the La Scala Opera House are all within a comfortable walk of each other, making Milan an excellent place to see over the course of a day.
Be sure to book tickets for The Last Supper well in advance, as it’s one of the city’s most sought-after attractions. If you’d like to see The Last Supper, you will absolutely need to plan in advance: if you’re traveling at the last minute, we recommend booking a tour like this if you’d like to see Da Vinci’s famous painting on your trip to Milan.
Don’t miss the chance to enjoy Milan’s exceptional cuisine. Some of my favorite restaurants include Antica Trattoria della Pesa, Trippa Milano, and Stendhal Milano.
Take an early morning high-speed train to Milano Centrale. From the station, catch the metro to the city center, where you can easily explore Milan’s top sights on foot. Like Rome, the only realistic way to take a day trip to Milan from Florence is to take the high-speed train, which means you’ll need to book your tickets in advance to get a good deal. (For example, as I update this post in May 2025, I’m looking at next-day ticket prices from Milan to Florence that are going for $114 each).
Milan Tour Options: Milan Duomo & The Last Supper Guided Tour is the best way to experience both Da Vinci’s Last Supper and the famous Milan Duomo—with skip-the-line tickets and an expert guide, we’d recommend this tour to anyone visiting Milan. History tour & The Last Supper is a 3-hour guided tour where you’ll walk the streets of Milan with a guide while learning about the city’s history—additionally, entrance to The Last Supper is included. Full-day Milan Tour is for you if you’re looking for the best full-day tour of Milan—not only will you visit the Milan Duomo and The Last Supper, but you’ll also visit some of the city’s hidden gems.
Venice
Travel time by train: 2 hours 15 minutes.
While a day trip to Venice is ambitious, it’s absolutely doable with the right planning. That said, if you have the time, I highly recommend spending a few nights to truly experience the city. In a single day, you’ll have enough time to see Venice’s iconic attractions, including Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, and even enjoy a gondola ride.
To make the most of your time, be sure to purchase tickets for the major sights in advance to avoid long wait times. If you’ve already been to Venice, a day trip is a great opportunity to see some of the city’s smaller museums and wander around at your own pace.
Take the high-speed train from Florence to Venezia Santa Lucia station. From the station, you can either take a vaporetto (water bus) to St. Mark’s Square or Rialto Bridge. Or you can walk—it’s a 25-minute walk to Rialto.
Venice Tour Options: Full-day Venice tour is a 6.5 hour tour that includes access to St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and a Gondola tour—you get the most bang for your buck on this one. Venice Food tour is a 3-hour food tour that takes you to some of the best local spots for a tasting of Venetian cuisine.
Rome
Ah, Rome: I must admit that I’m a bit biased in that I’m hesitant to recommend Rome as a Florence day trip, simply because I love it so much that I have a hard time seeing how one day could be enough. However, all trips to Italy require hard choices about where to go and where to skip, and if you are hoping to taste the Eternal City but don’t have longer than a day to spend there, it’s absolutely worth going.
With one day in Rome, you can pay a visit to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, stroll past the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, briefly visit Vatican City, admire the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, and visit Campo de’ Fiori. We have a detailed recommended one day in Rome itinerary here, which we’ve tested on family and friends more than once.
The only realistic way to take a day trip to Rome from Florence is via the high-speed train, which takes 1.5 hours vs more than 3 hours each way on the regional train. If you have your heart set on this day trip, be sure to reserve your tickets in advance.
Epic Experiences Outside of Florence
Rather than focus on a specific town or city, these best day trips out of Florence are all about having unforgettable experiences in the Tuscan countryside, including some of our favorite Tuscany travel experiences of all time. If your idea of the perfect day trip is more about an activity than a destination, you just might find what you’re looking for in this section.
Enjoy a vintage Vespa tour through the countryside.
One of our all-time favorite experiences in Tuscany is taking a day trip to the countryside via Vespa. There’s truly nothing like the feeling of zipping along country lanes and admiring passing villas, olive orchards, and vineyards from the back of a Vespa. We adored this tour, which will take you up to San Miniato al Monte for some truly incredible views of Florence before a ride through the countryside. It was a completely phenomenal experience, and if you’re looking for an idyllic day trip in Tuscany, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Savor a Tuscan cooking class with a side of wine and views.
Want to try your hand at some Tuscan cooking? Taking a cooking class in Tuscany is one of the most popular things to do when visiting the region, but while there are plenty of classes you can take within Florence, we personally think cooking in a farmhouse in the countryside is far more idyllic. This cooking class is an all-day affair at a Tuscan farmhouse, includes transportation to and from Florence, and is an excellent way to combine a day outside the city while sampling plenty of delicious food (and learning how to replicate it at home).
Go horseback riding through vineyards and orchards.
Horseback riding in Tuscany is a special experience. The trails wind through vineyards, past orchards and farmhouses, and along small country lanes, offering a perspective on classic views that most people haven’t experienced during the last century. Admiring the views of the Tuscan countryside is, of course, one of the more popular things to do on a day trip from Florence, wherever you choose to go, and it’s even more special while on horseback.
You can find more options for horseback riding tours departing from Siena, but there are some offered from Florence as well, including this well-reviewed one that takes you near San Gimignano. The exact tour we took is no longer offered, but we rode in the same region and absolutely loved the views, the experience, and especially the sweet farm dog that trotted along with us for most of the route. Even the cloudy day couldn’t keep the experience from being perfect.
