1 day tuscany tour from florence

The Best of Tuscany in One Day Trip from Florence - Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano plus lunch and wine tasting at a Chianti winery

Join us on a full-day guided tour of Tuscany and appreciate the architecture, cuisine and history of this sun-drenched region in all its glory.

Tour details

Pricing starting from:

• Duration: 12 hours
• Departure time: 8:00 AM
• Departure from: Florence

Meeting point The meeting point is in Piazza Stazione. Your guide will be holding a WALKABOUT TOURS sign, right by the taxi stand at Santa Maria Novella train station across from the outside McDonald's.

What's included?

• Air-conditioned coach travel
• Guided walking tour of Siena with entrance fee to the cathedral
• Hearty farmhouse lunch – veggie and gluten-free options available
• Wine tasting of four varieties
• Maps of and information about all the towns visited
• Guided walking tour through the medieval city of Siena
• Traditional Tuscan lunch and informal wine tasting at a Chianti vineyard (not included in the tour option without lunch)
• Free time in the hilltop town of San Gimignano
• Scenic drive to historic Pisa to explore its hidden corners and iconic tower

Full Itinerary

Depart florence.

We will meet at the front of Santa Maria Novella train station at 7:45am, ready for an 8.00am start. After meeting your expert guide, an air-conditioned coach will whisk you away to the first stop on our jam-packed itinerary.

View Siena through the eyes of a local as you join a guided walking tour through the medieval city made up of yellow-ochre buildings, terracotta rooftops and green shutters. Learn about the world’s oldest bank, see the Piazza del Campo - the site of the 600-year-old Palio horse race - and admire the interior of the Duomo, a treasure chest of artworks. Afterwards, enjoy Siena at your own pace with free time for shopping or relaxing in an open-air cafe.

A Tuscan Lunch at a Chianti Vineyard

Next we stop at an organic, family-run wine estate – the highlight of our Tuscany tours! You will take part in an informal wine tasting lesson, trying Chianti, Vernaccia and Tuscan dessert wine, Vin Santo. Next enjoy traditional local lunch with plenty of wine, and soak in the idyllic location overlooking stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Take the opportunity to meet fellow travellers while feasting on fresh, organic farm food, including homemade pasta, cured meats (homemade prosciutto and salami), local cheeses, a real garden salad and Tuscan biscotti (if the tour option without lunch is chosen, this part of the tour is not included but there will be more time spent in San Gimignano).

Don't forget your camera - the view from the winery is jaw dropping!

San gimignano.

After lunch we visit the enchanting hilltop town of San Gimignano where you have free time to roam the picturesque streets and squares. Maybe browse the local shops, try an award winning gelato or walk among the town’s famous medieval towers.

Scenic Country Drive & Pisa

A scenic drive through iconic Tuscan countryside will take you to your final stop, Pisa. Here, take a closer look at the iconic Leaning Tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery. A brief tour of the historic heart of Pisa will show you another side of the city.

Upgrade to include skip-the-line entry to the Leaning Tower

Return to florence.

You will be dropped off in Florence at around 8.30pm with a camera full of pictures, a stomach full of hearty Tuscan food and a host of new friends.

Know before you go

• Due to uneven and steep surfaces, we are unable to accept wheelchair users or those with walking difficulties on our Tuscany tours.
• Children under the age of 8 years are not permitted to climb the leaning tower of Pisa.
• When the Duomo of Siena is closed for religious services, Santa Maria della Scala museum will be visited instead.

Reviews of this experience

2,929 total reviews.

by: Danielle Henning on Walkabout

Claudia was our tour guide and she was fantastic. We had a huge group and she was very efficient and knowledgeable and fun. Even the longer bus rides were mostly full of entertainment or learning more. This tour is well worth the money and the time. You see so much that would otherwise be difficult to fit into your trip and you learn a lot. There's plenty of time in each spot to explore or eat or shop or do whatever you want so it never feels rushed but you also don't spend so much time in a place that you get bored. If you can have a small breakfast ahead of time and plan for a late dinner, this fills a whole day perfectly.

Self-Drive Vintage Fiat 500 Tour

by: Lauren Shoemaker on Walkabout

Our favorite tour yet! Gabriel was absolutely wonderful as our guide. Every person that was part of this tour made it so special. You can tell these guys love what they do. They make you feel like you are part of their family. Could not recommend this tour enough!

It Will Be Worth Your While

by: Edelyn Jobli on Walkabout

August 30, 2024 Claudia, our tour guide, was simply fantastic! We had a large group of 43, but she expertly managed to keep everyone together, guiding us from the meeting point to the bus and at every stop along the way. Claudia was super friendly, really knowledgeable, and even threw in some jokes to lighten the mood for all of us who were feeling the heat in Florence. It was a packed day, but she made sure we hit all the key sights while keeping the schedule tight but flexible. Our driver, Leonardo, was a pro, skillfully navigating the big coach bus for hours without a hitch. The art in the Duomo di Siena was breathtaking, and the medieval buildings in San Gimignano, with all those “tower houses,” were definitely worth seeing (sorry, Game of Thrones fans, no beer here!). The lunch at a Chianti vineyard was a real treat, too. We all sat together, which was a great way to bond with our fellow travelers. The food was delicious, and the wines were top-notch. For me, the highlight was definitely visiting what I like to call the “Drunk Tower,” the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was just surreal! My sister and I booked this day tour through Viator, and we were really pleased with our decision. It was totally worth it!

August 30, 2024 Claudia, our tour guide, was simply fantastic! We had a large group of 43, but she expertly managed to keep everyone together, guiding us from the meeting point to the bus and at every stop along the way. Claudia was super friendly, really knowledgeable, and even threw in some jokes to lighten the mood for all of us who were feeling the heat in Florence. It was a packed day, but she made sure we hit all the key sights while keeping the schedule tight but flexible. Our driver, Leonardo, was a pro, skillfully navigating the big coach bus for hours without a hitch. The art in the Duomo di Siena was breathtaking, and the medieval buildings in San Gimignano, with all those “tower houses,” were definitely worth seeing (sorry,, hold my beer, Game of Thrones ). The lunch at a Chianti vineyard was a real treat, too. We all sat together, which was a great way to bond with our fellow travelers. The food was delicious, and the wines were top-notch. For me, the highlight was definitely visiting what I like to call the “Drunk Tower,” the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was just surreal! My sister and I booked this day tour through Viator, and we were really pleased with our decision. It was totally worth it!

An Amazing Way to See Tuscany!

by: Anthony Coletta on Walkabout

Noemi was our tour guide for the day and she was amazing. She is very sweet and has great knowledge about the history of Tuscany. Lunch on the Tuscan farm was delicious and surrounded by beautiful views. The cities of Siena and San Gimignano were stunning with the medieval architecture shining through. You will have a full day sightseeing and eating through Tuscany on a comfortable air conditioned bus! This excursion was worth every penny!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you do hotel pick-ups or do you have a central meeting point.

We do not organise hotel pick-ups for difficulties with parking and scheduling, but our meeting point at Florence's main train station is very central and should be easy to get to. Many hotels are located within easy walking distance of the train station, otherwise a taxi (you could ask your hotel to book it for you) would be the fastest option, dropping you off right at our meeting point.

CAN WE CLIMB THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA? IS IT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THE TOUR?

When you make a reservation you will have the chance to upgrade your tour to include entry to the Leaning Tower before you proceed to the payment stage. Remember that children under the age of eight are not permitted to climb the tower.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

We suggest comfortable clothing and above all, comfortable shoes for walking. In the summer months please remember that you are expected to cover your shoulders to visit inside churches, but if you are dressed for a hot day don't worry, you will be given a disposable paper cape for the Cathedral in Siena.

HOW MUCH TIME DO WE SPEND ON THE BUS?

We have arranged an itinerary so that you will cover as much of Tuscany as possible but without spending too long on the bus. The longest ride of the day is through beautiful Tuscan scenery and lasts about an hour and a half.

DOES YOUR BUS HAVE A WASHROOM?

Our bus does not have a washroom. However the day is very well divided that you are never too far from washrooms. In the morning it takes just over an hour from Florence to Siena, then just forty minutes from Siena to the wine estate. After lunch we go to San Gimignano (only ten minutes drive) and from there to Pisa which takes one and a half hours. After Pisa it's just over an hour to Florence, depending on traffic.

DO YOU CATER FOR PEOPLE WITH FOOD ALLERGIES/VEGETARIANS?

Definitely! If you would prefer an alternative to the menu we have chosen, please tell your tour leader and he/she will telephone ahead to arrange it.

IS THE TOUR SUITABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN?

The thing to remember is that it is a long day (12 hours) and the city visits can be tiring for children. We have had occasional problems in the past when tired children have become fractious and noisy during the bus rides and disturbed the other passengers. So the decision has to be yours because you know your children! We reserve the right to ask you to leave the tour if in the tour leader's opinion your child disrupts the tour. We suggest to parents of very young ones that they use a back pack type of baby carrier rather than a stroller/pram because of the many steps, steep slopes and uneven surfaces in the medieval towns that we visit. It's also much quicker getting on and off the bus!

CAN WE GET OFF IN PISA?

If you have plans to stay in Pisa, you can bring your luggage with you (there is plenty of space on the coach) and collect it at the end of the tour, before the rest of us head back to Florence.

WE HAVE A FLIGHT/TRAIN TO CATCH FROM PISA AFTER THE TOUR. HOW CAN WE GET THERE?

If you have to get to the airport at Pisa, it's about fifteen minutes by taxi – the tour leader can help organise a taxi for you. If you are traveling by train, Pisa Centrale station is a ten minute taxi ride or bus ride away.

When you make a reservation you will have the chance to choose the tour option that includes the entry to the Leaning Tower before you proceed to the payment stage. Remember that children under the age of eight are not permitted to climb the tower.

WE ARE CATCHING A TRAIN AFTER THE TOUR, CAN WE BRING OUR LUGGAGE WITH US?

Our tours leave from and return to the main railway station in Florence, so if you are travelling on by train, bring your luggage with you in the morning and take the train in the evening directly after the tour. You will save both time and money by not having to use the luggage deposit! We recommend that you book any rail travel from Florence after 9pm to allow time for any traffic delays. We cannot be held responsible for any loss or extra expense incurred in the unlikely case of delays due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.

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The 5 Best Tuscany Day Trips From Florence [2024 Reviews]

If you’re already going to be in Florence, you would be missing out if you didn’t take a dedicated trip to Tuscany.

While Florence certainly has its own beauty and fascinating history, Tuscany is a great way to escape the city and into a serene realm of wine, delicious food, and rolling countryside.

There are tons of Tuscany tours out there, which can make it hard to narrow them down and choose which is best for you.

We have done the “hard” part for you, ensuring that each one of these tours are worth your time and money. Without further ado, we present to you the top day trips to Tuscany from Florence!

Be sure to see our reviews of Full Day Tuscany Day Trips, Florence Wine Tours and Cinque Terre Tours.

Best Day Trips To Tuscany From Florence

Quick answer: the 5 best tuscany day trips from florence tours.

• Best Combination Tour: Tuscany Day Trip from Florence: Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa & Lunch at a Winery
• Best Guided Tour: Tuscany Wine & Food Tour with Guide From Florence
• Best Full Day Tour: Tuscany Wine Tasting Full-Day Trip From Florence
• Best Private Tour: Private Tuscany tour: Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti. Day Trip from Florence
• Best Budget Tour: Tuscany Day Trip with Optional Lunch and Wine From Florence

Tuscany Day Trips From Florence Reviews

1. best combination tour: tuscany day trip from florence: siena, san gimignano, pisa and lunch at a winery.

• Duration: 11-12 hours
• Departure:  Piazza della Stazione, 14/39, 50123
• Departure Time: 8:00 AM
• Includes: English-speaking driver/guide, transport by minivan, visit to Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa with lunch and wine tasting.

First up, we have an amazing full day of fun on the Tuscan countryside. The Tuscany Day Trip from Florence is a great way to see some of the most beautiful parts of Italy with a guided tour so you get to see more. Prepare for a day of knowledge, experiences, and a lot of fun as you’ll head to various cultural stops!

Start off in the morning where you will head to Siena. It feels like a part of this area never quite left the medieval ages, and is charming in its own way.

Here, we recommend you enjoy lunch in at the Pizzicheria de Miccolil. It’s half-butcher shop, half-bistro so you know your food is fresh. Did we mention it also includes a cheese and wine cellar?

Salamis and hams are abundant here, and try their delicious house-made pizza! Siena is definitely one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany. That’s saying a lot, considering we are talking about the culture-rich Italian countryside.

Next onto the walled town of San Gimignano. One of the oldest villages in Chianti, some say it was even where Amerigo Vespucci was born. The fortified medieval hamlet is truly breathtaking with its scenery and architecture, and is known for its wine where you’ll try plenty.

Here you can go to the famous Guardastelle Vineyard where you can take a tour and taste some fine Italian wines. If your still hungry or even if your not, have some cheese and appetizers as well. Or go for a full lunch!

When you are ready for some exploring, we recommend checking out La Rocca di Montestaffoli. This 14th century fortress offers amazing views of the town.

Don’t miss the Torre Grossa. This is an ancient skyscraper, the ancients built them as well! When you climb to the top, you will be met by spectacular views of the town below.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience, search for other top rated florence experiences you may enjoy:, 2. best guided tour: tuscany wine & food tour with guide from florence.

• Duration: 8 hours
• Departure:  Piazzale Montelungo
• Departure Time: Morning
• Includes:  T ransportation by air-conditioned vehicle,  Wi-Fi on board,  English-speaking driver/guide, g uided visit to 3 different wineries, w ine tasting, o live oil tasting, l unch, f ree time in Greve in Chianti

If you’re a wine lover or would simply like to explore more about this world, you’re on the right track. The From Florence: Tuscany Wine & Food Tour with Guide is a bit longer, clocking in at 8 hours.

However, you’ll have time to visit 3 different wine estates and get to try all kinds of wines, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar! Another massive bonus to this tour is that they operate with very small groups, only. This means that you won’t just be lost in the crowd.

You’ll have personalized attention and can ask your guide any questions you may have. Smaller groups also allow you to simply see more!

Start off your morning by meeting at Piazzale Montelungo, where you’ll be picked up by your air-conditioned vehicle.

With wi-fi on board, you never have to worry about being out of the loop. You can go “live” on your social media platforms, send videos and photos to friends and family, post about your tour, etc. without having to wait!

However, we’re sure you’ll want to live in the moment and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you, too. As you journey around, your driver/guide will tell you and your group all about the area’s history, wine production, and other interesting facts and anecdotes.

You’ll drive south from Florence and reach your first winery where you’ll enjoy some wine and a tasty traditional Tuscan lunch.

The second winery will teach you all about the winemaking process where you’ll visit their farm and learn about where their ingredients come from. Their wine expert won’t hesitate to share interesting facts and “secrets” about their products and will give you a full tour of the space.

Make sure to try their perfectly-sweet Vin Santo dessert wine while breathing in the fresh air of the undisturbed rolling hills. Then, head to Greve in Chianti, where you’ll have some time to walk around the lovely main square which has been significant in the local community for many years.

3. Best Full Day Tour: Tuscany Wine Tasting Full-Day Trip From Florence

• Duration: 7 hours
• Departure: Piazza della Calza
• Departure Time: 9:45 am
• Includes: T our guide, t ransport for activity duration, m ap

First off, we have the From Florence: Tuscany Wine Tasting Full-Day Trip . Designed for independent travelers between the ages of 18 and 35 years old, it’s a lot of fun and relaxation with beautiful scenery to set the scene! This tour includes visits to 2 different wineries, but you’ll be able to learn about and experience much more than that!

Meet at a central pickup spot (Piazza della Calza) in Florence with the rest of your group and hop on board a luxury van! This van is climate-controlled, with a nice amount of space and comfortable seats. You’ll set off at 9:45 am, which means you still have some time to sleep in and enjoy breakfast before starting your tour.

Your first stop is San Gimignano, located in the Chiani countryside, which is what this area is renowned for. When you first arrive, you and your group will have time to stroll around at your own pace.

This really is one of the best ways to see it, as you’ll be able to see this charming town up close and be able to really appreciate the details, the friendly locals, and different shops.

After this, you’ll head to a wine tasting school (which everyone should be educated on!). Here, you’ll try 4 different wines, including the notorious Chianti Classico D.O.C.G., a Super Tuscan wine, a 30-year-old balsamic vinegar, and lush truffle extra virgin olive oil.

As you taste, a professional wine producer will teach you how to spot the different flavor profiles and help develop your skills.

Next, head to another local winery facing the gorgeous tower of San Gimignano. The winemakers really treat you like family, sharing secrets about their wine and oil, along with the best wine and oil pairings to take full advantage of these flavors.

After tastings, you’ll have the chance to purchase their wines at an affordable cost to enjoy at home or share with your friends and family.

Then, you’ll have more free time to wander around the little alleyways of San Gimignano with some of their world-famous gelato in hand!

4. Best Value Tour: Private Tuscany Tour: Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti – Day Trip from Florence

• Departure: H otel pickup and drop-off included
• Departure Time: 9:00 am
• Includes:  Driver, hotel pickup and drop-off, private tour, transport by air-conditioned minivan

If you’re looking for a comprehensive, educational tour of Tuscany but are on a tight budget, then you may be feeling like you don’t have a lot of options. However, we’re here to prove that wrong with our next tour! The Private Tuscany Tour: Siena, San Gimignano and Chianti Day Trip from Florence is just the ticket for what you’re searching for!

Clocking in at 8 hours, they really manage to pack everything in for an adventure-filled day that will never leave you with a dull moment. You’ll head out to 2 of the most charming, well-preserved Tuscan villages that will make you want to come back for more.

These villages aren’t quite as tourist-heavy as Rome or Florence, so you won’t have to worry about crowds or noisiness. Start off by being picked up at your Florence hotel and hop aboard a deluxe minivan with comfortable seats and large windows to admire the hills as you head toward your first destination.

Siena is up first, which is an UNESCO World Heritage-listed town known for its captivating cathedral and Piazza del Campo. The latter allows only pedestrians to walk around, slowing things down and allowing you to really treasure the environment and experience.

After some leisure time, you’ll head to the hilltop village of San Gimignano which is famous with its 14 towers! Located along the renowned “via Francigena” road once operated by pilgrims, it’s known for producing the white wine of Vernaccia di Sangimignano and saffron. Don’t miss its Duomo “La Collegiata” which was built in 1200 and is still surprisingly well-preserved!

5. Best Budget Tour: Tuscany Day Trip with Optional Lunch and Wine From Florence

• Duration: 12 hours
• Departure:  Santa Maria Novella train station by the taxi stand
• Includes:  Expert guide, g uided walking tour of Siena, e ntry ticket to Siena Cathedral, f armhouse lunch at a winery estate in Chianti (if lunch option selected, w ine tasting of 4 regional wines (if lunch option selected)

Lastly, we have the longest tour on the list which is perfect for those who really want the longest experience possible for a day tour.

This 12-hour tour includes skip-the-line tickets and plenty of wine tastings to make for a wonderful experience! If that sounds like fun to you, sign up for the From Florence: Tuscany Day Trip with Optional Lunch and Wine !

Your morning starts bright and early, where you’ll meet up with your guide and the rest of the group at Florence’s central train station. Your guide will greet you and sit with you, informing you of interesting stories and historical accounts of the areas you pass by.

Your first stop will be Siena, which is known as the country’s most picturesque medieval city. We can’t deny that, as even before you get to the city center you can see just how well the locals have taken care of their centuries-old city.

Admire the iconic orange terracotta roofs, contrasting the majestic gothic and Romanesque architecture of the cathedral. You’ll then head up to San Gimagnano, the UNESCO-site sitting on a hilltop.

The tower houses were constructed in the Middle Ages, and you’ll have plenty of time at your own leisure to check them and the local palaces, churches, etc. out!

You can’t miss out on a trip to Pisa and its iconic tower where you have to get some photos! Then walk around the Piazza dei Miracoli and check out other notable landmarks! Be prepared for plenty of walking but you won’t even notice it with so much going on.

What Can I See in One Day in Tuscany? (With a Sample Itinerary)

Tuscany without question is one of the most beautiful and charming regions of Italy. Even is you only have one day to spend in Tuscany, you can still see some of its best attractions.

First thing to do is head out to the countryside, where the real charm of Tuscany is. Your first stop should be the medieval town of San Gimignano. With its imposing towers, narrow alleys, and beautiful churches, its a must see! Walk around town and enjoy the views of the town and surrounding countryside.

