However, if you are treating yourself with a longer stay in Tuscany, you can go beyond the capital and take a charming day trip from Florence to Siena. How To Travel From Florence To Siena | The Four Routes, How To Get From San Jose To Monteverde | Routes, The Very Best Things To Do in Monteverde, Costa Rica | A Traveller's Guide, 12 Essential Tips for Train Travel in Italy, explainer post to the OPA SI Pass in Siena, Siena, San Gimignano, & Monteriggioni Day Tour, 9 Essential Car Rental Tips for Travellers, Where to Stay in Verona | The Best Hotels, Apartments and Areas, 13 Wonderful Things to Do in Polignano a Mare, Italy | More Than a Famous Beach, 13 Wonderful Things To Do in Siena, Italy | The Medieval Masterpiece, A Short Guide to Visiting Grotta della Poesia | Puglia's Famous Swimming Hole, Where to Stay in Florence | Best Areas, Hotels & Airbnbs, A Quick Guide TO The OPA SI Pass In Siena. Travel Notes & Beyond. By car, the journey takes just over an hour. Day 3 - Choose your Own Adventure. Add a few of these to your itinerary to get that extra kick from your Italy backpacking trip! Youll also have a structure to your day, not worry about getting lost, and know youre making the most of your time. (On Any Budget), 75 Fantastic & Fun Things to Do in Florence, Sienas Gothic cathedral is one of our favorites in Tuscany, and is often considered one of the, If you buy your train tickets at the station rather than on your phone via. Bologna. This picturesque city is perfectly walkable with its Gothic streets, palaces, and sacred spaces meticulously preserved and the majority of its streets closed to cars. Updated: April 26, 2022. Any day in Siena is best begun in the Piazza del Campo, which is the heart and soul of Siena (not to mention one of its most distinct landmarks). ). While exploring the UNESCO World Heritage city, you can see some of their masterpieces, such as the Martini's frescoes inside the Palazzo Pubblico and Lorenzetti's work at the Civic Museum within the town hall. most fascinating and beautiful towns in Europe, 3 Days in Florence the Perfect Itinerary for Your First Visit, How to Spend 10 Days in Italy 4 Suggested Itineraries, 2 Days in Florence: The Best Itinerary for Spending 48 Hours in Florence, 2 Weeks in Europe 10 Excellent Trip Itineraries, How to Dress Like a European The Ultimate Packing List for Europe, One Day in L.A. How to See the Best of Los Angeles in a Day, How to See Los Angeles in 3 Days the Perfect Itinerary. Explore the city's historic center and many churches, medieval palaces, and beautiful bridges set over the Arno River. Ive done road trips in other countries before but agree, Italy is not really road trip material plus their trains are very affordable and the journeys are through epic landscapes. It must be its parking space! 11 fantastic day trips from Florence you will love May 1, 2021 Our selection of the best day trips from Florence by car, train and guided tour. The main things to see on your day trip from Florence to Siena are on two squares, Piazza del Duomo and Piazza del Campo. The train from Florence to Siena costs about 10 euro one way (they dont tend to do return tickets in Italy) and leaves around once an hour, with the journey taking an hour and 30 mins. No discussion of a Tuscan city can pass without a small discussion of the food, right? When you get to the Piazza del Campo, youll see why its so well known and well loved. It leaves every 10 minutes from the airport and the trip takes 8 minutes. Note:Out of the escalator, on the left side, is a lovely cafe with a beautiful view of the countryside right outside Siena where you can enjoy some orange juice or a full breakfast before visiting the city. We were based in Siena and spent 2 days exploring the old town. If youve really enjoyed our guides, you can buy us a virtual coffee here. Its a good idea to plan to leave Florence early in the morning, so youll have sufficient time to enjoy Siena. Oasi Verde is a little deli caf and you can sit in or take some food away to eat outside if the weathers good. When you arrive in Siena train station, you are confronted with two options to reach its medieval heart: on foot or by bus? 10 hrs Start Time: 8:30 AM Highlights World-famous for its hillside towns, sweeping views, cuisine, and wine, there are endless reasons to visit Tuscany. Start your tour right from the historical Via Camollia, a central road lined with shops and boutiques selling clothes and shoes, cafes and restaurants. Each Contrada flies their own distinct flag! You can also catch a nearby local bus and get off at either Piazza del Sale or Piazza Gramsci. Florence. After almost ten years of expat and semi-nomadic life around Brazil, Europe, China, and Iran among others, I came back to my homeland, Italy, to settle in Rome. When strolling through Siena, youll likely spot small signs of what Contrade you are in, especially on flags. Its full of frescoes, underground tunnels, relics and art be warned, get a map of it when you enter or you may get lost and miss your train! Siena is a perfect travel destination all year, but if you are into festivals, traditions, and anthropology, dont miss the two horse racesPalio Della Madonna di Provenzano on July 2nd and Palio dellAssunta on August 16th. The best day trips I made from Florence was to Siena, I really loved it. Just 75 kilometers about an hour separate the two cities, though the drive is so scenic and there are so many amazing towns along the way, chances are you'll stop a lot to take photos, have lunch, or just walk around. Flixbus also offers a bus route between the two cities, but it picks up and drops off in far less convenient places (Villa Costanza in Florence, and by the train station in Siena). The direct train from Florence to Siena only takes 15 minutes more than the bus, and passengers will experience a more comfortable ride, with more space and legroom. Tuscany Day Trip from Florence: Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and Lunch at a Winery. Beautiful, eye-catching, and incredibly intricate, the Fonte Gaia has been delivering water to the Piazza del Campo since the 15th century (though the original is now held in the Loggia of the Palazzo Pubblicothe current fountain was built in the 19th century). Tip // For some of you, the OPA SI pass will be an essential buy if you plan to visit several popular attractions in the city. To help you with that, we've put together a list of the best ways to travel from Florence to Siena, regardless of your