Indulge in a classic wine tasting day trip from Florence.
Prefer to skip the cities and focus solely on delightful Tuscan wine? You aren’t alone: the most popular day trips from Florence tend to include at least one wine tasting. This popular Chianti day trip will take you right to two different vineyards, where you will tour their wine cellars, learn a bit about the wine process, and then move right on to tasting the local wines.
It also includes a stop in stunning Monteriggioni, a tiny but incredible Tuscan village that is entirely encircled by medieval walls and 14 towers. A trip to the Chianti countryside is a quick-and-easy option when looking for day trips from Florence that will offer you a chance to see the Tuscan countryside, enjoy some of the local delicacies, and not have to dedicate too much time away from the city.
Cooking Class in the Countryside
Taking a cooking class is one of my favorite experiences in Italy—it’s always a fun way to meet new people and learn how to make the local dishes yourself. While there are plenty of great options in Florence, consider heading out to the countryside for a more authentic experience. Below, I’ve shared some of the best cooking classes set in the rolling hills of Tuscany.
The Florence Day Trips We Don’t Recommend
I’m hesitant to include this section, because truthfully, whether or not a particular day trip is “worth it” often has a lot more to do with a traveler’s individual goals, dreams, and travel opportunities (for example, will you probably be back in Italy within a few years, or is this a once-in-a-lifetime experience?) than it does logistics.
I can (and do) talk about how transit times, complex public transportation options, budget, and simply seeing places at their most overwhelmed (which usually in the middle of the day, because of day trippers) can lead to a subpar experience—but do I expect someone who’s wanted to see say, Venice, for decades care a bit if this is their one shot of experiencing it? Not in the slightest. I wouldn’t care either, and I’ve done far stranger things to visit places I’m determined to see than take an imperfect day trip.
However, for most travelers, here are a few day trips from Florence that we would be hesitant to recommend:
I wouldn’t recommend Venice, because the city suffers mightily from day trip and cruise ship crowds (you may even owe a specific day trip fee if you visit on certain days), and it truly impacts the enjoyability of the city. I did, however, write an entire guide to how to do it in the best way possible if you’re determined to go.
I wouldn’t recommend anywhere south of Rome because it’s simply too far. Tivoli, which is close to Rome, is technically possible at 2.5 hours each way on the very fastest trains, but it’s much better accomplished from Rome. That is especially true for Naples and anything in that area—Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, etc. It’s too far. Cinque Terre isn’t my favorite day trip from Florence to recommend, but it’s a much better option.
I also wouldn’t recommend going to Terme di Saturnia, as it’s a 3-hour drive into a very rural area (while famously Tuscan, it’s actually closer to Rome than Florence). Bagno San Filippo and Bagno Vignoni are both closer, and doable if you’re comfortable renting a car and driving yourself.
And finally, I wouldn’t recommend either Lake Como or Lake Garda—they’re too far, and in the case of Lake Garda, technically possible but very logistically difficult for less payoff than you get in easier places (a trip to Garda is enhanced with a car, but it’s too far to drive—you need the high-speed train to make it possible).
Italy Train Travel
Traveling by train is the easiest and most convenient option for most day trips from Florence. I’ve traveled by train all throughout Italy and have found it to be an affordable, accessible, and clean way to explore the country. However, keep in mind that delays are fairly common. While I’ve never encountered a significant delay, it’s something to be aware of when planning.
Italy offers two main types of trains: regional trains and Frecciarossa (high-speed) trains. Frecciarossa trains are more expensive but can save you valuable time, especially for longer trips. Firenze Santa Maria Novella is the city’s main railway station, located about a 15-minute walk from Piazza del Duomo.
How to Book Train Tickets
You can book train tickets either online in advance or at the train station. The official website for booking is Trenitalia.com. For the best prices, we recommend booking tickets at least three weeks in advance, particularly for longer journeys. For regional trains or short trips (under an hour), you can often book tickets a day before or on the day of travel, with minimal price difference.
Tips for Train Travel in Italy
Book Early: For the best prices, try to book your tickets at least three weeks in advance for longer trips. Use the Trenitalia App: The app is convenient for checking timetables, booking tickets, and monitoring delays, all from your phone. Know the City Names: Italian city names are used on the Trenitalia website and app. For example, Florence is Firenze and Venice is Venezia.
Renting a Car in Florence
For some of these day trips, having a car is essential unless you book a guided tour. Renting a car in Florence is pretty straightforward, and I recommend renting from the Florence Airport. Not only is it typically cheaper, but it’s also outside the city center, making it easier to get on the road and you avoid city traffic. The airport is a quick 20-minute tram ride from the train station, so it’s easy to get there.
You can also rent a car directly from the Florence train station, but keep in mind it’s often a bit pricier. Driving in Italy isn’t nearly as daunting as you may have heard. Yes, drivers might cut you off and blinkers can seem optional, but driving around Tuscany is surprisingly relaxed. The smaller country roads, lighter traffic, and wide-open landscapes make for a less stressful experience.
For car rentals, my go-to booking site is Discover Cars. I’ve used them all over Italy (and Europe) and have always had a positive experience.