Now its time to check out the small town of Monteriggioni. Its surrounded by 13th-century walls and towers. It’s a perfect example of medieval Tuscany and is a must visit for history enthusiasts. Walk along the town walls, explore the castle and take in the views of the Tuscan countryside.

After exploring Monteriggioni head to Siena. I think this is Tuscany’s most beautiful town. Siena is a perfect example of Italian culture and art.  It also has a beautiful medieval center that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

Explore the city’s narrow streets and visit the Piazza del Campo which is a Cathedral. If you have time, stop at a local trattoria and try some of the delicious Tuscan specialties, such as pici pasta or the famous bistecca alla fiorentina.

Of course one day is not enough to see everything Tuscany has to offer but this one day itinerary is a great way to hit the highlights.

What is the Best Way to do a Day Trip to Tuscany from Florence?

Getting to Tuscany from Florence is a breeze and there are several ways get there.

Guided Tours : If you’re looking for the easy button, then taking a guided tour is your best bet to see Tuscany. There are several tour operators in Florence that have day trips to Tuscany where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of the Tuscan countryside without any of the stress of planning. We have highlighted our favorite options above .

Rent a Car: If you want to explore on your own, renting a car is your best bet to explore Tuscany. Florence is well connected to Tuscany’s major cities and towns with highways, making it easy to get around. Driving through Tuscany is worth the trip with stunning views of rolling hills, vineyards and ancient towns.

Public Transportation: If you’re looking for an inexpensive option, taking a train or bus will get you to several towns and cities in Tuscany. There are several trains and buses that run between Florence and major cities like Siena, Pisa, and Lucca, allowing you to explore the region for cheap.

However you choose to get to Tuscany, the journey there is sure to be just as awesome as the destination. The beauty of Tuscany is should not be rushed so you to take in the sights of this beautiful region of Italy.

Why You Should Take a Day Trip to Tuscany

Tuscany is a region that has captured the hearts of millions of travelers for centuries and for good reason!

• The Scenery : Tuscany has some of the most stunning scenery in the world. From rolling hills covered in vineyards and olive groves to ancient towns perched on hilltops. Every corner of Tuscany is a feast for the eyes and you’ll find yourself constantly stopping to take in the views and some pictures.
• The Food : If you love Italian food then you will be in paradise in Tuscany. There are hearty soups and stews to delicious steaks and fresh pasta. You will be spoiled when it comes to dining options in Tuscany. Let’s not forget the wine! Tuscany has to some of the world’s best wineries. If you have time, taking a tour of the wineries around Tuscany is a must do!! Enjoy wines like Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano. See our reviews of Tuscan cooking classes if you have the time.
• The History : With ancient towns and cities that have been standing for centuries you are surrounded by history. From the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa to the stunning Duomo in Florence. Tuscany has some of the world’s most famous landmarks. Don’t forget the countless museums, art galleries, and churches to be explored.

Tour Guides

The City Escape Tuscany Private Day Trip is our Editors Choice for the best Tuscany day trip from Florence.

Robert Baker

Related articles, the 5 best stonehenge tours from london [2024 reviews], 🍷 the 5 best florence wine tours [2024 reviews], the 7 best vatican tours ⛪ [2024 reviews], the 5 best seine river dinner cruises [2024 reviews].

Tuscany Tours from Florence in One Day

If you’re based in Florence but you’d like to see more of what Tuscany has to offer, it’s easy enough to join a tour that will give you the opportunity to enjoy a hassle-free excursion in some of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany.

If you’ve only one day to spare, the easiest thing to do is join a guided tour that will pack the day with fun, amazing sights and great food.

Tuscany Tours from Florence

See the best of tuscany with this full day tour.

Tuscany in 1-Day Sightseeing Tour – You’ll meet your guide and board a coach that will drive through the Tuscan hills from Florence to Siena , your first stop. The Medieval historic centre of Siena is a sight to behold, from the Piazza del Campo where you can enjoy a coffee watching the world go by, to the Medieval edifices , and the splendid Gothic Cathedral. You’ll visit the interior of the Cathedral, a real must for art lovers, and enjoy a wander along its ancient streets.

Lunch is in a winery immersed in the Chianti vineyards , where the view matches the quality of the traditional Tuscan food. You can relax and enjoy some of the locally produced Chianti wine before heading to San Gimignano , one of Tuscany’s famed hill towns. This wonderfully evocative small town with its house-towers, and picturesque corners is a must-see, and you’ll find the best gelato in the region at Dondoli.

Last stop is Pisa , where you’ll have just short of an hour to admire the Cathedral Complex in Piazza dei Miracoli , where the Leaning Tower is the star of the show. Upgrade to the Tour & Leaning Tower of Pisa option and you’ll receive pre-booked entrance tickets.

Experience the Cinque Terre

This Cinque Terre Day Trip offers transport from Florence . Part of the region of Liguria, the Cinque Terre borders Tuscany, but is easy enough to reach from Florence and a trip here is well worth it. This stretch of coast is famous worldwide and is an official UNESCO heritage site , with its picturesque villages perched on the side of the steep hill, watching over the blue water of the Mediterranean sea . You’ll be travelling by coach, boat and train, and have free time to walk and enjoy the small villages that make this part of the world so special.

From the evocative streets of Riomaggiore to the beaches of Monterosso this tour gives visitors a glimpse of one of Italy’s most scenic destinations . Expect to do a bit of walking up and down hills, so take comfortable shoes, and of course a camera!

A trip to Siena & San Gimignano

This tour leaving from Florence , takes in Siena , San Gimignano and includes lunch near the Medieval walled town of Monteriggioni . You’ll see stunning architectural masterpieces like Siena’s Cathedral and Piazza del Campo flanked by beautifully preserved buildings. You’ll also be taken to the historic centre of San Gimignano with its stunning Medieval streets and tower-houses.

Both Siena historic centre and San Gimignano are UNESCO Heritage sites , known for their historic and artistic value. A knowledgeable and friendly guide will introduce you to the history of the towns and you’ll have free time to explore at your leisure.

Lunch is offered at a family owned wine estate , where you will enjoy typical Tuscan dishes and a taste of local hospitality.

Do the Pisa & Lucca Grand Tour

This Grand Tour of Pisa and Lucca will give you a snapshot of two of Tuscany’s great towns, with a professional guide to show you the many sights; from Pisa’s awe-inspiring Piazza dei Miracoli to Lucca’s Guinigi Tower and its Renaissance city walls .

While you’re in Pisa you’ll get up close to all the monuments in the Square of Miracles including The Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tour includes a light lunch in Pisa.

A Taste of Chianti

Enjoy a Safari Chianti Wine and Food Tour from Florence . Try some of Tuscany’s finest wine , cheese, meat, chocolate and learn about the region’s food heritage with the a local guide.

You’ll travel in comfort in an 4×4 you will see a historic villa, and experience a real, working Chianti Classico winery . Guests will be able to sample up to seven glasses of wine throughout the day and you’ll be able to relax with at a restaurant in the Chianti hills where you’ll be treated to a three course traditional meal .

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15 BEST Tuscany Tours from Florence by a Local

By: Author Stefania Guglielmi

Posted on Last updated: July 6, 2024

Categories Europe , Italy

When it comes to immersing yourself in the beauty and rich cultural heritage of Tuscany, there’s no better place to start than Florence .

As the gateway to this idyllic region – and its capital city – Florence offers tons of opportunities to explore the Tuscan countryside. 

If you have at least 3 days in the area, you should spend the first two days in Florence , and then absolutely go on a trip to explore its bucolic surroundings.

We have curated a list of the best Tuscany tours from Florence to help you make the most of your time in the area. You’ll find a diverse range of activities highlighting the region’s finest offerings.

From winery tours and trips to nearby cities to private experiences, there’s a perfect one waiting for you. Check them out, and take your pick!

Why should you value my insights on Tuscany tours from Florence? Growing up in Bologna, a 30-minute train ride from Florence, I’ve had countless adventures in the Tuscan countryside.

With a deep-rooted connection to Italy and a decade of expertise in the travel industry, I carefully handpick each tour. This is to make sure that what I recommend offers a genuine Tuscan journey, worth your while.

I personally use Viator , Get Your Guide , and Walks to book activities around the world. I especially recommend them for their fantastic cancellation policy. If your travel plans change, you can cancel most tours up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. 

Were you looking for a multi-day tour rather than a day tour? I recommend checking out TourRadar , an aggregator for multi-day tours (both group tours and private ones). I’ve personally booked tours to Jordan and Africa with them and had a flawless experience! Good choices for multi-day tours to Tuscany from Florence are: • Tuscany Absolute • The Best of Tuscany 4 Days/3 Nights • A Taste of Tuscany (starts in Pisa)

OUR PICK: The Most Comprehensive Tour to Tuscany from Florence

▶️ Our number 1 pick, the Tuscany Day Trip from Florence: Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, and Lunch at a Winery . This full-day, super comprehensive tour starts with a guided tour around Siena. You’ll get to admire its impressive architecture and visit the Duomo before making your way to a charming winery. 

Surrounded by the Chianti hills you’ll indulge in a Tuscan lunch and delicious wine tasting, and then venture to the hilltop town of San Gimignano. Indulging in gelato and walking around its medieval walls are the highlights of any visit to San Gimignano. 

Finally, prepare to tilt your head in awe at the iconic leaning tower of Pisa and the rest of the monuments in Piazza dei Miracoli. This tour is the ultimate shortcut to capturing the essence of Tuscany in just one day.

Why is this the best tour to Tuscany from Florence? It includes visits to Tuscany’s major highlights, ensuring a comprehensive tour around the region. Aside from getting to the best viewpoints and towns, you’ll sip regional wine, Tuscany’s gem product. Plus, the reviews are excellent!

This tour includes : Roundtrip transfers, a guided tour of Siena, entrance to the Cathedral, all visits, and lunch with wine tasting. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Tuscany Wine Tours from Florence

I’ve written a whole post about the best wine tours from Florence . But I’ll save you time, here are the very best ones.

▶️ Experience the region’s finest on this Tuscany Day Trip from Florence with Chianti, Siena, and San Gimignano . Enjoy jaw-dropping views of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, the prime viewpoint in the city. Then make your way into the land of rolling hills and vineyards. 

Your first stop will be the city of Siena, where you’ll marvel at the magnificent Siena Cathedral exterior and Piazza del Campo. Your guide will tell you all about the renowned Palio horse race that takes place there twice a year.

Savor an exquisite gourmet lunch with locally sourced ingredients in a Chianti farmhouse and vineyard. The meal will be paired with Italian wines – you’re in Tuscany after all!

Spend the afternoon exploring the medieval town of San Gimignano, first with your guide and then on your own.

This Siena and Chianti tour from Florence includes : Roundtrip transportation, a guided walking tour in Siena and San Gimignano, lunch with wine tasting, and a guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ With this Chianti Safari: Tuscan Villas with Vineyards, Cheese, Wine & Lunch from Florence . You’ll delve into the deliciousness of Tuscany, sampling its local cuisine as you explore the countryside.

Hop on a 4×4 vehicle to immerse yourself in the region, learning as you go from your very knowledgeable guide. Stop for a visit at a wine estate and a historic villa, where you’ll get to walk its underground tunnels.  

There you’ll relish tastings of cheese, olive oil, and wine, before heading to a winery restaurant for lunch and a second wine tasting.

This Chianti tour from Florence includes : Roundtrip transportation, a guide, lunch, and food + wine tastings.➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Elevate your wine game with the Florence: Chianti Wineries Tour with Food and Wine Tasting . You’ll be taken to two authentic wineries in the Chianti Hills where you’ll get up close and personal with the local winemakers. 

Engage in the winemaking process by exploring the facilities and strolling through the vineyards. Then, treat your taste buds with tastings of up to 7 different wines. Alongside the vino , relish regional treats like cheese, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. 

This tour will charm you with the delicious flavors of Tuscany, but also with striking views of its countryside. You’ll stop for photos at the best lookout point overlooking the Chianti hills. 

This tour includes : Roundtrip transportation, winery tours, a guide, wine tastings with food pairings, and a stop at a viewpoint. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

An Essential Pisa Tour 

Get ready for a Pisa Day Tour with Leaning Tower of Pisa to discover one of the most renowned works of architecture. Don’t forget to take advantage of the hilarious photo ops as well!

You’ll enjoy a guided tour around Piazza dei Miracoli, learning about the history and architectural facts of each monument. Then, snap some pictures holding the famous Leaning Tower before skipping all lines into the landmark.  

After climbing its 294 steps you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic view of the square. Make sure to also explore the interior of the Cathedral, an inspiring example of Romanesque Art, with the included tickets.  

Visit the Monumental Graveyard, another example of architectural beauty, and enjoy free time at the end of the tour.

This tour includes : Roundtrip transfers, a guided tour of Pisa, free time, and entrance fees to the Cathedral and the Leaning Tower. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Looking for something different? Check out this other post about the best Pisa tours from Florence .

The Best Tours to Siena 

▶️ Embark on a delightful Siena and San Gimignano: Small-Group Tour with Lunch from Florence for a memorable day filled with history, architecture, and deliciousness. Your trip starts with a scenic drive to Siena, one of Tuscany’s most charming cities. 

You’ll enjoy a guided walking tour through its winding cobblestone streets, all the while learning about it and admiring its main landmarks: the Siena Cathedral and Piazza del Campo.

Then, venture to San Gimignano, where you’ll be enchanted by its iconic medieval towers and historical atmosphere. Enjoy your free time to explore at your own pace and try its traditional gelato, and hop back on the bus to head to the last destination. 

You’ll tour Fattoria Lornano Winery, visiting its old cellars as you learn about the wine. Cap off the trip with a seasonal lunch of Tuscan delicacies paired with a great selection of wines. 

This Tuscany bus tour from Florence includes : Roundtrip transportation, a guide, a tour of Siena, free time in both Siena and San Gimignano, and lunch with wine tastings. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Escape the Florence frenzy and dive into Tuscany’s charm on this San Gimignano, Siena, and Chianti Wine Tour .

You’ll be whisked away from the city and into the  UNESCO-listed town of San Gimignano. This medieval hilltop town offers glorious views of the countryside, and you’ll have free time to explore it.

Then, drive through the picturesque Val D’Elsa hills and stop for a quick visit at Monteriggioni Castle. Your next stop is Poggibonsi, a Chianti town where you’ll visit a winery for an interesting tour and tastings of Chianti Classico. 

Finally, delve into Siena’s architectural wonders and soak up the vibrant atmosphere of Piazza del Campo.

This tour includes : Roundtrip transfers, a guide, free time in San Gimignano and Monteriggioni Castle, a tour of Siena, and wine tastings. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Again, for more options make sure to check out my other post about the best tours to Siena from Florence .

The BEST Tuscany Private Tours from Florence

▶️ Explore medieval towns with your gang on this Private Siena, San Gimignano, and Chianti Day Trip from Florence . 

Accompanied by your closest friends, you’ll get to marvel at Siena’s clamshell-shaped Piazza del Campo and its majestic Cathedral. Next up is a trip to the village of Monteriggioni, driving through scenic Chianti hills.

Spend some time in San Gimignano, the most enchanting hilltop town in the area, and opt to include a tasty lunch with wine pairings at a local farm or winery.

This will, however, reduce the time in Siena and San Gimignano and exclude Monteriggioni from the itinerary!

This tour includes : Hotel transfers, free time in all locations, bottled water, and an English-speaking driver. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Join this Private Tuscany Tour: Siena, Pisa, and San Gimignano from Florence with your group of up to 8. Make the most of having a personal chauffeur in Italy’s most famous wine region, and explore its major spots.

You’ll have a full day to wander around the alleys of Siena, Pisa, and San Gimignano at your own pace. Take in their striking architecture, soak up the history and artistry of each city, and admire the views.

The itinerary is flexible and adapts to your own times and interests. You can even add a trip to a local winery to sip on Vernaccia wine and enjoy a hearty meal.

Your driver will then take you through the Tuscan countryside to San Gimignano, a medieval gem recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 

This tour includes : Hotel pick-up and drop-off, free time in Siena, San Gimignano, and Pisa, bottled water, and a flexible itinerary. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Another great trip to share with your friends is this Private Tuscany Wine Tour Experience from Florence .

With a sommelier guide, uncover the hidden gems among the rolling hills and vineyards of Tuscany while sampling exquisite regional varietals and olive oil in three wine estates. 

Delight in a traditional Tuscan lunch paired with fine wines, followed by a tour of the cellars. You’ll discover the secrets behind the art of winemaking, gaining insights from local vintners. 

Time permitting, you’ll also get to explore charming medieval villages like Castellina in Chianti and Radda in Chianti. This customizable journey offers a flexible itinerary, promising a grape escape like no other.

This tour includes : Hotel pick-up and drop-off, lunch, and wine tastings. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Tuscany Cooking Classes

▶️ Unleash your inner chef in this Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence . This culinary adventure starts at a bustling market, where you’ll follow a local chef as they pick the freshest ingredients for your class. 

Then, head to a beautiful farmhouse where your cooking lesson will take place. Put into practice the tips and techniques a lead chef will teach you to craft a mouthwatering 4-course lunch.

From bruschetta to handmade tagliatelle, a meat course, and tiramisu, you’ll whip up an authentic Italian feast! Relish your creations paired with Tuscan wine to cap off the experience.

Take a cooking diploma and the recipes home to show off your newfound skills. Prepare to impress friends and family with your Italian culinary prowess!

This tour includes : Roundtrip transfers, a market visit, a cooking class, lunch with wine, a cooking diploma, and all the recipes. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Dive into a gastronomic adventure with this delightful Florence Pizza or Pasta Class with Gelato Making at a Tuscan Farm . You’ll be taught by a professional how to prepare Italy’s most renowned comfort food dishes. Because what trumps pizza and gelato?!

Enjoying the stunning scenery that surrounds you and under a chef’s guidance you’ll craft a 3-course feast that you’ll get to indulge in later. You’ll knead the dough for a focaccia, and choose your favorite toppings for a mouthwatering pizza. 

As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also whip up your very own, creamy gelato to end your lunch on a very sweet note. You’ll go home with the recipes to recreate these delectable dishes at home. 

This tour includes : Roundtrip transfers, all ingredients, a 3-course meal paired with wine or beer, a cooking diploma, and all recipes. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Tuscany Bike Tours from Florence

▶️ Want to try a bike tour? This E-Bike Florence Tuscany Self-Guided Ride with Vineyard Visit includes the region’s prime attractions: scenery and wine.

You’ll ride through the Tuscan countryside and scale the picturesque hills effortlessly. Zip all the way to Fiesole, where you’ll visit a vineyard for Chianti-style wine and Tuscan treats.

The ride also includes a stop at Piazzale Michelangelo, which offers incredible views of Florence.

With an e-bike rental and GPS device, you’re free to roam independently at your own pace, getting your dose of wine, views, and adventure—Tuscany style!

This Tuscany bike tour from Florence includes : E-bike and helmet rental, GPS route, and a phone holder. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ An alternative is this Tuscany E-Bike Tour: From Florence to Chianti with Lunch and Tastings . You’ll get to pedal across the Arno River to the stunning viewpoint of Piazzale Michelangelo. Then, immerse yourself in the beauty of the Chianti wine region. 

Ride along scenic country roads, surrounded by ancient olive groves and vineyards, and tour two local wineries. Indulge in wine tastings and a traditional Tuscan lunch before visiting a Terracotta factory and an olive oil mill.

This Chianti bike tour from Florence includes : Bike and helmet rental, a guide, bottled water, a Tuscan lunch, wine and olive oil tastings, and a Terracotta factory guided visit. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Stefania Guglielmi is the founder of Every Steph. Originally from Bologna, Italy, she's been traveling full-time since 2016 and has visited over 50 countries across 6 continents. She believes sustainable travel and luxury travel can go hand in hand and has been advocating for responsible tourism since 2014. Stefania's advice and travel experiences have been featured in important publications such as Business Insider, Refinery29, and Yahoo Money.

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Tuscany in a Day Tour from Florence

Visit Siena, dine at a Chianti vineyard, explore San Gimignano, and see the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Max 50 Guests

Searching for the ultimate day trip from Florence? On this unforgettable tour through Tuscany, take a guided walk through the medieval city of Siena, visit a Chianti vineyard for a decadent wine tasting and traditional Tuscan lunch, wander around the enchanting town of San Gimignano, and get a close-up look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa! With comfortable, round-trip transportation included and a knowledgeable guide leading the way, this is the best way to discover all that Tuscany has to offer!

Tour Overview

Select participants and date.