budget or your interests. Outstanding example of Gothic secular architecture, Palazzo Pubblico was originally built in the 13th century and hosted the offices in charge of Siena customs and taxes. The first floor of the museum houses some precious altarpieces from the 14th-18th centuries. For example, this full day tour includes Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano, which puts together three beautiful places into one memorable day trip. The two companies we use are AutoEurope and RentalCars - both of which we have had excellent experiences with. If like me, you dont eat meat or cheese, dont worry. On the other hand, you probably wont be able to partake in any wine tourism in the Chianti region, and you might lose a little time handling travel arrangements and navigation. If you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Florence deserves more than just a day trip from Siena, and going to Pisa/Lucca from Siena is a longer trek. When I went, there was no queue to get in. Now, it also hosts temporary modern art exhibitions. Varenna and Bellagio - Day Trips from Milan. The biggest benefit to taking an organized Siena day trip (other than having transportation handled for you) is that your tour will likely also stop by the world-famous Chianti wine region as well! The latter houses a famous fresco called Allegory of Good and Bad Government, dating to the 14th century when it was commissioned by the secular government rather than the church very unusual for its time and for Italy. One option would be to explore some of Florence's delicious food through a food tour with Taste Florence food tours. Chianti is located approximately mid-way between Florence and Siena and encompasses a number of small towns including Greve, Panzano, Castellina, Radda and Gaiole. There are no major artworks here; the space is mostly used for temporary exhibits and events. 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. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Door-to-door in 1 h 10 min. Its home to a lot of dishes involving boar, sausages, hare, and of course the local pecorino cheese. There used to be over 50 contrade but there are only 17 in the modern day. The journey time is around 1.5 hours, and a single ticket costs around 9.80. The city might not be huge, but from the first moments wandering around its cobbled alleys and historical buildings, its immediately clear that its moniker of the cradle of the Renaissance wasnt given by accident. This means that for any purchase you make through one of my links, I receive a small percentage which however does not affect the final price for the customer. Autolinee Toscane - Linee Regionali operates a bus from Firenze Autostazione to San Domenico hourly, and the journey takes 1h 15m. The Gate of Heaven, above the Duomo, offers a panoramic view of inside and outside the cathedral. In Italy, taking the train everywhere is usually a better, faster, more comfortable option - but this isn't necessarily the case when traveling from Florence to Sienna. Going up to the Tower of Mangia was tiring but really worth it, we loved the view. Basilica of Santo Domingohouses the head and thumb of Italys patron saint, Catherine of Siena. One of the oldest hospitals in Europe is now a maze of frescoes, chapels, stone hallways and art displays, and it is a delightful combination. From the train station, you'll have a twenty-minute walk to the center of town. The San Gimignano, Siena, Chianti Guided Tour (from Florence) is excellent and a quick, easy, and affordable way to see some of the Tuscan highlights near Florence. The bus station also offers luggage storage. I dont drive at home and have never driven on holiday; I cant think of anything worse than the stress of being in a car when Im trying to enjoy myself. Siena is located just 85 kilometers away from Florence and makes for a perfect day trip. The train station in Siena (Stazione Ferroviaria di Siena) is located right in front of a big shopping center. BUS: Buses leave from Piazza Gramsci in the center of Siena. 2023 Chasing The Unexpected. The journey time is around 1.5 hours, and a single ticket costs 9.80. Among the other important works by 15th-century artists are the statues of an enthroned Madonna and Child with the Cardinal Casini portraying the Madonna and Child with four cherubs by Jacopo Della Quercia, and Donatellos tondo of the Madonna with Child. You can buy your tickets at the station or online on TrenItalia or Omio - just remember to validate your ticketbeforeyou board trains in Italy. BEST DAY TRIPS FROM FLORENCE 01 - SIENA 02 - SAN GIMIGNANO 03 - CHIANTI HILLS 04 - VAL D'ORCIA 05 - LUCCA 06 - PISA 07 - CINQUE TERRE 08 - BOLOGNA 09 - VENICE 10 - ROME 11 - MILAN 1 - SIENA Siena is one of our favourite cities in Italy and a great day trip from Florence. 10:00-16:00 in winter (ticket window closes at 15:15) By train, Siena is located 1 hour 30 minutes from Florence, but be aware that the train station is almost 1.5 miles outside the city center and requires either a half-hour walk or a short local bus ride). In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. On a day trip from Florence to Assisi, you can take in the major sights, but start early to maximize your . Fair warning, thoughthere are a few hills youll need to be prepared for! We might have beenexpecting to see some of the old beds and equipment used in this hospital and there werent any, but the sculptures and decorations are worth your visit. Stroll through Piazza del Campo The best place to start your day trip to Siena is from the heart of the city, in the beautiful Piazza del Campo. Head to the Piazza del Campo next, a gorgeous red brick and travertine square with a fan shape and scalloped edges, considered one of the greatest city squares in Europe. But I especially dont recommend driving from Florence to Siena. For Whom the Bells Toll Why Do Church Bells Ring at Noon in Europe? Ah, beautiful Siena: delightfully Tuscan and yet still distinct from the cities around it, Siena is a gem of a cityand if youre headed to Tuscany, a Siena day trip is not to be missed. The journey from Florence by train is around 1 hours. Find out more here. Alternatively, Trenitalia operates a train from Firenze S.M.N. For the fastest route, you want the Raccordo Autostradale, which takes just over an hour, but offers fewer stops along the way (though the charming medieval hill town of San Gimignano is along this route). 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