Check Available Tours

What's included

Expert, local guide

Roundtrip transportation via air-conditioned coach

Guided walking tour of Siena with cathedral entrance

Free time to explore Siena at your leisure

Tuscan lunch at a family-run vineyard

Sample 4 different wines

Explore the enchanting town of San Gimignano

Scenic drive to Pisa

Hotel pick up and drop off

Tickets to the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Tuscany in a day

Siena Cathedral

Siena guided tour​

Chianti vineyards​

Local wine tasting​

For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change

Meeting and drop-off point

What to bring?

See what people are saying

Our favourite tour

System Admin

September 07, 2024 21 pm EST

We loved this tour so much. It involved a lot of driving but our guide Victoria was amazing and kept us laughing. Our only wish was that we spent move time in Siena. We had the most amount of time in San Gimignano which was beautiful but wish we got more time in Siena. Pisa was okay, definitely our least favourite place but we only spent an hour there which was enough time. Looking back this was our favourite tour of our entire trip and have already recommended it to a few people.

Giancarlo is the best!

Narges Afshari Sarabi

August 14, 2024 15 pm EST

The tour that my party had experienced was phenomenal. Even during the scorching heat, our wonderful tour guide, Giancarlo, did everything in his power to alleviate the nuisances that follow the high temperatures, therefore allowing our tour to be very joyful. In regards to the tour itself, there was no chance that we would have visited the sites included had we not purchased this tour from TheTourGuy. TheTourGuy had the entire schedule planned out, allowing for an easy trip through Tuscany and all the sites included. Giancarlo also provided us with recommendations for food, shopping, and gelato whenever we had free time throughout the sites.

Elias Hifawi

August 01, 2024 08 am EST

Nancy Wheelwright

July 26, 2024 22 pm EST

We had a fantastic day! Gabriel, from WalkAbout Tours, was an amazing guide--informative, fun, personable. (And shout out to Danelo, our bus driver). We felt well-taken care of. We loved everything we were able to see and do in a day! Siena was amazing! Tuscan lunch at the farm was delicious, San Gimignano was very cool, and we loved seeing Pisa. Would recommend to all!

July 20, 2024 06 am EST

Gabriella Cannons

July 13, 2024 17 pm EST

Kavitha Pulluri

June 09, 2024 05 am EST

Tuscan Delight

Andrew Rodriguez

May 31, 2024 05 am EST

We booked this tour to see more of the Tuscany region outside of Florence. Our guide Manolo was fantastic! He gave us history lessons and was funny and charismatic at the same time. We had a large group of 50 people and he didn’t lose anyone. The best part was the wine/farm that he took us to for lunch. I would book this tour again just for that experience. It was very beautiful and the food and wine was absolutely delicious. It is a long tour but worth every penny.

Catherine Chin

May 16, 2024 20 pm EST

A great way to see Tuscany!

Stephanie Lee

May 10, 2024 18 pm EST

Tony, the guide with WalkAbout, made our day incredibly special. He was funny and so knowledgeable! Our driver, Pepe, was amazing...

Tuscany in A Day Tour

Dawn Pezzimenti

May 02, 2024 05 am EST

Davide, our tour guide, was very organized and informative. He kept the large group moving and on time, in spite of the bad weather we incurred throughout the entire day. I would not recommend this tour for a family with small children, it was a very long day. I would recommend changing up the tour and removing the trip to Pisa - instead, allow more time in Siena, a longer tour at the Winery (to see the operation side of the business) and more time in San Gimignano.

Great time.

janara bennett

April 23, 2024 16 pm EST

We enjoyed our day in Tuscany with Mirella. She was well educated about the area and very happy and friendly. She tried to help us to think positive about the rainy day and it worked, the rain passed over. She was very accommodating as well. The tour was informative and enjoyable. The food for lunch was tasty., but not over the top. There was plenty of everything except salad. They brought 2nds on everything but didn’t refill the salad bowl and it was empty by the time it got to me. A couple of suggestions: I think an adult only option would be a good thing. Most of the people on our tour had raised their kids. While the 2 children in our group were not “bad” they were still noisy children and Babies cry. That’s what they do. Fortunately I didn’t have to sit right next to them. While I enjoyed each town, I feel like most people thought the day was a bit too long and that lunch was rushed. I think 2 towns and a vineyard would be plenty or maybe even 2 towns and another close by vineyard that didn’t require much time to drive to. Another suggestion is for the vineyard providing lunch and wine. It would have been good to have been served the wine. Some tables left large amounts in bottles and some people would have definitely drank another glass. All in all it was a fun trip.

Amina Mamedova

April 13, 2024 11 am EST

Had a great time. Tour included wonderful locations across Tuscany. Definitely worth visiting. Ludo is an amazing guide!

William Prior

March 26, 2024 17 pm EST

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Tuscany Day Trip from Florence with Chianti, Siena & San Gimignano

• World-famous for its hillside towns, sweeping views, cuisine, and wine, there are endless reasons to visit Tuscany. Experience all of these in the most authentic, relaxed way possible on this meticulously planned Tuscany day trip from Florence. Take the hassle out of your visit so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a glass of wine (or two).
• Travel through Tuscany to Siena, Chianti, and San Gimignano in a small luxury vehicle with no more than 14 others.
• Stroll the beautiful medieval town of Siena, see its cathedral and the location of the Palio, and wander its atmospheric streets.
• Sit down for a relaxing lunch and wine tasting at an authentic Chianti farmhouse and vineyard.
• Explore one of Tuscany’s gems—the town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage site—with a knowledgeable guide.
• Relax knowing that your two experts, a professional driver and local guide, have all the logistics handled for a perfect day in Italy.

Tour description

Discover three stunning destinations on a perfectly planned tuscany day trip from florence..

In just one day, you'll see, taste, and experience the best of Tuscany, complete with a homemade locally sourced lunch and expert-led wine tasting at a family-run farm in Chianti. We'll whisk you away to Siena and San Gimignano, two of the most stunning towns in Tuscany, helping you experience as much of this storied region as possible without you having to worry about the logistics. With a knowledgeable guide to lead the way as well as an experienced driver to get you from place to place, we've got all the details handled for an unforgettable Tuscany day trip from Florence.

See the best of Siena with the guidance of an expert in all things Tuscany.

Our day trip to Tuscany starts in the center of Florence, where you'll meet your expert guide, dedicated driver, and small group before boarding a comfortable, air-conditioned luxury vehicle. But before we set off into the rolling hills of Tuscany, we'll make a stop at Florence's best panoramic viewpoint for photos.

Your next stop will be eclectic, iconic Siena, which was miraculously spared from bombing during WWII—making it a pristine medieval gem in the midst of the Tuscan region. Stroll through the historic streets of the city center while your guide points out the most notable landmarks, including the famed Siena Cathedral and the location of the biannual Palio horserace.

Enjoy a gourmet lunch paired with impeccable wine on an authentic Chianti farm.

Of course, no Tuscany day trip from Florence is complete without a visit to the wine region! Chianti is a postcard-perfect area full of rolling hills and quaint farmhouses. As the lunch hour draws near, you'll take a tour of a family-run farm and winery, complete with sprawling vineyards and full wine cellars.

Time for lunch—and trust us, it won't disappoint. The menu varies seasonally, as Tuscan cuisine is famously linked to produce and uses only the freshest ingredients for the heartiest, most delicious dishes. Paired with a selection of the vineyard's very own wines, this is Italian food at its finest—and it's all included in the price of your tour.

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage town of San Gimignano.

With full bellies, we'll move on to the picturesque town of San Gimignano—so visually stunning and architecturally significant that it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll enjoy a full tour of the town, then have a bit of free time to shop for local Italian specialties or climb the city’s campanile for one of the best views in Tuscany.

From start to finish, the emphasis of our Tuscany day trip from Florence is on indulgence. Indulge in stunning scenery, delicious wines, and lazy strolls on our all-inclusive Tuscan adventure. We’ve taken care of all the details so all you have to worry about is how much Chianti wine you can fit in your suitcase.

Please note that this description is an example and your experience may vary depending on the season, day of the week, and group size. Regardless of where your tour goes, you always have an excellent experience.

Sites visited

Verified guest reviews, sep 22, 2024.

Giada was our tour guide and she did a marvelous job of explaining the significance of each stop we made. And the wine tasting stop at the Tuscan farm was outstanding. We purchased several bottles of wine to be shipped home and some olive oil as well. I highly recommend this excursion.

Sep 13, 2024

I found this Walks tour to be well run and a great way to spend the day!

Sep 09, 2024

This was a great tour and our guide, Giada, went above and beyond! I became ill during the tour and she took the time to get me medical attention during the tour without taking away time from the others in our group!

Aug 23, 2024

This is one of the best tours I have taken it Italy. A wonderful guide a small group and loved the towns we visited and recommendations of things to do by our guide. She was a very friendly lovely person which made the tour more enjoyable

Aug 13, 2024

This was a very good tour of 3 cities including one winery. It was informative, fun, and well managed. There were some steep hills to walk up that one should know about before embarking on tour.

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Similar tours, tastes & traditions of florence: food tour with sant'ambrogio market visit, the chianti experience: small group half-day wine tour from florence, pristine pisa: leaning tower, cathedral, city walls trip from florence.

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A Taste of Tuscany: Self-Drive Itinerary for a Day Trip from Florence to Chianti and Val d’Orcia

Looking for a fun day trip from Florence? Immerse yourself in the dreamy Tuscan landscape surrounding Val d’Orcia and Chianti!

If you are a regular Yoga, Wine & Travel reader then you’ll know that I can occasionally get carried away and slightly overambitious when it comes to itinerary planning. There’s so much of the world to see, and so little time to see it all! So it should come as no surprise that I once again went a little overboard during our latest trip back to Italy .

Though I had been to Florence a handful of times, I had yet to see the rolling hills and vineyards in the heart of Tuscany. So what does one do when faced with the choice between embarking on a day trip from Florence to Chianti or a day trip from Florence to Val d’Orcia?

What any insane, overly ambitious person would do: choose both! Is it ideal? Probably not, but we were short on time and had a full day (and full hearts) to spare in Florence.

Though you may only get a tiny taste of Tuscany, driving from picturesque town to town, eating delicious Italian fare and drinking mouthwatering Tuscan wine is a fantastic way to spend 1 day if you’re looking for a fun day trip from Florence. If you’re looking for an easy-to-follow itinerary through Chianti and Val d’Orcia, read on!

Italy may be compact and easy to travel around, but each region is unique in its own way – you’d need a lifetime to experience everything it has to offer! Read more on what to know about Italy before you visit here.

Where is Chianti? Where is Val d’Orcia?

Chianti and Val d’Orcia are two famous regions within Tuscany. Florence, Tuscany’s capital city, is one of the most popular destinations in Italy and renowned for its Renaissance art, architecture and culture. Both Chianti and Val d’Orcia are located south of Florence, with Chianti being most well-known for the ruby-red wine from the region, and Val d’Orcia for its UNESCO-listed landscape .

Chianti is located approximately mid-way between Florence and Siena and encompasses a number of small towns including Greve, Panzano, Castellina, Radda and Gaiole. It is home to several world-class wineries and vineyards, most of which have restaurants or cellar doors that you can visit.

Val d’Orcia is located even further south, about 2 hours away by car from Florence. The main towns in the region include San Quirico, Castiglione, Pienza, Monticchieloo and Montepulciano. The landscape features iconic rolling hills, farmhouses, cypress trees and even fortresses.

Most of the time, people visiting Chianti or Val d’Orcia will choose to spend a few nights in either region (at the very least), and venturing out to wineries for meals and wine-tasting, or to other towns for sightseeing. For those of you who want to have your lasagne and eat it too, read on for how to visit both Val d’Orcia and Chianti in 1 day!

Love visiting wine regions around the world? Here are some stunning wine regions that will spark your wine-derlust!

How to get around Tuscany

You could go an organized Chianti tour from Florence (and there are tons of Tuscany tours from Florence ) where transportation is taken care of, but if you enjoy the flexibility that comes with having your own car then I highly recommend renting a car to drive to the vineyards near Florence and explore the greater Tuscany region. However, driving in Italy comes with some, shall we say, unique issues.

If you Google “renting a car in Florence” you will see tons of information about the “ZTL” restricted traffic zone . This type of traffic zone is not uncommon across Italy, especially in busy cities with small historic centres – they are designed to limit the amount of vehicle traffic as streets can be narrow, and there are often many pedestrians out and about. In order to drive in Florence’s ZTL area you must have a special permit , or the car rental agency has to make arrangements to report the rental vehicle’s license plate to the police so that you don’t get slapped with a fine.

When we looked into renting a car in Florence we read horror story after horror story of people accidentally entering the ZTL and receiving a fine of a few hundred Euros in the mail months after their trip. In addition, the car rental offices within Florence’s city centre had, quite frankly, horrific reviews, and parking can be expensive or a bit tricky as most places ask that you leave the keys so that they can move your car around the garage if needed. If there’s any damage they are unlikely to assume responsibility. So, what is your best option if you only need a car for the day in Florence? Rent from outside the city to avoid the ZTL zone and penalties.

Here’s what we did to rent the car from Florence Airport, about 20 minutes by bus from the SMN train station downtown:

• Take the airport bus from the bus terminal at 17 Via Santa Caterina da Siena. Location here. Buses leave every 30 minutes and cost 6 Euros each way – buy your ticket directly from the driver. Alternatively, you can take a taxi which will cost approximately 22 Euros (with surcharges for luggage and/or rides between 10 PM and 6 AM).
• Follow the signs at the airport to the car rental shuttle bus which will take you to the car rental depot near Florence Airport.
• We rented our car from B-Rent and paid 40 Euros for the day + 30 Euros extra to reduce the excess to $0 (AKA deductible). The B-Rent guys were truly fantastic and upgraded us to a slick new Mercedes Benz as well. As the rental was for a full 24 hours, we just dropped the car off in the evening and left the keys in their dedicated key drop-off box. Click here to check current rental car prices – bookings can be cancelled or amended if your plans change!
• If you plan on stopping at some wineries make sure the driver limits their intake or have a designated driver, as the BAC limit in Italy is very low.
• The road conditions are great with limited toll stops, and the speed limit is anywhere from 40-90 KM/hour on smaller roads or 90-130 KM/hour on highways.
• If you are prone to motion sickness you’ll definitely want to pop a dramamine!
• You may also need an international driving permit.
• The cell signal is patchy through Tuscany’s wine country, so I recommend downloading offline maps.

Where to stay in Florence

Florence is an incredible city in its own right, but also a fantastic base for day trips out to Siena , Pisa , Cinque Terre , Lucca, Chianti or Val d’Orcia. Here are some tried-and-tested places to stay in Florence!

Hotel Calzaiuoli is a 2-minute walk away from the Duomo Complex and one of the best luxury hotels in Florence. The staff are extremely friendly and accommodating, the rooms are bright, comfortable and spacious, and the location just can’t be beat if it’s your first time to Florence. Click here to book your stay at Hotel Calzaiuoli!

La Tana Dei Leoni is a small guesthouse right in front of the Ponte Vecchio. The rooms and bathrooms are extremely spacious, and the value for money is fantastic given its convenient location. Some rooms even offer a small private balcony overlooking the Ponte Vecchio. Click here to book your stay at La Tana Dei Leoni!

Agnolo is a 2-bedroom apartment in the Santa Croce district of Florence. It is perfect if you are traveling with friends or family as the apartment has a kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms as well. Click here to book your stay at Agnolo in Florence or check out some other accommodation options in Florence here .

For even more Italy accommodation recommendations head on over here.

1 day Florence to Chianti and Val d’Orcia Itinerary

The Tuscan landscape can only be described as dreamy. Warm tones fill every corner of your eye, and you won’t even know where to look as the road winds and weaves ahead of you.

Is it possible to visit Chianti and Val d’Orcia in 1 day? Yes, but this itinerary requires a bright and early start to pick up your rental car from Florence International Airport, and will get you back home late in the evening.

Note: Staying in Siena ? You can also use this itinerary for ideas on where to go in Chianti and which towns to visit in Val d’Orcia! It’s also possible to visit both Chianti and Val d’Orica from Siena in 1 day if you limit the number of stops – you can expect to cover approximately 200 kilometres and spend around 3-4 hours on the road in total.

1. Head towards Greve in Chianti

Once you’ve picked up the rental car from Florence Peretola Airport, drive 45 minutes or so towards Greve in Chianti. I recommend heading straight to Castello di Verrazzano near Greve for lunch.

The elegant castle was once an Etruscan settlement before it became a Roman one, and wine-making has been a longstanding tradition over the past few centuries. It is surrounded by lush Chianti vineyards that this postcard-perfect region is famous for.

Verrazzano offers guided tours or you can stop by for lunch and a wine flight of your choosing – bookings are essential if you want a table in their stunning dining room!

Ready to plan your epic day trip through this stunning wine region? Check rental car prices here! If you are staying in Florence I recommend staying at Hotel Calzaiuoli , a 2-minute walk away from the Duomo Complex and one of the best luxury hotels in Florence. Click here to book your stay at Hotel Calzaiuoli! Need a little more space? Check out Agnolo , a 2-bedroom apartment in the Santa Croce district of Florence. The apartment has a kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms as well. Click here to book your stay at Agnolo in Florence or check out some other accommodation options in Florence here .

2. Explore Greve

Greve is sometimes described as the “Gateway to Chianti” and is one of the larger towns in the Chianti region. From Verrazzano, the drive will take you no longer than about 10 minutes – you can park your car in a parking lot just outside the main square.

Piazza Matteotti is the main square in Greve with a handful of local cafes, bakeries and boutiques. Though small, it is an easy-to-visit and charming town that is representative of Italian life in the region. We stopped for just under an hour to try out some handmade pastries and a much-needed cappuccino.

Not keen on Greve? You can also make a quick pit stop in Radda or Castellina.

3. Check out the view from Panzano

Head south from Greve towards Panzano, about 15 minutes away by car. Panzano is a hilltop town in Chianti that, much like Greve, is compact but convenient with its own town square, supermarkets, butcher shops and so on. Its strategic location overlooking the valleys of vineyards makes it a perfect photography stop for views like this.

It goes on for days.

No seriously, you’re going to need to pick your jaw up off the floor.

4. Check out San Quirico d’Orcia

Next up is the beginnings of your time in Val d’Orcia. From Panzano, the drive to San Quirico will take 90 minutes or so, so strap in and enjoy the scenic ride. Free parking is available just outside the town square.

San Quirico features an enchanting historic centre and Renaissance-era gardens (Horti Leonini), as well as the beautiful Church of Santa Maria Assunta.

Our time in San Quirico was short but sweet, and I’ve made a mental note to head back to explore more of this town on a future trip!

Ready to book your Tuscany wine region day trip? Check rental car availability and rates here! If you are staying in Florence we have stayed at and highly recommend Hotel Calzaiuoli , a 2-minute walk away from the Duomo Complex. Click here to book your stay at Hotel Calzaiuoli! For more space, check out Agnolo , a 2-bedroom apartment in the Santa Croce district of Florence. Click here to book your stay at Agnolo in Florence or check out some other accommodation options in Florence here .

5. Visit the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta

This tiny chapel might possibly be the most-photographed chapel in the world. It is located just outside of San Quirico d’Orcia, and is believed to be built upon the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherdess. The chapel can be reached by foot from parking lots on either end – the stroll should take no longer than a few minutes’ time.

If you are on schedule, you should be able to visit the Cappella just as the sun is beginning to set – the effervescent glow that streaks across the Tuscan sky makes for a perfect backdrop against the iconic chapel!

6. Finish the day in Montepulciano

By this time you should be getting ready to wrap up your day in the Tuscan countryside. Make your way towards Montepulciano, another landmark town within the Val d’Orcia region. The drive from the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta to Montepulciano will take just over 30 minutes, which gives you just enough time to work up an appetite for dinner. The drive along the SP146 road is probably one of the most scenic drives of the region, so enjoy the ride!

Montepulciano is a medieval fortress-esque hilltop town that features a commanding tower, palazzo, duomo and cobblestone walking paths. The car-free town offers several parking areas just outside the city centre – we parked for free in this parking lot – parking within the white lines is for visitors, and those within the blue lines is for residents.

Treat yourself to a tasty Tuscan dinner at Trattoria di Cagnano , just steps away from the Piazza Grande. This charming restaurant has a diverse menu that will please even the pickiest of eaters – try the hearty vegetable soup and fresh pasta!

After dinner, slowly mosey back towards Florence to drop off your rental car. Have more time? Turn this into a multi-day itinerary by spending 2 nights in Chianti and 2 nights in Val d’Orcia!

Ready to plan your epic day trip through this stunning wine region? If you are staying in Florence I recommend staying at Hotel Calzaiuoli , a 2-minute walk away from the Duomo Complex and one of the best luxury hotels in Florence. Click here to book your stay at Hotel Calzaiuoli! Traveling with friends or family? Check out Agnolo , a 2-bedroom apartment in the Santa Croce district of Florence. The apartment has a kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms as well. Click here to book your stay at Agnolo in Florence or check out some other accommodation options in Florence here .

You might also enjoy these reads:

• Oenophiles will love these stunning wine regions around the world
• Spending some time in Florence? Here is where to go for the best views in Florence
• Looking for some other Florence day trip options? Here are my guides to visiting Cinque Terre , Siena and Pisa
• Not sure what to expect from visiting Italy? Read more on things to know about Italy before traveling there
• Head on over here for all of my top Italy travel tips and tricks

I hope this Tuscany itinerary helps you to plan a perfect trip to some of its most picturesque regions! As with any travel guide, this is designed to give you some ideas and suggestions – feel free to modify it to better suit your travels. If you found this helpful please share it with friends or family, or pin it for later!

This article contains affiliate links. If you choose to book using these links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you . Thank you for supporting my website by using these links, I only recommend products or services that I have personally used & hotels I have stayed at and loved.

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Not sure why you suggest picking up a rental car at the Florence airport, when several agencies have offices on Borgo Ognissanti, within easy walking distance of Santa Maria Novella and other parts of Centro. You only need to drive about five blocks OUT of the ZTL to reach a road that will take you into central Chianti. The return for drop-off is permissible as well. If you search for a car online, most search engines begin by offering three different pickup locations, only one is the airport.

Hi Johnny, the rental offices in Florence airport had a higher review rating when we looked. Maybe that has changed since, but I personally had a good experience with the way we did it and I didn’t want to drive in the city center – I’m sure there are many other options, just sharing what worked for us.

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The Perfect Tuscany Road Trip Itinerary (+ Driving Tips!)

Planning the perfect Tuscany road trip itinerary is no easy feat–but it’s well worth getting right.

If you’re dreaming of delicious Italian food, of romantic sunsets and Tuscan wines, of rolling hills peppered with vineyards as far as the eye can see, of hilltop villages and of Renaissance art, this Tuscany itinerary has you covered.

We’ve put this ultimate guide to planning a Tuscany road trip after spending several months traveling in the region over a period of years, often on road trips.

We’ve explored Tuscany by car, train, and tour, in large multigenerational family groups and as a couple, in tiny towns and in the fabulous cities of Florence and Siena.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

We’ve visited museums, gone horseback riding, zipped along countryside roads on a Vespa, and taken quiet strolls down deserted country lanes. We’ve taken food tours and wine tours, and stopped at more than our fair share of vineyards and restaurants independently, too.

Suffice it to say, we absolutely adore traveling in Tuscany, and this Tuscany itinerary is put together based on our detailed experiences traveling in the region as well as additional research.

We want to help you plan your perfect Tuscany road trip itinerary, especially if it’s your first time in the region.

Here’s what we suggest.

Table of Contents

How We Structured This Tuscany Road Trip Itinerary

How long will this tuscany itinerary take, getting around during your tuscany road trip, will this tuscany itinerary work without a car, the ultimate tuscany road trip itinerary, other destinations to add to your tuscany road trip itinerary, tuscany road trip itinerary map, the best time to visit tuscany, useful travel tips for driving in tuscany, what to pack for your tuscany road trip.

We structured this Tuscany road trip itinerary as a loop beginning and ending in Florence.

It’s designed primarily for first-time visitors to the region who want to soak up the classic Tuscany experience: think rolling hills, golden light, scrumptious wine, picturesque hilltop villages, and some of the best food you’ve ever eaten in your life.

… But that being said, even longtime lovers of Tuscany will find something for them here (just ask our extended family).

With this Tuscany itinerary, you’ll visit some of the most iconic places in the region, while also peppering in stops at smaller towns and attractions that would likely go unnoticed if you stuck to exploring via train.

Is it a cop-out to say that this Tuscany road trip will take as long as you have?

Perhaps, but whether you have 5 days in Tuscany, a week in Tuscany, or a month in Tuscany, this circular route will provide an excellent backbone to your Tuscany road trip.

If your trip is short–say 5 days in Tuscany or less–you’ll be able to shorten your stays in some towns (in a pinch, for example, Pisa and Lucca can be combined into one day), and with a longer trip to Tuscany, you’ll have a chance to adopt a leisurely pace and add in more excursions like wine tasting or days spent at one of Tuscany’s saunas.

Ideally, I would say that this Tuscany road trip would be spread across roughly 10 days to 2 weeks in Tuscany, but of course, that won’t always be possible–especially if you want to see more regions of Italy during your trip!

If you do have a longer trip to Tuscany planned, we recommend taking a look at some of the additional Tuscany road trip destinations that we’ve outlined below the main itinerary and seeing what other spots catch your eye.

For most people, of course, taking a Tuscany road trip will require renting a car.

We’ll cover some tips and tricks for renting a car here below the Tuscany itinerary (or you can use the table of contents section at the bottom of the introduction to this Tuscany travel blog post to navigate there!), but here’s the short version: we recommend renting a small car in Tuscany through Discover Cars , which will allow you to compare prices and inclusions of multiple companies at the same time and choose the best car for you from there.

We also recommend renting your car only after you leave Florence, which we’ll cover a bit more below, so you likely won’t need one for every day of your trip to Tuscany!

Check rates & book your rental car with Discover Cars today!

Short answer? Yes, it can.

Through a combination of trains, buses, and carefully selected guided tours (we recommend several reputable ones in our Things to Do in Florence post ), this Tuscany itinerary can be completed without a car, though the logistics will be challenging in certain places.

That being said, there’s something very special about taking a Tuscany road trip, and by not driving, you will lose out on the charm of seeing some of the smaller towns at night, miss some of the prettiest vistas, and have a little less freedom in planning your trip.

However, we completely understand that not everyone planning a Tuscany itinerary can or would like to drive, and we fully believe you can have a deeply fulfilling trip to Tuscany without a car–we’ve done it several times ourselves.

And, while you will lose some freedom, you’ll also gain a bit of peace of mind, as driving in Tuscany is certainly not the most carefree driving in the world!

Start your Tuscany itinerary in Florence.

As the capital of Tuscany, Cradle of the Renaissance, and home to the biggest airport (and train station) in the region, there’s no better place to start your Tuscany itinerary than in Florence.

Ideally, we recommend a minimum of two full days here, which will give you enough time to explore all of the major sights.

Marvel at the art in the Uffizi Gallery, soak in the views from Piazzale Michelangelo and more, (window)shop for gold jewelry on the Ponte Vecchio, eat your way through Mercato Centrale, stand in awe of the Duomo, and visit Michelangelo’s masterpiece David in the Galleria dell’Accademia.

We’ve created several guides to Florence based on our six weeks or so spent exploring the city, including a one-day itinerary and a two-day itinerary , so be sure to check those out for more detail.

For this Tuscany road trip itinerary in particular, though, we have a crucial piece of advice regarding driving: don’t pick up your rental car until the morning you leave Florence.

Having a rental car while in the city is not only unnecessary, it’s an absolute burden. Driving in Florence’s historic city center is extremely limited, and you’ll save both money and headaches by ditching the car until you’re ready to hit the countryside.

Where to Stay in Florence

B&B Le Stanze del Duomo  — Though Florence hotels can be a bit pricey and stretch the definition of “budget”, B&B Le Stanze’s beautiful rooms and impeccable location in Florence will be sure to have you swooning!

Check rates & book your stay at B&B Le Stanze del Duomo!

Bargello Guest House  — Located in the heart of Florence, this property is only a short (read: less than 5-minute) walk away from some of Florence’s highlights like the Palazzo Vecchio. Staying here, you’ll be within easy walking distance of the best of what Florence has to offer.

Check rates & book your stay at Bargello Guest House!

Hotel Lungarno  — Nestled right against the Arno River and home to one of the best views of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence (not to mention some of the best views of the rest of Florence from their top deck), Hotel Lungarno is our personal “if we ever  really  want to splurge” hotel in Florence. You can’t go wrong using Hotel Lungarno as your base for one day in Florence!

Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Lungarno!

Start your Tuscany road trip and drive to Lucca.

Laidback and charming, colorful Lucca is the perfect first stop on your Tuscany road trip and an excellent place to grow accustomed to the ins and outs of driving and parking in Tuscan towns.

Lucca is not too big, not too small, and parking is fairly easy to find right outside the city walls.

It also happens to be a gorgeous, relaxing city that is a fantastic place to soak up the ambiance of Tuscany.

While you’re there, be sure to check out the beautiful Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, which, like Siena’s main piazza, is actually an oval rather than a traditional square, and to stroll along the tops of the city’s 16th-century fortifying walls, which are completely accessible to the public.

Don’t miss a climb up Torre Guinigi, either–not only does it boast incredible views of Lucca, but it’s home to several oak trees that are growing in the sky!

Stop by Pisa.

I’ll be perfectly honest: of all the places we recommend or mention in this Tuscany itinerary, Pisa is the one I’m least in a hurry to get back to.

It’s generally far more crowded than most of these other destinations–even the very touristy ones–and outside of Pisa’s famous tower and surrounding historic complex, the town is not exactly known as one of the most beautiful or interesting Tuscan villages.

It is, however, incredibly famous, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa itself more than lives up to expectations. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is truly stunning, and far more opulent and beautiful in person than I expected before laying eyes on it for the first time.

If you’d like to see it, we recommend stopping by for half a day on your Tuscan road trip, checking out the tower itself as well as the nearby Duomo and baptistery, and then moving on.

If you’d like to tour the interior of any of the structures, including climbing to the top of the leaning tower, we absolutely recommend booking skip-the-line tickets in advance .

Book your skip-the-line tickets to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa now!

Make your way to San Gimignano.

Known for its stunning towers (14 of an original 72 remain), long history of wealth due to its prime location along a Roman trading route, gorgeous city center, beautiful views, and convenient location that is roughly equidistant from Siena and Florence, it’s safe to say that San Gimignano is both incredibly popular and well worth visiting.

We adore this beautiful hilltop town, and highly recommend spending at least one night either in town or nearby if you can, in order to enjoy the city without the crowds of day-trippers that tend to take over the streets during the day.

Don’t forget to make time in your schedule for a scoop (or several scoops, let’s be real) of gelato from the world-famous Gelateria Dondoli: as one of the best-known and most acclaimed gelato shops in Italy, it’s a safe bet that whatever you order is bound to impress.

Head to Siena.

While today Florence is significantly better-known than Siena, that was not always the case: beautiful Siena was once the military rival of Florence, and the history of the Middle Ages in the region is dotted with stories of their back-and-forth battles.

Today, Siena is known for its Palio di Siena horse race that takes place bi-annually in the oval-shaped Piazza del Campo–when you stand in the middle of the piazza, be sure to picture 20 horses running at full-speed around a packed crowd–it’s truly impressive.

Siena is packed full of interesting things to do: it’s home to arguably the most beautiful Duomo in Tuscany (don’t forget to check out the Piccolomini Library while you’re in there!), and we absolutely recommend taking the Porta di Cielo, aka Gate to Heaven, tour of the cathedral’s roof if you can–it’s magnificent.

At least once during your trip, climb to the top of one of Siena’s monuments for an epic view–the Torre del Mangia in Piazza del Campo is a popular choice, but personally, we love that the view from the top of the Opera della Metropolitana includes stunning views of the Piazza del Campo from a bit of a distance.

Spend some time in Val d’Orcia and soak up the Tuscan countryside.

Of all the scenic places in Tuscany, Val d’Orcia might just be the most beautiful of them all.

This UNESCO-recognized valley is home to the Tuscan road trip views of your fantasies, and it truly has to be seen to be believed.

If you have the time in your Tuscany itinerary, we recommend booking at least a couple of nights in a nearby country villa or agriturismo in order to slowly savor the beauty of the region, but if not, even an afternoon drive here is well worth the trip out.

Marvel at the beauty of Montepulciano.

Tiny, gorgeous, and home to arguably some of the best countryside views of all the villages in Tuscany, it’s impossible not to be charmed by stunning Montepulciano–and that’s even before you start sipping its world-famous wine.

While it doesn’t take terribly long to explore a village this size on your Tuscany road trip, Montepulciano has one of those peaceful atmospheres that you just want to savor.

While you’re there, be sure to stop by the beautiful Piazza Grande, admire views of the nearby Church of San Biagio that is located just outside of town, and to taste the local wine, vino nobile di Montepulciano .

Pay a visit to Arezzo.

As you turn back north toward Florence to start to wind down your Tuscany road trip, be sure to check out the beautiful city of Arezzo.

Often overlooked on Tuscany road trips, Arezzo is a delightful city that is well worth the time it takes to visit.

Home to Roman ruins (including the remains of Arezzo’s very own Colosseum), sweeping views of the countryside from the Medici fortress, some impressively well-preserved fifteenth-century frescoes, and a large number of antique shops just waiting to be perused, Arezzo is an excellent addition to any Tuscany itinerary.

Be sure not to miss a chance to climb the clock tower at Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici right off the main square (Piazza Grande)–the views from the top are absolutely sublime, and it is our personal favorite spot in Arezzo.

Drive back to Florence & say goodbye to Tuscany.

As your Tuscany road trip winds to a close, head back to Florence to drop off your car, say goodbye, and–depending on time–perhaps visit one or two more sights in the Cradle of the Renaissance as well.

While we’ve set up this Tuscany itinerary to act as a loop, if you’re going to be flying out of Italy (or continuing your Italy travels outside of Tuscany) in a different location, you can also consider dropping off your car in Rome, Milan, Bologna, or even Venice–but keep in mind that you will likely incur a one-way drop-off fee for doing so, so be sure to budget for that if needed!

While this Tuscany road trip itinerary gives a solid outline of the region and is a delightful trip all on its own, for those with a bit of extra time in the area (or those who like to move at a very fast pace), there is an unlimited number of additional destinations you could add to your trip, both in Tuscany and in its surrounding regions of Umbria, Emilia-Romagna, and Liguria.

We’ve outlined a few of each here to give you some ideas as you plan your trip to Tuscany!

Within Tuscany

The most famous of all of Tuscany’s hot springs has emerged from comparative obscurity into being a full-blown famous photography location in recent years, but there’s no doubt that it’s still a dream to visit–if you have time during your Tuscany road trip to make the trek out there and you’re a fan of hot springs, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Dating back to the Etruscan period and nestled on a hill high above the sweeping Tuscan landscapes it overlooks, the walled city of Volterra is absolutely worth visiting as part of your Tuscan road trip itinerary.

The ease of accessing it paired with its beauty make this one of the first towns we would recommend if you are looking for additional stops along your road trip in Tuscany.

Cortona is perhaps best known for the famous book/movie that is based there, but even without the fame brought by Under the Tuscan Sun , this tiny Tuscan town is still a fabulous place to visit!

I’ll be honest: a trip to Elba is a bit of a stretch for all but the longest trips to Tuscany, but it bears mentioning simply for the fact that Elba is Tuscany’s very own island–and “Mediterranean island” is just not what you normally associate with a trip to Tuscany.

Whether you want to scuba dive, enjoy delicious seafood, lounge on the beach, or chase down the island’s interesting history (Elba was the first place Napoleon was exiled to, though he escaped a little under a year later), there’s no doubt that Elba makes a unique addition to any Tuscany itinerary.

Easier to access than Elba but equally focused on all things coastal, the seaside city of Livorno is the perfect Tuscany road trip destination for anyone looking to enjoy a little sea and sun as part of their trip to Tuscany.

Best known for its delicious Brunello di Montalcino wine, the hilltop town of Montalcino is a delightful slice of Tuscany that is easy to access from Siena and Val d’Orcia.

Outside of Tuscany

Cinque terre.

Of all destinations outside of Tuscany that people tend to be eager to add onto their Tuscany trip, Cinque Terre almost always falls near the top.

We’ve visited this sensational collection of Ligurian fishing villages twice as part of a Tuscany road trip, as well as on a standalone visit, and we can attest that they are well worth the trouble if you have time in your itinerary.

We absolutely do not recommend driving into the villages, however–instead, drive to the train station at La Spezia or Levanto, park your car, and then take the train into the villages from there.

Known, above all else, for its food, Bologna is the perfect location for foodies to flock to if they’re looking for some truly epic cuisine during their road trip.

Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna, the region that is home to so many of the things us foreigners tend to associate with Italian food: tagliatelle al ragu (aka spaghetti bolognese), mortadella (aka bologna), parmigiano-reggiano , traditional balsamic vinegar, and more.

Once you get done eating, Bologna has plenty of other sights to explore, as well–but the food alone is worth visiting for.

Set on a hilltop overlooking sweeping views of the Umbrian countryside, Orvieto is as historical as it is picturesque: dating back to the Etruscans and once (briefly) the home of the pope, whether you’re looking to dive deep into the history, enjoy the tasty Orvieto Classico wine, or simply admire the magnificent vistas, Orvieto has something to offer.

We adore this little village–be sure to check out the Duomo, the views from the Torre del Moro, and the underground while you’re there, among plenty of other fun things to do.

As the location of the birth, work, and death of St. Francis, Assisi is an enormously popular pilgrim destination among Catholic travelers–but even if you’re not Catholic, this small Umbrian town has plenty of history and beauty to offer.

St. Francis was the founder of the Franciscan Order–a name you’ll see pop up a lot in Italy–and is also one of the patron saints of the country.

In Assisi, you can tour the enormously impressive Basilica of St. Francis while learning about the life and history of the saint.

Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.

Ultimately, Tuscany is a beautiful destination year-round, and you can never go wrong with a visit.

Spring in Tuscany brings beautiful flowers but plenty of rain, summer brings lots of tourists but also long days and sunshine.

Fall brings the harvest and temperamental weather, and winter brings cold, gray weather but also low prices and a distinct lack of crowds.

If you ask us, though, our favorite time to take a Tuscany road trip will always be in the fall, particularly late September through mid-October.

True, it’s hardly offseason (in other words, there will be plenty of other tourists around), and there’s a good chance of experiencing a cold and/or rainy day or two–but the changing colors across the countryside, the incredible food that is freshly harvested, and the crisp chill that sweeps through the air each evening as the heat dies down for the year give the region a magical quality that we will never tire of experiencing.

We’ve spent at least part of the last few autumns in Tuscany, and we see no reason to stop that tradition anytime soon.

While driving in Tuscany is not the most difficult driving you’ll encounter in Italy (looking at you, Rome and Sicily), it definitely has its quirks!

Here are a few tips we recommend keeping in mind as you plan your Tuscany road trip itinerary.

Make sure you have access to a GPS for your Tuscany road trip.

This is absolutely imperative, in our opinion, and can make the difference between an insanely stressful Tuscany road trip and a fairly laid-back one: whether you purchase an international cell phone plan through your carrier before leaving for Tuscany or you purchase an Italian SIM card on the ground, you’ll 100% want to make sure you have cell phone data–and therefore GPS–with you as you drive.

Shop around for your rental car.

I’m almost 100% certain that we’ve used a different rental car company every time we’ve rented a car in Italy–that’s how much the prices can vary depending on your time of travel, pickup and dropoff locations, size of the vehicle, and more.

We recommend searching for your car via Discover Car Hire , which will allow you to check out the rates of several different rental car agencies in Tuscany at once and compare prices and inclusions side-by-side.

Shop for your Tuscnay rental car with Discover Car Hire today!

Buy the insurance–you won’t regret it.

Ultimately, this is up to you–I know some people prefer not to buy additional CDW insurance (aka the insurance that covers damages to the actual car you’re driving, as opposed to your liability to anyone else) on trips–but we buy it every. single. time. in Tuscany and have no regrets.

I don’t want to overstate things, because driving in Tuscany isn’t exactly like driving in the Wild West–but let’s just say that the roads are often tiny, the buildings very close, the parking lots cramped, and the other tourists’ rental cars parked nearby are frequently scratched and dinged in a way that while not horrendously damaging, is definitely something a car rental company would love to charge you for if it happened on your watch.

The peace of mind is absolutely worth it to us–you can price it for yourself when shopping on Discover Car Hire , or purchase a travel insurance policy through that includes car rental insurance (but be sure to double-check the policy, because only some policies cover it).

You need an international driving permit to rent a car in Tuscany.

Technically, you always need an international driving permit to rent a car in Italy, and that includes in Tuscany.

You can pick this up before you leave home from AAA, and it’s very easy and cheap to do–just a bit annoying, as it’s one more thing to add to your to-do list before leaving for your Tuscany road trip.

Now, that being said–will your rental agency always ask for it? No. Will the police always ask for it? No.

Is it worth the risk of being refused a rental car or getting a ticket over $25 USD and a bit of hassle? Not in my opinion.

Rent the smallest car possible.

Not only is it cheaper, which is always excellent, but a smaller car in Tuscany is also much easier to drive.

While the highways in Tuscany are pretty standard, this-could-be-anywhere highways, the small country roads, parking lots near villages, and dirt roads leading to vineyards and villas can be incredibly narrow–which, naturally, does not stop them from being used for two-way traffic (you’ll probably end up pulling over to let someone maneuver past you at least a couple of times during your Tuscany road trip).

Be sure to account for how much space you’ll need for luggage, especially if you have three or more people in your group, but other than that–the smaller, the better.

If you get a ticket, you probably won’t know it right away.

Traffic citations in Tuscany are generally captured via camera, so if you get one, you probably won’t know it right away.

Instead, your license plate will be captured, the ticket will be sent to the owner of the car (ie, your rental company), and then your rental company will forward it onto you.

Unfortunately, that means you won’t be 100% sure you didn’t have any infractions during your Tuscany road trip until several weeks after you get home.

You will encounter toll roads in Tuscany–so carry cash.

Most toll roads in Tuscany will accept credit cards, but it’s always best to have small bills/coins of cash on you–just in case you run into a cash-only booth (or you need a last-minute coffee and/or gelato, which are also very important parts of any Tuscany road trip itinerary).

Be prepared to park and then climb up to towns.

Tuscany is known for its delightful hilltop towns, full of winding, narrow streets and plenty of foot traffic.

Combine the above description of Tuscany that we all know and love with the very concept of a Tuscany road trip, and an obvious question emerges: where are the cars?

Usually, they’re in parking garages built literally under the hilltop towns or on the outskirts of historical centers… which means you often have to walk up steep hills in order to reach the center.

Some cities, like Siena, have escalators installed to help alleviate this problem–but in general, be prepared for a little bit of a leg workout when visiting small towns in Tuscany!

Avoid ZTL zones like the plague.

Essentially, ZTL zones are restricted access zones that dot most of Italy’s historic city centers, including in Tuscany.

If you drive into one, even accidentally, you’re risking a big ticket (and we’ve definitely had to call tiny Tuscan police stations to help some of our family members pay them off months after the fact).

Avoid them by parking on the outskirts of historical centers and by doing your research ahead of time, which leads me to…

Whenever possible, figure out where you’re going to park next before leaving.

This is one of our favorite tricks to keeping stress levels down when driving into a new town in Tuscany: know where the public parking lots are and, when heading out for the day, put your directions on for that particular spot rather than just the town.

This will absolutely cut down on the risk of accidentally driving into a ZTL zone (and therefore getting a ticket), and also make the trip into town much less stressful.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, this doesn’t always work–occasionally the parking lot you have picked out will be full, or you’ll luck out and find street parking along the way–but in general, it will definitely make your life easier during your Tuscany road trip.

Travel Insurance  — We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen, and this is definitely a case of better safe than sorry. We use and recommend  Safety Wing for trips to Tuscany.

International Driving Permit — If you’re coming from outside the EU and plan to rent a car in Tuscany, you’ll need to make sure to acquire an International Driving Permit in your home country, before  coming to Italy.

It is required for all car rentals in Italy, and while the rental company may not ask, it’s not worth the risk of being refused a car once you arrive or getting a fine if you’re pulled over to be without one. Play it safe and if you plan to drive during your trip, add getting an International Driving Permit to your pre-Tuscany planning!

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

67 thoughts on “The Perfect Tuscany Road Trip Itinerary (+ Driving Tips!)”

I love this website It has convinced my husband and me to go on a driving tour of italy! I actually have a question. How do you know or find out where is the ZTL zones so you can avoid them? Thanks! Ilene

So glad to hear that, Ilene! Hope you guys have a great time!

Your GPS can help you avoid the ZTL zones, but the biggest thing is paying very close attention to the signs, as they’ll be marked there. As a general rule, historic centers of cities are ZTL zones, so it’s safest to avoid those entirely and park outside the center before walking into the town!

Hi Kate, Do you have any recommendations for accommodations on the Tuscan itinerary? We would be going in Sept 2022.

Hi Sabrina!

Yes, absolutely. We have several properties linked in this post, but if you’re looking for specific towns/cities, we also have recommendations in each of our independent city guides.

Hello, You guys look like you have a great life! My husband and I are older than you but have retired a bit early so we can travel while we are still able to move about. We have traveled quite a bit independently throughout the years so we are comfortable going to new places. Your blog is great and has so much useful information. Thank you for putting all of your knowledge out there. I know it’s a lot of work to do so. If you don’t mind me asking…we were told you have to have a permanent address at least 6 months out of the year for tax purposes. How do you get around that? Don’t mean to overstep. Thanks!

Thank you so much, Joanne! We really appreciate it. :-) Residency requirements vary by state, but we maintain a technical permanent address in our home state of Oklahoma where we pay our taxes, maintain our businesses, keep our driver’s licenses up to date, etc. Most nomadic travelers have a similar setup for logistical purposes!

Hello, thanks so much for this post. It’s so helpful! My partner and I are going to copy this for our holiday in June this year. I was just wondering if you could tell me which towns you stayed overnight in? Grazie, Olivia

So glad it was helpful, Olivia! Where to spend the night really depends on your specific taste, but from this itinerary, we’ve stayed overnight in Florence, Siena, and Arezzo. We’ve also stayed in countryside villas near the Val d’Orcia and Lucca.

Since you’ll be driving, we 100% recommend staying in the country at least once–Tuscan villas and agriturismos are absolutely amazing. For staying in the towns themselves, make sure your hotels have parking, but other than that, any and all of them make a great place to spend the night.

My daughter and I just booked a rental car for our trip to Tuscany this summer thanks to your post. I was nervous about driving but you laid it all out perfectly, thank you. We’re going for her graduation present and it’ll be the first time in Italy for us both. Bookmarking your site now for when the trip gets closer. Thanks again!

That’s amazing to hear, thank you Susan! Comments like this never fail to make my day, we are ALL about making sure your trip goes perfectly! Hope you guys have a fantastic time, and congratulations to your daughter on her graduation!

Hey, this has been quite useful. Im planning my road trip, but im going clockwise on this route. Since i live in The Netherlands, i will drive in from the north, Florence and start here and after Pisa-Lucca, the last stop instead of heading back to Florence is Cinque Terre, to enjoy a bit of the coast. I will take the advice of leaving the car in La Spezia, but if you had to choose to spend a night in Cinque Terre, which woudl you guys recommend, Vernazza or Manarola?

Glad to hear it, thanks Rodolfo!

Which village is best for spending the night in Cinque Terre is definitely a matter of preference, and Vernazza and Manarola happen to be two of my top 3 favorites (the other is Riomaggiore). You can’t go wrong with either, but I’d recommend Vernazza if you’re looking for something smaller, and Manarola if you want to have access to a wider variety of shops and restaurants. Manarola is a more popular (read: crowded) sunset spot, but both places will quiet down considerably once the day trippers head home.

Wonderful, informative article! I am so glad I found your website. We are hoping to be able to visit Tuscany in summer 2022. Italy is our favourite country, but we haven’t been to Tuscany or Cinque Terre, so I really appreciate the wealth of information on your website!

Thank you so much, Cheryl! So glad to hear that. :-) Hope you guys have an amazing trip to Tuscany and Cinque Terre!

Hi! I just came upon your site when doing a search for info on an upcoming trip. My husband and I are planning a trip for the end of Oct. We will be renting a car in Florence, spending about two days driving through Tuscany and returning the rental in Rome. I know that’s way too short to do Tuscany justice, but we have a commitment in Venice prior to Florence, and are bookended with a fixed return date from Rome. Where in Florence would be our best choice to rent a car so we can get on the road to Tuscany easily? Same question for returning rental in Rome without having to deal with city driving. Lastly, we are doing some basic research in Tuscany in order to maybe get a place there down the road. Should we consider spending our two nights there in Lucca? Thanks so much and I will definitely be following your adventures!

Hi Rohini! There are so many places to rent cars in both cities it’s really impossible to say–I’d keep an eye out for the best deal and then look carefully at the directions. Unfortunately, some city driving is probably unavoidable if you want to make it all the way from Florence to Rome, but you can limit it based on your schedule.

If you’re just going to relax, Lucca is a great choice! If you want to compare possible areas to own a property in Tuscany though, I’d probably recommend one night there and one night in the Val d’Orcia area. You may also want to consider a look at Siena, depending on whether you want to be close to a city or not.

Hi Kate. Thanks for your quick response! This is very helpful info. I had read somewhere that Tiburtina station in Rome is a good spot for rental return since it would not involve going into the city to return. Would you say that is the case? Once again, thank you for your help!

Hi guys, I imagine you’ve had some ups and downs in your travel in the last 2 years because of Covid. I really hope you’ve been able to stay safe and still continue some of your adventures. I found your site and am really keen to follow your path around Tuscany when my husband and I go this year. I looked up your destinations and would really encourage you to look into coming to Australia and New Zealand some time if you can. Down Under is a wonderful place and New Zealand has just about everything you could ever want to see in a really small country! Thank you for your really helpful and informative site. Take care.

Yes, there have been many ups and downs over the last couple of years for sure, but luckily things are mostly up right now! We’ve decided to base ourselves in Portugal for the next little bit to enjoy lots of Europe throughout 2022. :-) Knock on wood, but hopefully our next Tuscan road trip is just around the corner!

We’d love to head down to Aus and New Zealand one day! No plans at the moment, but you never know. :-)

Hope you guys have a wonderful trip!

Such a great and helpful Itinerary, thank you!

We’re planning to visit late September and I am nervous about the driving portion – what location would you recommend for pick up, outside of Florence? We’re hoping to get a drive to our first destination (open to anywhere) and then pick up a car – appreciate any extra tips you might have! I was surprised to not see any mention of Greve as a stop, have you been? This was what I thought was my main stop in Tuscany but I am now rethinking everything! :D We have 5 nights in Tuscany (counted Florence separately as a stop when we head North) and prefer to not spend too much time in the city and want to visit many wineries and enjoy the local food! If you have any very specific favorite wineries to stay at or places to dine, I would love to hear about them!

Thanks again for such a detailed post! I have a lot to consider :)

Thanks so much, Cait!

There’s never enough time for all the towns, lol, but if you want to swap in Greve you absolutely can! We haven’t been ourselves yet but generally speaking there’s no such thing as a “wrong” Tuscan town to visit. ;-)

If you want to pick up a car outside of Florence, I’d recommend taking a look at Siena. By the time you get into the very small hilltop towns like San Gimignano, etc, there may not be car rental agencies available (or if they are, it’ll just be an office and they’ll need to drive the car itself to you from a bigger city–which often comes with a fee).

Have an amazing trip!

Hi, I am planning a vacation trip to Rome (5 days) and from there a road trip (5 days) to the Tuscan area. I’ve been already to Florence and Pisa. I will like to know cities or towns with good food and scenery off the beaten path. Thanks so much for your time and sharing your knowledge.

It depends on how you define off the beaten path, but just about everywhere in Tuscany is further off the path than Florence and Pisa! And virtually everywhere in Tuscany has great food. :-)

Arezzo, Volterra, Pienza, Montepulciano are all delightful, some more commonly visited than others. Montalcino is tiny but beautiful.

We also love Lucca, it’s much quieter in many ways than Florence or Siena.

A common theme is that if you spend the night in any of these places, they will get much more peaceful and quiet if you spend the night, as the day-trippers will head home.

Some of the spa towns other than Saturnia can feel off the beaten path, such as Bagno Vignoni. They’re popular, but more catered to tourists from nearby.

Wonderful article – thanks!

Planning Sept trip – 4 days Rome, 2 days Florence, 3 days Venice (as of now)

Considering adding a Tuscany component but limited to time. Any suggestions to condensing to 2-3 days as a loop or feasibility of starting in Florence and ending in Venice?

Any input greatly appreciated.

Happy to help, Richard!

With a 2-3 day driving loop from Florence, I’d recommend driving to either the Val d’Orcia (so towns like Montalcino and Pienza) or a nearby base like Montepulciano, and then basing yourself there for a couple of days. You can drive between a handful of close-together towns, see the landscape, enjoy an agriturismo, do some wine tastings, etc, all within a close distance.

Driving from Florence to Venice isn’t a go-to suggestion of mine since you don’t need a car in either city, but we’ve actually made the drive ourselves as part of a family trip and it was lovely! Bologna, Ferrara, and/or Padua are easy stops right along the route.

If you wanted to take a couple of days between the two cities, a loop through Parma, Modena, Reggio-Emilio and Bologna would put you in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, which is the origin of some of the most beloved Italian foods (traditional balsamic, parmigiano-reggiano, etc).

It’s not the most efficient way to get from Florence to Venice of course (that’d be the high-speed train), but if you want to make a trip of it, you’ll have fun!

If you do want to consider renting a car in Florence and dropping it off in Venice, though, be sure to ask your rental company if they allow it and what fees they would charge before making any plans.

One of my stops is in Luca and the hotel and parking garage are in the Atlantic. How do I get a permit to drive through it.

I think you may have a typo in there, but I’m assuming you mean you have a hotel booked in the historic center of Lucca? If the hotel offers private parking on-site, you can give them your license plate number and they’ll be able to make arrangements for you.

If they don’t have parking, you’ll likely need to park outside the walls and walk into the center to reach your hotel.

Hope that helps!

The parking os not on-site but within the walls.

So you are saying that all I need to do is call either the garage or hotel with my rental car license number and they would be able to get me a permit to drive inside the walled city to get to the hotel and garage?

In your case, I’d contact the hotel and ask where they recommend you park, and then if you head to the garage inside the walls, look at the map to confirm the directions to access it.

Essentially, your goal is to avoid the ZTL zones, which trigger an automatic ticket (and technically two–one for entering the zone and one for leaving it). Unfortunately, since all of the traffic controls are done by camera, you’ll have no sure way of knowing at the time you park if you’ve crossed the boundary.

The public parking within the walls should have a way to access it without passing through a ZTL zone, the concern is taking a wrong turn, etc. If you do need to pass through a ZTL zone (generally speaking in Italy), hotels within the walls can get access for their guests but I’m not sure if yours can since they don’t have on-site parking. These rules also vary from city to city in Italy.

Generally speaking, in the case that you do get access to a ZTL zone to access hotel parking (I know yours doesn’t have it, but just generally), you won’t get a paper permit or anything like that. It’s all done by license plate and camera.

Hi Kate! What an insightful article. I am planning a trip to Itlay in August for 12 days with a girlfriend who has never been to Italy. We are landing in Rome, spending 3 days there, and making our way to Florence by train. We will have 6 days in the Tuscany region and plan to rent a car after reading your article. This is what I am planning for our road trip and what your feedback. Would love to know if you can recommend an amazing winery with meals and wine tasting at one of our stops. I have taken suggestions from your blog on places to see and things to do at each stop:) Am I packing in too much? Day 1 – Florence to Lucca to San Gimignano spend the night here Day 2 – San Gimignano to Siena to Val D’Orcia spend 1 or 2 nights here Day 3 or 4 – Val d’orcia to Montepulciano to Montalcino (not sure about Montalcino) Day 4 – Drive to Saturnia from the last destination and head back to Florence

Hi Gira! All of the places you have mentioned are wonderful, but yes, I’d highly recommend cutting a few places from your list in order to savor the others more!

Driving, parking, walking into historic centers, etc, all eat up quite a bit of time.

I’m assuming you’re planning a couple of days in Florence on days 5-6. Ideally, I’d recommend only changing your “base” one other time. Montepulciano is a convenient spot as you can reach the Val d’Orcia, Montalcino, etc, from there. Siena is another fantastic option, but it’s definitely a small city, not a tiny town.

Saturnia is pretty far out of the way from everything else on your list, so unless it’s your dream destination in Florence, I’d consider trimming that. :-)

Hi, Your article is very informative. Thanks. One question, I understand that leaving anything in the car in Italy is not a good idea as it can be stolen. What about these small towns in Tuscany? Is it risky to leave luggage in the trunk when parking there, too? Thanks

That’s essentially down to your personal risk tolerance. Many people leave luggage in the car when they have no other good option if it is kept out of sight in a locked trunk.

Obviously, there’s always a small risk with that, but it’s a fairly common practice.

The most important thing is to make sure nothing visible is left behind.

Thank you for such a insightful article, it has definitely helped to make a road trip through Tuscany feel less daunting!

Are there are places on your list that are more or less English friendly? We will obviously try to learn what we can in Italian, but it is always helpful to know :)

My husband and I previously visited Florence and did a day trip to Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano. The scenery was so breathtaking it quickly made a road trip through Tuscany a MUST on our bucket list! Having already visited those places (wouldn’t mind visiting San Gimignano again!), what would be your top picks for 5-6 nights (not including Florence but starting from there)? I would love to make a stop at Saturnia if time allowed. Thank you SO much for your suggestions!

Hi Samantha,

Thank you so much! Glad we can help. :-)

Unless you go exceptionally off the beaten path, you won’t have any problem using English (plus body language/hand signs/etc) in Tuscany, so don’t worry! Definitely learn what Italian you can, but Tuscans are very friendly and exceptionally used to foreigners.

Since you guys have already done quite a bit in the northern part of Tuscany, I recommend heading to the southern part! Montepulciano, the Val d’Orcia (including towns like Pienza and Montalcino), Cortona, and Saturnia, make a great loop.

You might also look at taking a day trip to Civita di Bagnoregio, Orvieto, Perugia, or Assisi. Those places aren’t in Tuscany but are wonderful, and depending on your itinerary might make fun additions.

This is so helpful Kate, THANK YOU!!!! This will be my first time in Italy, I’m traveling solo, and I’ve never driven outside of the U.S. before, so I’m thinking I’ll stick to trains to get around this time (which I know will limit how much flexibility I have). Are any of these towns easily accessible by train from Florence (and/or each other)?

Happy to help, Tara!

Yes, Lucca, Pisa, Arezzo, and Siena are all easy to get to by train.

The smaller hilltop towns are generally harder to access without a car, and many don’t have train stations. You can technically get to Montepulciano by train, but the station is outside of town and you’ll need to catch a bus or taxi to get all the way there.

If you want to visit a few of the tiny hilltop towns, I’d recommend signing up for a day trip one day–we link a some popular ones in this post: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/best-day-trips-from-florence-italy/

Generally from Florence, you can find either day trips that focus on the north (San Gimignano is a common stop) or the southern Val d’Orcia towns. They’re a great way to see harder-to-access spots while letting someone else deal with the driving and parking!

Thanks so much for responding and for the additional tips! <3

Hi Kate! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the wealth of information. Very helpful for our upcoming visit!

Any possibility of emailing you directly with a few more questions?

Thanks, Lori and Steve, USA, coming in October for our 60th birthday’s!!!!

Yes, of course!

We’re not travel agents and don’t plan/book trips for people, but we’re always happy to answer a few questions and point travelers in the right direction. :-)

Happy early birthdays!

Hello again, We will only have about 4 (3 full) days and nights to explore Florence and Tuscany. We hear that Florence is not terribly large and is very walkable? Would it be practical and safe to utilize motor scooters to do so? The countryside is a PRIORITY, but we are considering not venturing too far from the city to limit travel time. We’d like to spend at least one night in the city, and at least one in the country. And we very much want to explore a couple of very small villages. Suggestions?

Would you recommend purchasing train tickets in advance, or is it really not necessary? Likewise for renting a car, and making hotel reservations (First week of October).

For the train tickets–it depends. For high-speed trains across long distances, like from Florence to Venice, yes, absolutely book in advance. The prices increase dramatically as you get closer to your dates.

For regional/slow trains, like taking a day trip from Florence to Lucca, there’s no need to book in advance.

What gets a bit confusing is that some lines, like between Rome and Florence, have both high-speed trains (essential if you’re making a day trip, as it takes under 2 hours), and regional/slow trains, which depending on the exact timetable can take anywhere from 3-5 hours or so.

If you want an overview of what’s available, we recommend using Omio to search for tickets and compare prices/timetables.

For hotels and a rental car, yes, you’ll want to book in advance. It’s not as urgent as in, say, July, but to get maximum availability it’s best to be prepared, especially if you have special requirements for your rental car such as wanting to rent an automatic.

I hope that helps and that you guys have a great time! October is our favorite month to be in Tuscany. :-)

My daughter & I will have 5 days in Tuscany, have a rental car & want to visit mostly hill towns. Our hotel is outside Florence. We’d like to drive to Cortona then to for wine tasting, then to Monticchiello for a 7:30 dinner at Daria & spend night. Is this possible? Where do I find city maps?

I think you mean you plan to spend the night in Monticchiello? If so, yes, that will probably work well. Cortona is a bit out of the way as far as Tuscan hill towns go, but it’s very popular!

For city maps, your hotel will usually offer one, especially if you ask. For towns that you just take a day trip to, the easiest way to find them is to head to the tourism office (there’s virtually always a well-marked office in the town center).

Some tourism offices do charge a nominal fee for maps, so it’s a good idea to have a few Euros in small coins/bills on you when you go.

Totally loved it!!! Would you recommend doing this roadtrip with a child? I really want my 5year old daughter to witness new cultures and enjoy some holidays with mum and dad!

Of course it depends on the child, etc, but it’s definitely possible! Italy is considered to be very kid-friendly, and kids are adored and welcome just about everywhere.

The distances in this road trip are also fairly short, so no extremely long car days to contend with.

I don’t see your 2 night Tuscany itinerary?

Hi Lorraine,

I’m not sure what you mean–maybe you’re looking for our 2 day Florence itinerary? Here it is: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/2-days-in-florence-itinerary/

I don’t have anything on spending 3 days/2 nights in Tuscany specifically, but for most visitors, I’d recommend spending 2 days in Florence and then taking a day trip to the countryside on the 3rd day.

Hope that answers your question!

Thank you very much for your article, it was very helpful to consider the cities/town to visit in La Toscana. What would you recommend me for a 10-day trip (honeymoon :) ) by arriving to Rome? For sure, I want to rent a car and do all by car. Would it be better to take a train all over to Florence and from there do the trip all over to Rome? Is it a big deal if I do not have an international license? Thank you for your help.

You can definitely structure this trip as a road trip from Rome to Florence, touring Tuscany by road trip along the way instead if you prefer. For that version, you’ll likely want to start at Montepulciano and then make sort of a “V” shape ending in Florence. Keep in mind that you’ll probably have a one-way car rental fee if you do it this way.

In that case, you may want to add on a stop in Orvieto along the way as well–it’s in Umbria, and a beautiful place: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/things-to-do-in-orvieto-italy/

Having an international driving permit is required for non-EU drivers in Italy. It’s not often asked for, so you can choose to take the risk, but your rental company can refuse to rent to you and of course, you can have issues if you get into an accident, etc, if you don’t have one as well. They’re not complicated to get, so it’s much better to acquire one before going to Italy!

Hi! Thank you so much for this wonderful site – it is so informative!! We are planning 2-3 days traveling from Florence to Rome and wonder if there are private drivers for hire in Tuscany. Is that an option? And, if so, do you have a sense of how we would locate good drivers? Our concept is that it may be easier on us if we just left the driving to a trained professional local… your thoughts? Thanks again! Paul

We’ve never hired a private driver in Tuscany, so I can’t speak to that personally! I know that some private drivers and tours advertise through Get Your Guide. Other than that, I’d recommend asking your hotel concierge, they’ll no doubt know of someone.

However, if your goal is to travel between Rome and Florence, you could also easily take the train. If you’d rather take 2-3 days to do the journey and sightsee along the way, Orvieto and Siena are both stops to consider on the way.

If you’re confident drivers, though, that route is fairly simple–lots of highway driving, etc. If you’re considering the option of driving yourselves, I’d say there’s no real reason not to.

Hi Thank you for putting together all this info, it has filled me with excitement thinking about our trip this year. My husband and I are hoping to fulfil my dream of travelling to Tuscany this year at the start of April. We will be driving from the UK and stopping off in Normandy then driving across to Italy and Tuscany. The first large city we will enter is Turin before moving towards Tuscany. We have 7 days in Italy but we thought a circular road trip would be great made up of countryside, wine, food and wandering around towns and markets. I love the road trip based around Florence but given our route and our starting point, would you be able to recommend anywhere we should visit/stay/avoid that starts further north and drops into Tuscany. I don’t want to disappoint myself by making poor choices in destinations so any help would be much appreciated. Thank you

Sounds like a wonderful trip! We’ve driven from Portugal to Italy and/or France (and back) several times ourselves, so we’re very familiar with the breadth of the drive you’re taking on.

The Langhe region of Piedmont, located close-ish to Turin, is fantastic: think small towns, gorgeous views, delicious wine, and fewer crowds than Tuscany. You may want to consider a stop there before heading further south! We loved La Morra in particular, but there is lots to see around there, including Alba, Barolo, etc.

Depending on what route you take in, you may pass through Emilia-Romagna as well, one of our favorite foodie regions in Italy. There are a million places to fall in love with there, but Parma might be right along your drive: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/best-things-to-do-in-parma-italy/

Hope you guys have a fantastic trip!

Hi, I loved your article. My husband and I are planning to head to Tuscany in September. My thought is to arrive in Florence from the states and stay for 3 nights. Originally I was planning to head to Greve and stay at Borgo de Cabrea. for 5 nights and just do day trips from there. (The pictures of the hotel views blew me away). However after doing some more research, I’m thinking that I would leave Florence and head down to the Val d’ Orcia region for two nights, do some day trips from there, then head back up to the hotel in Greve for my remaining 3 nights. I don’t want to short change my experience in southern Tuscany. Looking for advice on where to stop on the way down, and the way up versus day trips from where we are staying. I’m thinking of stopping in Sienna on our way back up since it’s closer to Greve then we can avoid a day trip back down. Where do you think is good place to stop on the way down vs. places that would be better as day trips? Also any advise on where to stay in Val d’ Orcia region? Thanks for the advise on the cars. The site you suggested is much cheaper than the one I was originally looking at.

Those hotel views do look incredible!

With the caveat that you can’t make a very wrong decision in Tuscany, I’d recommend spending 3 nights in the Val d’Orcia area and 2 around Greve. Definitely check out the tiny town of Montefioralle when you’re in the Greve area, too: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/montefioralle-italy/

Siena is a decent-sized city rather than a hilltop town, so I’d spend more time there than you can–but if a couple of hours is all you can spare, visiting the Piazza del Campo + the Duomo + visiting one of the viewpoints to see the city from above will make for a memorable stop.

As for where to stay in the Val d’Orcia, we’re partial to Montepulciano as a base. It’s not in the Val d’Orcia, but nearby, well-connected, and beautiful. Pienza also makes an excellent base and has some hotels whose views I think you’ll also love: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/pienza-italy/

Depending on which route you take down from Florence, you may pass Monteriggioni, if so, that’d be a lovely stop during your drive.

Thank You so much for your response. After doing some of my own research and keeping your advise in mind, we booked a hotel in Montepulciano. I have another question for you. We are renting a car and tried discover cars. The prices for renting a compact car through Noleggiare are significantly cheaper than any other company. We need an automatic so it can get pricey. The reviews are mediocre and I was wondering if you had any experience with them. Thanks!

I don’t think we’ve ever used them in particular, but in general, we’ve never had any issues with a car rental in Italy and have zero brand loyalty with rental cars there. We tend to go with whoever is most affordable, as the prices can vary so much. We do buy rental insurance, though–for us, it’s worth the peace of mind.

Hi Planning on driving from Rome to Florence, taking our time. Where would you rent the car? And can you drop off a car in Florence if you rent in Rome. Thanks

Hi Sebastiano,

Personally, we’d rent the car in Rome wherever we could find the best deal–we’re not particularly loyal to any one car rental company.

You can definitely rent a car in Rome and drop it off in Florence, however, you’ll likely incur a one-way rental fee. These can vary dramatically, but are usually pretty reasonable if you’re picking up and dropping off the car in the same country (driving from Italy to Switzerland, for example, would be a different story).

Hi! I liked your insights very much, I hope to go visit Tuscany soon with my family. Though you didn’t really mention seaside areas – I guess it’s because people don’t tend to visit Tuscany region because of beaches, but still, there IS some seaside (judging from map sorry), and I would like to know more, either if you had any experience, or from locals or friends. I clinged to the one photo of a beach at Livorno. I was wondering, if it is worth seeing the seaside as well, if there are any beaches, maybe areas where swimming is not recommended, dangerous tides, sharks… or are there nice places as well, worth visiting. Is the shore easily accessible? The shoreline area is more flat I guess, less hills there as I assume again, from maps…

You’re right, I didn’t include seaside areas because typically, that’s not what non-Italian travelers are looking for from the Tuscany region. You’re right that it has a lovely coastline, though!

A few popular beach towns in Tuscany include Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi. Livorno is a popular cruise ship stop, and has a historic fort right on the water. Don’t miss the view from Terrazza Mascagni if you go!

If you want to go further off the beaten path, the Tuscan island of Elba (where Napoleon was once banished to) is beautiful.

If you’re in a beach town, you’ll definitely have access to the sea!

Will be in Tuscany for four days and thinking one day each in Pisa, Florence and Montepulciano (or combine a couple (like Pisa/Florence). Can you suggest a good home base area? We will have a car – any suggestions for a couple of one day road trips (if we can combine P, F or M) to visit wineries, different towns, etc? So many things to see it’s hard to decide and are hoping you can help us out. Thank you so much!!!

Hi Collette,

If you plan to have a car, I’d recommend staying outside a city center and enjoying the countryside a bit. That’s the advantage of having a car in Tuscany!

I’d also recommend combining Lucca with Pisa–Pisa doesn’t take long to see, but Florence definitely takes a full day at a minimum assuming you want to go inside a museum, up a viewpoint, etc.

On the route from Florence to Montepulciano, Monteriggioni and Siena are great options (depending on which route you take). The Chianti area is also between the two, though it’s a bit more out of the way to access!

San Gimignano and/or Volterra would also make a great day, and would be enhanced by having a car.

Deciding where to stay can be fairly flexible, as all of those places can be visited as a day-trip from the others, but I’d choose based on your priorities, as you’ll have some long drives round-trip. The Siena area makes a great base if your priority is Montepulciano and towns like the Val d’Orcia. The Lucca area or Chianti area is lovely for accessing northern Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, San Gimignano, etc).

Ciao! Thank you so much for writing so much about Italy! It’s been very helpful while planning our upcoming Tuscany road trip. We’re planning to rent a car from Florence and are seeing a lot of negative reviews on all the cheaper Discover Cars rental companies. What rental companies have you used in the past and would you recommend them? Also, are there any we should stay away from? Trying to be budget friendly but also do not want hit with a bunch of fees after the fact. Thank you so much for your help!

Hi Natalie,

Happy to help!

Honestly, I could not even remember all the rental companies we’ve used in Italy, let alone in Europe. We’re not picky–we’ve used everything from big brands like Hertz and Sixt all the way to tiny local outfits that we spot on the ground. We’ve never been charged for damage, but we do take precautions.

Specifically, we ALWAYS thoroughly photograph and video (a full 360 video) the vehicle when picking it up, and we tend to buy the additional insurance as well. If you want to ensure there’s a 0% chance of being charged for anything, most companies offer a $0 deductible (in Europe, a deductible is called excess) policy. It’s an increase in the upfront budget, but offers a lot of peace of mind if it’s something you’re worried about!

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8 Best Tuscany Wine Tours from Florence

By: Author Girl with the Passport

Posted on Last updated: July 18, 2024

Categories Europe

If you’re in Florence then you’re forbidden from leaving without taking a mega epic day trip to Tuscany.

I mean, not only is Tuscany SUPER close to Florence, but this region is home to rolling hills, medieval villages, incredible vineyards, and some of the best wine in Italy.

Now, sure, you can visit via train or hire a rental car in Tuscany . But, if you’re short on time – or just plan to drink like whoa – then book one of the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence instead.

Not only do these Tuscan wine tours from Florence make traveling a breeze, but they provide you with a stellar way of enjoying all of the area’s most epic highlights in a short amount of time.

Trust me, I have done tons of the best Chianti wine tours from Florence and 99.9% of them have been lovely. So much so that I’ve gone back and done even more wine tours.

So, if you love wine but want to quickly and easily see all that Tuscany has to offer then this post is for you.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more information. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

My #1 pick 🏆 for the best Tuscany wine tour from Florence is this small group wine-tasting tour . It’s well-priced, well-reviewed, includes delish wine 🍷, and isn’t HELLA long.

Best Tuscany Wine Tours from Florence

1. from florence: tuscany wine & food tour with guide.

⭐️ Rating: 4.9/5.0 (688 Reviews) Price: $161.70 per person Duration: 8 hours 📍 Meeting Point: Piazzale Montelungo Operator: Prestige Rent – Tours in Italy Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

Prepare for an epic day of fun during this Tuscany Wine and Food Tour with a guide .

See, this is one of the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence that will introduce you to three organic wineries where you can sample a wide variety of local wines.

So, start this small group tour with a scenic drive through the Tuscan countryside before learning all about wine-making at the very first vineyard you visit.

Explore the farm and tour the cellar before heading to a hilltop estate where you’ll meet a local wine expert before sitting down to lunch.

You’ll try delicious olive oil and amazing balsamic vinegar during your light meal before taking a walk through the idyllic village of Greve in Chianti.

“What a fantastic day! It was amazing being able to try 3 different wineries. Most were red wine (which I’m not a fan of, but actually very much enjoyed on this trip) but there were also a few white wines. Lunch was awesome. Personally, the trip was little long, so I would recommend doing the shorter trip (everyone started getting car sick to some degree with all of the hills). But, the tour guide did a great job and I would definitely recommend this activity.” Matalin ( read more reviews now )

Enjoy some free time in the main square before ending the tour at a historic family-owned villa.

You’ll take in stellar views of Florence and can explore one of the most gorgeous gardens in Tuscany before ending your Tuscany wine tour from Florence.

A great time to visit would be Autumn in Tuscany , especially if you plan to be in Tuscany in September .

2. From Florence: Small Group Wine Tasting Tour to Tuscany

⭐️ Rating: 4.8/5.0 (1387 Reviews) Price: $96.39 per person Duration: 4.5 hours 📍 Meeting Point: Piazzale Montelungo Operator: Prestige Rent – Tours in Italy Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

If you’re looking for one of the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence that won’t take the entire day then book this Small Group Wine Tasting Tour to Tuscany .

Now, after departing from Florence in an AC-filled minibus, you and your group will make their way towards Chianti Classico.

Along the way, your English-speaking driver/guide offers in-depth commentary before visiting two amazing wine estates.

Enjoy three wines and fresh olive oil at the first place as you learn all about unique vinicultural practices.

“It was sensational. Fantastic guide, very good and comfortable transport. Short journey (45min) to the first winery and then the second is very close. Winery 1. Cheeses and breads with wonderful vinegars and oils + 4 wines (just the bottom of the glass). Winery 2. Cheeses, cold cuts and sausages, and bread + 5 wines (just the bottom of the glass). Possibility to buy wines, oils and vinegars on the tour. I thought the amount of wine was good, enough to make me neither sober nor drunk. I recommend going at the beginning of the trip, because if you make friends, they can be company for the next few days.” Rodrigo ( read more reviews now )

Continue to the second winery and sample a variety of wines and olive oils that are perfectly paired with local cheese, bruschetta, salami, and more. Seriously yummy food to say the least.

Yup, I loved this tour and thought that Raffaele and Alessio were both great. They shared a ton of great info and you got to try lots of great wines, olive oils, and balsamic vinegar.

It was a great way to get a taste of Tuscany without becoming totally exhausted by a massively long day trip. You could also keep things chill and plan your own road trip through Tuscany instead.

3. Florence: Chianti Wineries Tour with Food and Wine Tasting

⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5.0 (4563 Reviews) Price: $53.18 per person Duration: 4.5 hours 📍 Meeting Point: Piazzale Montelungo bus stop Operator: Ciaoflorence Tours & Travel Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

During this most excellent Chianti Wineries Tour with Food and Wine Tasting , you’ll drive to the Chianti region and visit two different wineries.

At the first stop, you’ll embark on a guided tour of the vineyard and learn about what a “Chianti Classico” distinction requires before sampling four incredible wines during an on-site tasting.

Your expert guide will explain each of the wines you’re sampling, teach you how to properly taste each one, and even give you local bread, cheese, olive oil, and salami to enjoy.

“Excellent tour – learnt something about wine; but that’s not really the point – had an excellent guide in Nathan and loved all the wines which we were served. The best place for us was the smaller winery where the tastings were excellent. Would recommend and def come back.” Neel ( read more reviews now )

Next, stop at a scenic overlook so you can admire the Chanti Hills before learning about wine production at the second winery.

You’ll even go on a quick guided tour of the vineyards and then sit down to enjoy three unique wines before returning to Florence.

4. Florence: Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and Chianti Experience

⭐️ Rating: 4.4/5.0 (2895 Reviews) Price: $69.46 per person Duration: 12 hours 📍 Meeting Point: Sightseeing Experience Visitor Center Operator: Sightseeing Experience Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

I love, love, LOVE this Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and Chianti Experience since it isn’t all about wine.

Yes, you’ll get to enjoy an amazing wine tasting. But, you’ll also get to see some of the top attractions in the region, making this one of the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence if you’re short on time.

So, your day will start with a lovely tour of Pisa. You’ll see the cathedral, the cemetery, the baptistery, and – DUH – the leaning tower before checking out a classic winery near San Gimignano.

Dig into an incredible Tuscan lunch and wine tasting before visiting the cobblestone streets, quaint squares, and local artisans of medieval San Gimignano.

“Barbara and Armando executed their roles admirably, ensuring seamless coordination throughout the tour. Navigating three major cities and historic sites was a pleasure, thanks to their competence. Barbara, our patient tour guide, adeptly managed the challenges posed by tardy and irresponsible attendees, displaying a commendable level of professionalism. Despite a few hiccups caused by irresponsible passengers, all individuals eventually boarded, and the return journey transpired without incident. The experience, albeit dramatic at times, was salvaged by Barbara’s unwavering professionalism. The driver’s exceptional skills contributed to a smooth and enjoyable ride. On the downside, the light lunch provided fell short of expectations. Regrettably, it resembled more of a simple snack with a sample wine tasting, and did not meet our culinary preferences. Nevertheless, the overall value derived from the expenditure was undeniably worthwhile.” Sam ( read more reviews now )

Afterward, stop to admire some panoramic views of Chianti before heading to Siena. Here, your guide will introduce you to Piazza del Campo and the cathedral.

You’ll then have free time to eat some panforte and shop for souvenirs before returning to Florence as the sun sets in the background.

So, all in all, this is one of the best Tuscan wine tours from Florence if you don’t feel like drinking wine all day but still want to see what this incredible region has to offer.

5. Tuscany by Vespa Full-Day Tour to Chianti Wine Region

⭐️ Rating: 4.7/5.0 (132 Reviews) Price: $161.70 per person Duration: 6 hours 📍 Meeting Point: Florencetown Booking Office Operator: Florencetown / Towns of Italy Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

If you want to explore Tuscany in an entirely unique way – or just feel like channeling your inner Lizzie McGuire – then check out this Vespa Full Day Tour of the Chianti Region .

After all, you’ll start the day off with a quick pickup in a comfy, air-conditioned van that will take you to the beautiful, Chianti countryside.

Upon arrival, you’ll be briefed on how to use your 50cc original Piaggio Vespa safely before starting a magical ride through the scenic hills and charming country roads of Tuscany.

“An incredible day seeing the beautiful hills of the Chianti region outside of Florence. My husband drove the scooter and I got to take photos and experience all the magic of this wine country. Loved this trip!! Highly recommend. Tanya and Gracia were outstanding guides- friendly and knowledgeable.” Kelly ( read more reviews now )

You’ll cruise through enchanting medieval villages and stop at a villa from the 17th century to enjoy a traditional Tuscan meal.

You’ll even do a guided tour of the vineyard/cellars and take part in an iconic olive oil/wine tasting before heading back to Florence.

All in all, this is one of the best Chianti wine tours from Florence if you’re looking for a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Pro Tip: I loved the fact that we got to drive through the town of Greve. We then got some nice sandwiches and 30 minutes of free time upon arrival.

We also got an excellent 3-course meal (apps, meat, cheese, and pasta) with wine.

6. Florence Wine Tasting and Tuscan Lunch in a Vintage Fiat 500

⭐️ Rating: 4.8/5.0 (93 Reviews) Price: $161.16 per person Duration: 4 hours 📍 Meeting Point: 500 Touring Club Operator: 500 Touring Club Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

Stop what you’re doing and check out this mega epic wine-tasting and Tuscan lunch in a vintage Fiat 500 .

You’ll start your day with a crash course (pun intended) on using the Fiat 500. You’ll then drive as part of a vibrant group from Florence to the Tuscan hills.

“The Florence wine tasting and Tuscan lunch in a vintage fiat500 tour was brilliant!! Alessandro was our tour guide & he helped make the experience so memorable. Alessandro was very professional but very easy going, knowledgeable & friendly. During the tour, we made mutiple stops to enjoy the most beautiful scenery, Where Alessandro told us stories/facts etc. During the wine tasting, we were welcomed into a Tuscan families home, where they had prepared meats, cheeses and breads for us to taste with the wines. Alessandro was very informative with the wine pairing. We met 2 fantastic couples on the tour, who made the tour even more fantastic & enjoyable for us as we all shared stories and laughed from start to finish. We 10/10 would recommend this tour and we would absolutely come back to do it all over again Alessandeo, thank you so much for an unforgettable experience!” Michelle ( read more reviews now )

Next, step inside a historic, 15th-century, Renaissance villa where the owners will give you a tour of the grounds and vineyards before descending into the wine cellar for a tasting of their award-winning vinos.

Afterward, dig into a light lunch and sample a variety of local olive oils that will expertly complement your meal.

Just be aware of the fact that you will have to pay a fuel surcharge of €15 for using the car.

7. From Florence: Tuscany Day Trip with Lunch at Chianti Winery

⭐️ Rating: 4.8/5.0 (3043 Reviews) Price: $92.25 per person Duration: 12 hours 📍 Meeting Point: Santa Maria Novella train station Operator: Walkabout Tours Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

If you’re looking for one of the more traditional Tuscany wine tours from Florence then have a look at this Tuscany Day Trip with Lunch at Chianti Winery .

Sure, it’s not a super unusual tour. But, you’ll get to see all of the area’s major attractions in just twelve hours.

Therefore, try to get a good night’s sleep so that you can meet your group early at Florence Central train station.

You’ll then head to Siena where you’ll enjoy a guided tour of this medieval city before taking some free time to walk around.

In total, you’ll visit for around 90 minutes to admire the stunning Gothic and Romanesque architecture of the area (specifically the main cathedral) before grabbing lunch in the Tuscan Hills.

“This was the best thing I have done the whole time in Italy! The absolute best thing to do when I’m Florence, our guide Noemi was amazing and so great. The lunch at the winery in Chianti was delicious and going up Pisa was also worth the stairs. Definitely recommend this trip, it was raining all day and we still had a really great time. Would do it again in a heartbeat!!” Marley ( read more reviews now )

This lunch is optional but HIGHLY recommended since you’ll eat a homemade, organic meal paired with four regional wines – all while admiring sweeping views of the area.

Afterward, continue to San Gimignano. It’s a fabulous, UNESCO World Heritage site where you can take in epic panoramas and see tower homes from the Middle Ages.

Explore the town for an hour and a half before ending your day in Pisa. You’ll see the Leaning Tower and will walk through the Piazza dei Miracoli before making your way back to Florence.

Just choose between a small group or a private tour and let the fun begin during one of the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence.

8. Florence: S. Gimignano, Siena, Chianti & Wine Tasting Lunch

⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5.0 (1178 Reviews) Price: $72.71 per person Duration: 11 hours 📍 Meeting Point: Varies Operator: CAF Tour & Travel Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

Rounding out this list of the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence is this S. Gimignano, Siena, Chianti, and Wine Tasting Lunch .

During this epic experience, you’ll start off with a 70-minute scenic drive through Tuscany to San Gimignano.

You’ll then have around two hours to explore this ancient city on a hill before driving another 40 minutes to the Chianti Hills.

Upon arrival, relax at a local winery and sample three local wines, along with authentic balsamic vinegar.

“Just loved it all from start to finish just for me the walking was a bit much but that is because I hadn’t realised there would be quite so much..love the history of the area and learning more about the wine of the area and it was a nice small number of people on the tour.” Jayne ( read more review now )

Afterward, dig into a delicious three-course lunch and get a taste of authentic Chianti cuisine.

Menu highlights include things like bruschetta, penne with meat ragout, and a homemade tart for dessert.

Finally, end the day with a one-hour guided tour of Siena that is followed by an optional tour of the Cathedral.

You’ll then enjoy some free time where you can check out the Basilica of San Domenico before going back to Florence.

My #1 pick 🏆 for the best Tuscany wine tour from Florence is this small group wine-tasting tour. It’s well-priced, well-reviewed, includes delish wine 🍷, and isn’t HELLA long.

Best Tuscany Wine Tours from Florence FAQ

1. can you take a train from tuscany to florence.

Yes, you can take a train from Tuscany to Florence. That is because Livorno, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and Lucca all have direct connections with Florence by train.

2. How Far is Tuscany from Florence?

Tuscany is very close to Florence and only about 9 kilometers away. Therefore, it could take you just twenty-five minutes to drive to Tuscany from Florence.

3. How to See Tuscany from Florence?

Some of the ways you could see Tuscany from Florence are by rental car, via one of the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence, or by train since two depart for Tuscany hourly.

One will take you to Siena directly while the other will take you to Empoli. Once in Empoli, you’ll have to change trains. However, one-way tickets for both trains usually cost just €6.80.

4. What to See in Tuscany in 3 Days?

With 3 days in Tuscany, you could spend your first day in Florence and see the Piazza Duomo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, and the Baptistery.

On day 2, make your way to Chianti and San Gimignano so that you can do some epic wine tastings and explore medieval architecture.

Finally, spend your third day in Siena where you can explore the Piazza del Campo, the Palazzo Comunale and Torre del Mangia, and the Duomo.

There you have it! That just about wraps up this guide to the best Tuscany wine tours from Florence.

Tell me, did your picks for the best tuscan wine tours from florence make the list if not then let me know., if you found this post helpful, sign up for our email list and join our facebook group for even more travel info..

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The Beauty of Traveling in Tuscany During the Off Season

One rome-based journalist who has visited the italian region in every season offers tips for those visiting..

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Tuscany in the off season showcases a different side to the Italian region.

Photo by Mau47/Shutterstock

My husband and I sit down for a leisurely lunch of spaghetti with seafood and a crispy fritto misto at the Bagno Assunta beach club in Forte dei Marmi, an upscale beach town on the Tuscan coast, and we’re the only ones there. It’s a warm spring day in May—lively but not crowded is the vibe we prefer, but it can be challenging to find that balance, especially in Tuscany.

I would know. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited Tuscany over the years, for both work and pleasure. I live in Rome , so Tuscany is practically my backyard. Lately, it seems like more and more Italians are getting fed up with overtourism in some of the country’s hot spots. In 2023, more than 46 million tourists descended on Tuscany . The entire region’s population is around 3.75 million.

While the majority of tourists go in the summer, there’s so much to do during Tuscany’s off season—which is from around October through April—if you know how.

Even when it’s not the summer, there’s plenty to do in Tuscany.

Photos by Laura Itzkowitz

Tips for visiting Tuscany in the off season

1. live like a local.

Part of the problem with overtourism in Tuscany stems from the way people treat it as a hit-and-run destination, barely staying long enough to check off the bucket list sights and then moving on to the next place. This kind of tourism is antithetical to the true Tuscan way of life. The months outside of peak season are a great time to embrace simple pleasures, like long lunches and days spent relaxing at the beach with a good book.

In Forte dei Marmi I rode around on a bicycle and ate fresh oysters and seafood-topped bruschette at Pesce Baracca . I wandered around, finding artisanal delights like the beautiful baskets at La Cesteria and Giovanni del Forte’s shoe collection, made by a shoemaker who’s been there for more than 40 years.

2. Consider where to go

The low season seems to be getting shorter every year, especially in popular destinations like Florence, Siena, and Pisa. Peak season is generally the height of summer, from June through August, when kids are off from school and families seize the chance to travel. In Florence, in particular, the only crowd-free time of year now is winter, roughly from January through Easter.

If you’re going to visit Tuscany’s beaches, summer is still your best bet in terms of weather, as beach towns like Forte dei Marmi and Porto Ercole tend to shut down in the winter and reopen in the spring. Be aware that some hotels and resorts close for at least a couple of months in the wintertime, too. If you want more availability, consider visiting in the shoulder seasons (April and May or September and October), which will have relatively fewer crowds.

3. Stay longer

Florence may be a relatively small city, but it’s absolutely packed with artistic treasures that are less of a headache to visit without the summer flock of tourists. You need at least three or four days just to see the essentials. Stay longer and you can dig a bit deeper, exploring neighborhoods like Oltrarno and Sant’Ambrogio for less crowded food markets and boutique shops.

And while you could take a day trip from Florence to Siena, Pisa, Lucca, or San Gimignano, it’s worth spending a few days in the countryside or on the coast. Out in the countryside, in the hill towns and beach towns, things move at a more leisurely pace.

4. Get off the beaten path

There are countless places off the beaten path you can visit in the region. Capalbio is one of Italy’s most charming villages , with a historic center perched on a hill with narrow cobblestone lanes and pristine beaches about a 15-minute drive away. The little hill town of Volterra is known for alabaster, and you can buy items made with the luminous stone at shops around town. Pienza, which has a UNESCO-recognized historic center , is also known for a sheep’s milk cheese called pecorino di Pienza. Wandering around the medieval town of Certaldo feels like stepping back in time; you can take your time over lunch and buy ceramics made by local artisans.

Another way to enjoy Tuscany in its off season is to book experiences, such as winery tours and cooking classes. Many wineries also serve lunch, so you can do a tour and tasting in the late morning and then sit down to a nice meal. Or spend the morning learning how to make local specialties like pici pasta and chicken cacciatore with a local chef like cookbook author Giulia Scarpaleggia.

Borgo Santo Pietro is one of the best places to stay in Tuscany.

Courtesy of Borgo Santo Pietro

Where to stay in Tuscany

Forte dei Marmi has a few luxury resorts, but if you prefer a more intimate experience, book a room at the family-run Villa Roma Imperiale , which was built as a private villa and has just 32 rooms, some of which open directly onto the garden and pool. La Roqqa is a new hotel in Porto Ercole, a town in Tuscany’s southern coast, with a sleek contemporary design and a chic beach club on a secluded cove.

If you’re searching for the perfect base to explore the countryside, check into Borgo San Felice , a Relais & Châteaux hotel in a historic hamlet with a Michelin-starred restaurant, or Borgo Santo Pietro , a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, that feels like a fabled ideal of a rural Tuscan retreat (and is also on Afar’s list of the best hotels in Tuscany ). If you’re traveling with a group and want space and seclusion, Villa Ardore is a restored 16th-century farmhouse in the heart of Chianti Classico with eight bedrooms, a full kitchen and vegetable garden, spa, and infinity pool overlooking the rolling hills.

Best of Florence in One Day: Detailed Itinerary (+Map, Info & Tips)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: January 26, 2024

Florence ( Firenze ) is one of the famous Italian art cities with stunning architecture, a bustling atmosphere, and countless interesting sights. You could easily spend a week here and not get bored…

But what to see and do if you only have one day in Florence ? And how to plan your day so that you can make the most of your limited time?

In this article, we share a detailed 1-day Florence itinerary that covers the main sights and must-see places in Florence in the most efficient way. In addition to the main landmarks, we also include restaurant recommendations as well as some additional suggestions for a truly memorable day in Firenze!

To help you plan your day in Florence, we also created a map indicating all the places mentioned in this guide.

For each attraction, we also share practical info for the tickets/ tours that you better reserve in advance . Florence is a very popular destination and the only way to see the best of the city in a day is to have a good itinerary and book skip-the-line tickets/ tours where available. Find out!

TIP: If you get overwhelmed with all the tourist attractions and ticket options, or feel stressed about how to make it all fit time-wise, you can also opt for a guided city tour that covers a few of the main landmarks of Florence in half a day.

When looking for a tour, be sure that it includes the main sights such as Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Gallery (David), and potentially a visit to the Duomo (although this one has so many different options that it’s often easier to do it separately).

One of the best tours to consider with a day in Florence is this 5-hr city walking tour that includes many of the attractions mentioned in our itinerary below in the most efficient way. However, this specific tour takes a limited number of people and might not always be available, especially if booking last minute. Alternatively, here you can find some of the best options available daily (except Mondays – that’s when both the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries are closed).

And if you rather do it all yourself, it’s perfectly possible too. See our suggestions and detailed Florence day trip itinerary below! In that case, you’ll need to pre-book the following tickets (timed entry and limited availability everywhere, so book ahead!):

• Accademia Gallery (Michelangelo’s David).
• Uffizi Gallery .
• Duomo & Dome Climb .
• Palazzo Vecchio & Arnolfo Tower .
• Medici Chapel (optional).
• Bike tour at sunset (optional).

You can find more information about all these places below.

Good to know: If you happen to visit Florence on a Monday when two of the main museums are closed, you’ll have to adjust this itinerary. But don’t worry – there are plenty of other amazing places to see in Florence and you won’t get bored. To help you make the most of your visit to Florence no matter when you travel, we created an alternative itinerary that would work on Monday as well. You can find it at the end of this article.

Here’s what you can see and do in Florence in a day:

Michelangelo’s David at Accademia Gallery

9 – 10 AM.

We recommend starting your day in Florence with a visit to the Accademia Gallery . This small museum is best known for Michelangelo’s David .

No matter how many pictures you have seen, this marble sculpture will take your breath away. It’s a real Renaissance masterpiece that you have to see with your own eyes! In addition, you can see some of Michelangelo’s unfinished sculptures that give an incredible insight into his working process.

The gallery also features several early-Renaissance paintings, and many other sculptures, including the plaster cast of the famous Giambologna’s ‘Rape of the Sabines’ (the original can be found on Piazza della Signoria, near Palazzo Vecchio). This sculpture is unique in the way it was carved and the first in its kind. When you walk around and see all the details, it’s difficult to believe it was carved from a single block of marble.

Practical info: Accademia Gallery is open daily except on Mondays, from 9 am. This is one of the places where you really should reserve your tickets in advance , especially if your time in the city is limited and you want to see as much of Florence in a day as possible. If you can, get the tickets for 9 am and visit here first thing in the morning.

Good to know: Accademia Gallery is not big and you can see the main highlights in about half an hour. If you want to learn more about all the stunning art at this museum, you could opt for a guided tour . However, with just a day in Florence and if you aren’t keen on doing too many tours, visit David on your own and take a tour of the Uffizi gallery in the afternoon – that museum is huge and overwhelming. There, it really pays to go with a guide. Or take a guided tour that visits both of these museums .

Duomo Complex

10 AM – NOON.

Next, head to the Duomo complex, which is just 5-6 minutes walk from Galleria dell’Accademia. Best known for the impressive Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), this site actually has a lot more to offer than it looks at first sight.

There is a lot to see and do at the Duomo complex. Some of the main highlights include a visit to the Cathedral itself, climbing Brunelleschi’s dome and/ or Giotto’s bell tower, and visiting the Baptistery of Saint John.

How much you can actually see and do here depends so much on when you visit and how busy it is. Each of the sites has a separate entrance and often long queues. You can either simply admire the beautiful buildings from the outside, visit one or two of them inside, or climb the dome or the bell tower.

With just a day in Florence, I think I’d opt for the dome climb (if you are physically capable) and potentially also visit the Baptistery and Santa Reparata.

Good to know: You can visit the Cathedral itself free of charge, but be prepared to queue for a while. In all honestly, apart for the dome, the interior is not that impressive on the inside and you may find that it’s not worth the time to queue just for that… But if you climb the dome , the entrance/exit is inside the cathedral, so you can see the interior at the same time. And since you have to book timed tickets for the dome, you don’t waste time and it’s much easier to plan your day.

Alternatively, you can choose to climb Giotto’s bell tower. It requires a ticket as well but is usually not as busy here as at the dome. From the top, you get an amazing view of the exterior Duomo.

And if you don’t want to do any climbing, visit the Baptistery of St. John and Santa Reparata archaeological site under the cathedral. The latter has a separate entrance and hardly any queue, so you get to see the interior of the Duomo at the same time as well. These two sites also require a ticket.

You can find more info about the cathedral-combi tickets on the official website .

TIP: The best option is this all-in ticket . This ticket is valid for 72 hours and includes Giotto’s Bell Tower, Opera del Duomo Museum, Santa Reparata, the Baptistery, and the timed entry for the Brunelleschi Dome climb.

Good to know: On Sundays, the Cathedral is closed for visits, and the dome climb is only possible in the afternoon. If you visit on a Sunday, you can either opt for Giotto’s Bell Tower and other sights indicated above or rearrange the itinerary and do the dome climb later. You can see all the opening times here .

Our experience: We visited Florence Duomo (including the climb) and Michelangelo’s David with this VIP tour . It offers something unique that other tours don’t – a visit to the terraces of the Duomo. While not a must, this definitely made our trip more special. In addition, we got a separate ticket for Giotto’s tower and the Baptistery, which was well worth it as well.

Lunch at San Lorenzo Market

NOON – 1 PM.

Just a short walk from the Duomo complex is the bustling neighborhood of San Lorenzo . Here, you’ll find Mercato Centrale (aka Mercato San Lorenzo) one of the biggest markets in Florence. The historic food market is located in a covered hall, but the surrounding streets are lined with market stands as well. These usually sell clothing and leather goods.

Make your way between all the market stands on the street and walk to the market itself. Here, you’ll find many small cafes and various places selling food. On the top floor, there’s also a food hall where you can try all kinds of Italian specialties from various regions.

I don’t think there’s a bad place to eat here. We had lunch at the market a few times and everything was delicious. One day we had Tuscan meat specialties at one of the enoteca ‘s (wine shops) on the ground floor, and another time – we ordered pasta at one of the places in the food court upstairs and the wine from another enoteca nearby. Everything was excellent.

A popular place for Tuscan food at Mercato Centrale is Da Nerbone. Their specialty is the traditional Florentine lampredotto sandwich (made with tripe/cow stomach), but if that’s not for you, you’ll find plenty of other good options as well.

TIP: Try to arrive at the market early, ideally just a bit before noon. Most Italians eat lunch at around 1-2 pm and the market gets really busy at that time.

Medici Chapel (optional)

AROUND NOON – EARLY AFTERNOON .

There are a few other interesting places to see in the San Lorenzo area, just near the market. One of them is the Basilica di San Lorenzo , and you’ll see it when passing by anyway. It’s nice to visit inside, but with just one day in Florence, I’d skip that.

However, there is another place just behind the church that is well worth a visit if you can squeeze it into your itinerary. That’s Cappelle Medicee , a small burial chapel of the Medici family. It’s one of the most impressive places to see in Florence!

Good to know: The good thing is that a visit here doesn’t require much time (15 minutes inside should be enough to quickly see the chapel). The problem is that the opening times are somewhat special and so it requires a bit more planning. On weekends, it’s open in the morning and on weekdays – in the afternoon. And some days it’s closed completely.

TIP: If you want to visit the chapel, see if you can get a timed-entrance ticket in advance. If it’s open in the morning, book a visit at noon, before you go for lunch. And if it’s open in the afternoon, book the first available visit (usually at around 2 pm). Alternatively, you can also just pass by here and see if it’s open (and if the queue is not too long) and decide at that moment.

In the afternoon, take some time to walk around the city center of Florence. You could also get gelato and enjoy it while you explore. Be sure to skip all those gelaterias that have ‘mountains’ of colorful ice cream – these are really not the best places for a good gelato. Instead, look for a more local, quality place.

And while you are at it, be sure to try the traditional Florentine ice cream flavor ‘buontalenti’ . It’s named after Bernardo Buontalenti, a 16th-century Florence designer and artist, who is often credited as an inventor of Italian ice cream, gelato .

One of the better gelaterias (recommended to us by locals) in the area where you’ll be passing by is ‘Perché no!’. We indicated it on our map below.

Fontana del Porcellino & Leather Market

EARLY AFTERNOON.

As you walk towards the river, be sure to stop by Fontana del Porcellino on Piazza del Mercato Nuovo.

This is an iconic bronze sculpture/ fountain of a boar. They say that rubbing its nose will bring you luck. And if you put some money into its mouth, it will guarantee that you will return to Florence one day…

At this same location, you can also find a small market – Mercato del Porcellino . Here, you can buy all kinds of things made of leather – colorful handbags, wallets, gloves, etc. It’s somewhat similar to what you see in the streets next to Mercato Centrale.

Piazza della Signoria & Palazzo Vecchio

2.30 – 3.30 PM.

Just a short walk further, be sure to visit Piazza della Signoria , one of the most beautiful squares in Florence. Here, you can see Palazzo Vecchio and the Arnolfo Tower, the Fountain of Neptune, the incredible sculptures at Loggia dei Lanzi, and many other highlights. This square is like an open-air art gallery. Michelangelo’s David was originally supposed to stand here, and you can now see its replica.

If you plan your itinerary really well, you could pay a visit to Palazzo Vecchio and potentially also climb the Arnolfo Tower . With just one day in Florence, this is not an absolute must, but if you can, I find that a visit here is well worth it. Especially to the palace.

Keep in mind that the Palace closes in the afternoon on Thursdays, so if that’s when you visit, you may not be able to go inside unless you rearrange this itinerary.

Our experience: We climbed the tower and quickly visited the palace and it took us about 1 hour. But if you want to be sure you can visit without wasting time queueing, you have to book timed-entry tickets in advance. For this itinerary, you could potentially book a visit at +-2.30 pm.

Uffizi Gallery

4 – 6 PM.

In the late afternoon, visit the Uffizi Gallery , just next to Palazzo Vecchio. This is one of the most famous museums in Italy. Established in the 16th century, it’s also one of the oldest museums in the world. This ‘galleria’ gave name to all the art galleries in the world.

Here, you can see an incredible collection of ancient sculptures and paintings including some masterpieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Raffaello, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, and many other famous painters.

PRO TIP: Being one of the largest museums in the world, you can probably imagine that a visit here might get overwhelming. So if you want to be sure to see all the most important works of art in a limited time, we highly recommend visiting the Uffizi Gallery with a guide .

Our experience: There are so many tours that come here that the choice can get really overwhelming. After lots of research, we opted for this semi-private tour and it was absolutely excellent. Our group had 7 people and since we opted for a 4 pm tour, most tourists were leaving as we entered. This gave us a unique chance to visit the Uffizi Gallery without the biggest crowds. And our excellent guide made the visit very smooth and really interesting, pointing out all the most important works, telling stories behind them, etc.

Good to know: If you decide to go on your own, be sure to get timed entrance tickets ! Try to go somewhat later – after 3-4 pm. With a bit of luck, the (security) queues will not be too bad at this time of the day. An alternative would be to come here first thing in the morning, just as the museum opens.

Also, do some research about the main paintings in the gallery so that you don’t miss them. Some of the most important works can be found on the upper floor, so concentrate on that. On your way out, you can also see Caravaggio on the lower floor.

TIP: Uffizi Gallery has a nice café with an outdoor terrace overlooking the Palazzo Vecchio. It’s a good place to sit down for a drink and rest your legs after all the sightseeing.

Ponte Vecchio & Vasari Corridor

6 – 6.30 PM.

Ponte Vecchio is the most iconic bridge in Florence and one of the must-sees. It’s located just next to the Uffizi Gallery and connects the city center to the other side of the Arno River.

The colorful bridge is lined with gold and jewelry shops and is a bustling lively place. It’s just as interesting to see this bridge from the side – that way, you can better appreciate its unique structure.

When viewing the bridge from the eastern side, you’ll notice that there’s a covered corridor above all the shops. This is the Vasari Corridor ( Corridoio Vasariano ), one of the most intriguing places in Florence.

Built by the Medici family to give them easy and secure access between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery in the city center and the Pitti Palace on the other side of the Arno River, this passage has never been really open to the general public. Until now.

Corridoio Vasariano is said to be opening to the public soon (but this has been postponed time and again). When it reopens, visitors will be able to walk from the ground floor of the Uffizi, over Ponte Vecchio, all the way to Boboli Gardens. From what I understand, you’ll need a separate ticket for this (more info will be available here ).

With just a day in Florence, walking over this corridor might not be the best use of your time, but you can definitely see it from the outside. As a minimum, be sure to walk over and around Ponte Vecchio!

Sunset Views

End your day in Florence with some amazing views. There are quite a few options and – depending on the season – you might enjoy the city views around sunset. However, I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the exact sunset times and just focus on the activity/ place you want to visit and make sure it fits your itinerary.

One of the nice options for great views is to go for a drink at one of Florence’s best rooftop bars . La Terrazza Rooftop Bar at Hotel Continentale is just next to Ponte Vecchio and would fit this itinerary very well. Alternatively – my personal favorite – check out SE·STO on Arno Rooftop Bar at The Westin Excelsior . Whichever you choose, be prepared to pay € 25+ for a cocktail. And you really should try to reserve a table in advance!

Another popular way to end a day in Florence is to watch a sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo . It’s a 20-30 min walk (uphill) from the city center, but totally worth it. You could also take a taxi to get there.

We went to this viewpoint for sunset as part of this e-bike tour . However, it starts at 6 pm, so keep this in mind if you would want to do it too. In that case, I’d skip the Palazzo Vecchio (inside) and visit the Uffizi Gallery at around 3 pm. This would make your day a bit more relaxing.

End your day in Florence with a nice dinner. I don’t recommend having dinner at hotel restaurants or rooftop bars; instead, opt for a simple traditional trattoria . The food is usually much better and the prices – much more affordable.

A very popular choice for a traditional Florentine steak ( Bistecca alla Fiorentina ) is Trattoria Dall’Oste . They have a few restaurants in town; the one close to the Duomo (see our map) is the most popular one. You absolutely have to reserve a table in advance if you want to dine here!

My personal favorite of all the restaurants we tried in Florence is La Buchetta , close to Ponte alle Grazie (on the way back from Piazzale Michelangelo to the center). This is a small trattoria with very friendly service and the best gnocchi I ever had. They also serve Bistecca alla Fiorentina (and many other traditional local dishes from the Tuscany region).

READ ALSO: Traditional Italian Food by Region

Florence 1 Day Itinerary & Map

Based on our suggestions above, here’s an overview of the recommended Florence sightseeing itinerary for one day:

• 9 am.  Michelangelo’s David ( book timed tickets  well in advance!).
• 10 am.  Duomo complex. We recommend climbing Brunelleschi’s Dome (get timed tickets for e.g. 10.25 am) – that way, you see the interior of the Cathedral as well. Alternatively, visit the Baptistery of St. John and Santa Reparata – that way, you see the interior of the church too. We recommend this all-in ticket that includes everything at the Duomo Complex.
• Morning alternative: Take this 3-hour guided tour as we did – it includes David and the best of Duomo. If you are not interested in the Duomo climb, this highly-rated half-day tour is a better option for you (it also includes a short visit to the most popular places mentioned further below).
• Noon.  Lunch at Mercato Centralle (aka San Lorenzo Market).
• Optional – before or after lunch – Capelle Medicee. See hours/tickets .
• Gelato (you should always make time for gelato when visiting Italy!).
• 2 pm.  Fontana del Porcellino, leather market, Piazza della Signoria. You could also visit Palazzo Vecchio and/or climb the Arnolfo Tower ( book timed-entry tickets in advance ).
• 4 pm.  Uffizi Gallery. Here, you really have to get the tickets in advance ! However, we highly recommend booking a skip-the-line guided tour and visiting with a guide. We took  this small-group tour  and highly recommend it.
• 6 pm. Ponte Vecchio & Vasari Corridor.
• 6.30 pm.  Have a drink at one of the rooftop bars. Alternatively, walk (or join a 6 pm bike tour ) to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset.
• 8.30 pm.  Dinner at a traditional trattoria. See our suggestions in the itinerary above.

Florence on Monday – Alternative Day Trip Itinerary

As mentioned before, the two main museums in Florence – Accademia Gallery and Uffizi Gallery – are both closed on Mondays. So if you visit the city on a Monday and have just that one day in Florence, you’ll need a somewhat different itinerary.

Here’s what your Monday in Florence could look like:

• 9 am. Duomo Complex. Climb the dome, visit the Cathedral, the Baptistery, etc. ( book your tickets in advance ).
• 11 am. Capelle Medicee ( reserve timed-entry tickets ).
• 11.30 am. Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.
• Lunch at Mercato Centrale.
• Fontana del Porcellino, leather market.
• +- 2 pm. Piazza della Signoria and visit Palazzo Vecchio. Book the tickets for the Palace and the tower in advance!
• Ponte Vecchio.
• +- 4 pm. Visit Boboli Gardens (the adjacent Palazzo Pitti is also closed on Mondays, but the gardens are usually open on Mondays in the high season – see here for tickets and opening days). Alternatively, visit Basilica Santa Croce .
• 6 pm. E-bike tour of the city.
• 8.30 pm. Dinner.

Please note that these times are just indicated for your reference. You can easily switch things around, but be sure to double-check the opening hours. For the Duomo dome climb and potentially Capelle Medicee and Palazzo Vecchio/ Arnolfo Tower, you really should get timed tickets in advance.

READ ALSO: Best Places to See & Things to Do in Florence

Where to Stay

If Florence is one of the stops on your Italy trip itinerary and you want to see the highlights in a day, we recommend spending at least 2 nights in Florence. That way, you have one full day to enjoy the best that the city has to offer.

In that case, it’s probably easiest to stay next to the main railway station – Firenze Santa Maria Novella. This area is excellent for any stay in Florence – it’s convenient for everything including transportation, sightseeing, markets, restaurants, etc. It’s just a few minutes walk from most of the main landmarks.

Here are some recommended hotels within a short walking distance from the railway station:

• €€€€€+ Grand Hotel Minerva
• €€€ € € Santa Maria Novella – WTB
• €€ € € Hotel Croce di Malta (this is where we stayed on a recent trip)
• €€€ c-hotels Club
• €€ Hotel Nizza or Hotel Machiavelli Palace
• € Hotel Abaco

I also have to mention B&B Le Stanze del Duomo – one of the best-rated low-budget accommodations near the Duomo. It’s a bit further from the railway station, but still walkable and the location (close to the Duomo!) is excellent for sightseeing. It offers a great price-quality for Florence.

READ ALSO: Best ROOFTOP Bars & Hotels in Florence

So, this is our recommended itinerary for one day in Florence. The city has a lot more to offer than what you can possibly see in a day. But if you want to get a quick glimpse of the main landmarks and most famous places in Firenze, this itinerary should help you do just that.

Remember to book tickets for all the main attractions in advance . It’s the best way to be sure that you can visit all the places in the most efficient way without backtracking or having to waste time.

Also, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and keep in mind that all the churches have strict dress code which requires that your knees and shoulders be covered.

It’s also best not to carry any large bags/backpack s with you since they are not allowed in some places.

READ ALSO: Florence to Bologna: Travel Info & Itinerary & What to See & Do in Bologna

More travel inspiration for Italian cities:

• Best cities to see in Italy
• 1 day in Rome
• 2 days in Rome
• 4 days in Rome
• 1 day in Venice
• 3 days in Venice
• Milan in 1 day
• Naples in 1 day
• Top sights in Rome
• Hidden gems of Rome
• Top sights in Venice
• Best of Naples
• Best of Verona
• Best of Ravenna
• Best of Siena
• Best of Montepulciano

If you found this post useful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin these images!

Some of our favorite places in Italy:

• Best places to visit in Italy
• Capri Island
• Best day trips from Naples
• Best places in the Dolomites
• Lake Como travel tips
• Bellagio (Lake Como)
• Varenna (Lake Como)
• Best Things to Do in Lake Como
• Cinque Terre vs. Amalfi Coast
• Most Beautiful Coastal Towns of the Italian Riviera
• Tuscany Itinerary
• Amalfi Coast travel tips
• Montepulciano (Tuscany)
• For more inspiration, please see our Italy travel blog .

More 1-day itineraries for some of the nicest European cities:

• 1 Day in Amsterdam (Netherlands)
• 1 Day in Barcelona (Spain)
• 1 Day in Edinburgh (UK)
• 1 Day in Glasgow (UK)
• 1 Day in Lisbon (Portugal)
• 1 Day in Madrid (Spain)
• 1 Day in Manchester (UK)
• 1 Day in Rome (Italy)
• 1 Day in Salzburg (Austria)
• 1 Day in Seville (Spain)

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Tuesday 4th of June 2024

I must be dumb, I can't find the map. :)

Wednesday 5th of June 2024

Hi Noel, the map is embedded right under the itinerary overview in the section called Florence 1 Day Itinerary & Map (and right before 'Florence on Monday' section). It's a Google Maps embed. If you still don't see it, then the only thing I can think of is that you might be using some script blockers on your browser.

Saturday 8th of July 2023

Hi Jurga, We're planning a trip to Florence in August and I can't seem to find skip the line tickets to Pallazo Vecchio on the date or time that we need. They're all sold out. My question is, if we were there at opening time which is 8am, would there still be a long queue at that time?

Monday 10th of July 2023

Hi Steve, did you also check the official website of the commune? Sometimes they have more time slots available, but it's also possible that it's a bit too early to book tickets for your travel dates at this moment. If you just want to visit the museum, you may be fine going at the opening time and just getting a ticket there, but for the tower, it's best to book.

Friday 31st of March 2023

Hi Jurga, your travel posts are thorough and so detailed with really helpful information—Thank you. I used them for planning a family trip to US National Parks two summers ago- so happy to have this resource for planning our trip to Italy!

Sunday 2nd of April 2023

Thank you for your kind feedback, Betsy. Have a great trip to Italy!

Howard Blount

Saturday 4th of March 2023

Hi Jurga! My name is Howard, and I am a travel blogger myself. I am currently planning a Tuscany road trip, and I discovered your website two days ago. Already, I am completely in love with it. Your posts offer so much valuable information in a well-organized and user-friendly way. I typically don't comment on blog posts, but I made an exception in your case so that you would know how much I appreciate your content. Thanks again! Howard

Monday 6th of March 2023

Thank you very much for your kind words, Howard. Appreciate it. Have a great time in Tuscany!

Florence in 1 Day: Renaissance Tour From Rome

Explore the essence of Florence in just one day with the captivating Renaissance Tour from Rome. This immersive excursion whisks travelers on a high-speed train to uncover the city’s iconic landmarks , from the grand Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore to the charming Ponte Vecchio. With expert-led commentary and free time to wander local boutiques, this tour offers a comprehensive snapshot of Florence’s rich history and culture . Whether you’re an art enthusiast or a food lover, this adventure promises to leave you eager to discover more about this remarkable Italian destination.

• This one-day excursion from Rome provides guided exploration of Florence’s iconic Renaissance landmarks, including the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Ponte Vecchio.
• Roundtrip high-speed train transportation and a professional local guide are included, with headsets for clear commentary during the walking tour.
• Participants will have free time in the afternoon to discover local boutiques and trattorias, with an opportunity to taste Chianti wine and regional delicacies.
• The tour is not suitable for individuals with mobility impairments, as it involves significant walking in the historic center and potential long lines.
• Certain attire restrictions apply, and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen circumstances or blackout dates, with the tour operator providing comparable alternatives.

More tours and experiences nearby.

• Tuscany Day Trip From Florence: Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and Lunch at a Winery
• Cinque Terre Day Trip From Florence With Optional Hiking
• The Best Tour in Florence: Renaissance & Medici Tales – Guided by a STORYTELLER
• The Best Tour in Florence: Renaissance and Medici Tales

Tour Overview

The "Florence in 1 Day: Renaissance Tour from Rome" is a one-day excursion that offers travelers a rundown of Florence’s iconic Renaissance landmarks.

Priced from $176.14 per person, the tour provides transportation via high-speed train from Rome and a guided walking tour with a professional local guide.

Exploring the historic center, you will visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Ponte Vecchio, and have the opportunity to discover local boutiques and trattorias.

Comfortable shoes are recommended, and certain attire isn’t permitted.

The tour isn’t suitable for people with mobility impairments , and the itinerary may be subject to changes on select dates.

Travel Details

This tour includes round-trip high-speed train transportation from Rome to Florence.

Visitors will receive assistance from a professional local guide who’ll lead them on a walking tour of the city’s historic center .

Headsets are provided so guests can easily hear the guide’s commentary.

After the guided tour, travelers will have free time to explore Florence’s boutiques and trattorias at their own pace.

Additional travel details include:

• Guided walking tour with a professional local guide
• Headsets provided for the tour
• Afternoon free time for personal exploration
• Opportunity to discover local boutiques and trattorias
• Chance to enjoy local delicacies and Chianti wine

Experience Highlights

This Florence in 1 Day : Renaissance Tour from Rome offers visitors a guided exploration of the city’s iconic Renaissance landmarks.

The tour includes a stroll through Florence’s historic center , showcasing must-see sights like the magnificent Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the picturesque Ponte Vecchio .

Participants will have the opportunity to discover local boutiques and trattorias, savoring the flavors of Chianti wine and other regional delicacies.

The guided walking tour, led by a professional local guide , provides an immersive experience, with headsets ensuring clear communication throughout the day.

This comprehensive tour allows travelers to make the most of their time in the birthplace of the Renaissance.

Meeting Point and Schedule

To begin the tour, travelers will meet at the designated meeting point , which is located on Via Marsala, in front of Caffè Trombetta, at 7:30 AM.

The tour offers the following schedule and logistical information:

• The tour is conducted in English and Spanish.
• Participants have the flexibility to cancel their booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

The tour isn’t suitable for individuals with mobility impairments .

• Headsets will be provided to enhance the guided walking experience.
• Participants will have free time in the afternoon for personal exploration of Florence’s local boutiques and trattorias.

Accessibility and Mobility

The walking tour in Florence’s historic center covers several iconic Renaissance landmarks , requiring a significant amount of walking. The itinerary may change, and there could be long lines to access certain attractions, further challenging those with mobility issues.

While the meeting point and transportation are provided, participants are responsible for their own mobility throughout the tour. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, and certain attire, such as shorts and sleeveless shirts, isn’t allowed.

Individuals with concerns about their ability to participate fully should contact the tour operator before booking to ensure the tour meets their needs.

Dress Code and Restrictions

Certain attire isn’t permitted on this Florence in 1 Day tour.

To ensure a comfortable and respectful experience , participants are asked to avoid the following:

• Short skirts
• Sleeveless shirts
• Clothing that may be considered inappropriate for a guided tour of historical landmarks and religious sites.

While the tour allows for personal exploration, it’s important to dress in a manner that’s mindful of the cultural and architectural significance of the locations visited.

Adherence to the dress code guidelines will help create a harmonious and enjoyable tour for all participants.

Weather and Itinerary Changes

Participants should check weather conditions in Florence before departure, as the itinerary may change due to unforeseen circumstances.

The tour doesn’t operate on certain blackout dates , including December 25, January 1, May 1, and the first Sunday of each month.

In the event of any changes to the itinerary, the tour operator will make every effort to provide a comparable alternative experience .

Customers are advised to be flexible and prepared for potential modifications to the planned activities.

While the tour generally follows the described agenda, the exact details may vary based on local conditions and availability on the day of the tour.

Customer Feedback and Ratings

Based on the customer reviews, the tour has received an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars from 8 customers.

Positive comments highlighted the organization of the tour and the assistance provided by the guide. However, some suggestions for improvement included providing interior access to the Cathedral initially to avoid long lines later.

The customer feedback offers valuable insights to enhance the tour experience:

• Highly organized and well-executed
• Knowledgeable and helpful guide
• Opportunity to explore iconic landmarks
• Suggestions for early access to the Cathedral
• Overall, a positive and memorable experience

Here's a few more nearby tours and experiences we think you'll like.

• Florence Pizza or Pasta Class With Gelato Making at a Tuscan Farm
• Small-Group Wine Tasting Experience in the Tuscan Countryside
• Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse With Local Market Tour From Florence
• Chianti Safari: Tuscan Villas With Vineyards, Cheese, Wine & Lunch From Florence
• Florence Vespa Tour: Tuscan Hills and Italian Cuisine
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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Bring My Own Food and Drinks on the Tour?

According to the tour details, outside food and drinks are not mentioned as permitted items. It’s best to check with the tour operator for their specific policies on bringing personal refreshments.

Is Photography Allowed at All the Tour Sites?

Photography is generally allowed at most of the tour sites, but visitors should follow any specific instructions from the guide. Some sites may have restrictions on photography for preservation or security reasons.

Do the Train Tickets Include Any Other Transportation in Florence?

The train tickets do not include any other transportation in Florence. Participants are responsible for their own transportation during the free time for personal exploration in the city.

Can I Purchase Souvenirs During the Free Time in Florence?

Yes, visitors can purchase souvenirs during the free time in Florence. The tour allows ample opportunity to explore local boutiques and discover unique Italian crafts and delicacies to bring home.

Is There an Option to Extend the Tour Duration in Florence?

The tour does not offer an option to extend the duration in Florence. However, travelers can choose to spend additional time exploring the city independently during the scheduled free time in the afternoon.

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The Renaissance Tour from Rome to Florence is a comprehensive and immersive experience that allows visitors to explore the essence of the Tuscan city in just one day. With high-speed train transportation, a guided walking tour , and free time for independent exploration , this tour offers art and foodies a perfect adventure, providing a rundown of Florence’s rich history and culture.