We can easily count on the fingers of one hand the locations in the world that will remind you both beauty and romance, one of which is Florence, located in the Italian region, Tuscany. It’s believed that almost 400,000 residents are living in the city. Florence is burrowed brilliantly upon the River Amo. The city is filled with remarkable history, wonderful architecture, and artistic magnificence, which means day trips from Florence, is one of the best in the world.
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Four Easy Destinations for Day Trips from Florence
When traveling to Florence, you that’s you’re in for a treat. Florence is a wonderful city with many things to offer. However, if you have plenty of time and looking to escape the busy life in the city to more peaceful destinations, then you have to consider these popular day trips from Florence:
San Gimignano
From the city of Florence, you are able to take a rental car then drive through the striking wine country straight to San Gimignano, which will give you are a real example of Renaissance beauty. San Gimignano is a town is known for its medieval towers that are surely going to impress you right away as you reach the town. While a lot of visitors stay at San Gimignano for just a quick look, there’s a lot of things to do that can keep you busy while here.
There’s a delightful old part of town that you can explore by foot. You are able to check out some of the shops, restaurants, piazzas, and alleyways. Make sure to try some of the local wine known as Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Make sure to visit Duomo di San Gimignano and to the neighboring Palazzo Comunale to see the arts of Pinacoteca of Medieval inside and a climb up to the top to reach the town’s tallest tower, Torre Grossa and enjoy the best sight of San Gimignano!
You must also not miss tasting the gelato in Piazza della Cisterna, a delightful lunch or dinner at the any of the restaurants that specialized in Tuscan cuisine and do more climbing at Montestaffoli fortress and for more wine to wrap up your visit, check out Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Siena
Another quick day trip from Florence is Siena, which is a town famous for its medieval horse race called Palio that takes place two times a year. The event takes place in Piazza del Campo, which is a well-known square that’s a perfect place to just relax at any café and watch how locals live. There’s also a remarkable cathedral known as Duomo and a baptistery called Battistero that you don’t want to miss. If you’re into archaeological stuff, then you have to check out the Speddale di Santa Maria della Scala. It is an old hospital which has a museum underground.
You will fall in love visiting this place when you discover different streets and divisions of the ancient center, and there are also many foods to try while you’re here.
Another main attraction here you wouldn’t want to miss is Palazzo Pubblico, which is the red brick city hall where you can overlook the Campo. After that, you can also check out Civic Museum, which holds a lot of treasures, which includes some of the most fascinating, interesting murals. If you want to see the entire Siena from above, you can consider climbing up the Torre del Mangia.
Arezzo and Cortona
Famous place as a hometown of some well-known artists, Arezzo is one of the best places to go if you are looking for day trips from Tuscan. Two of the famous artists that represent this town are Piero della Francesca and Giorgio Vasari. Vasari has a lot of paintings found in the Basilica di San Francesco. There’s also a stunning Romanesque church of Pieve di Santa Maria situated in the Piazza Grande.
There are a lot to do and discover in Arezzo even though it generally isn’t counted in the most Tuscany itineraries. If it’s your first time to visit Tuscany, you’re a lot likely to miss this, but you have plenty of time, this place should be a great place to go. Check out Arezzo as well as the surrounding countryside for at least a day. This is a great place to find less number of tourists and a lot more locals.
If you still have time, then you may want to continue driving to Cortona.
This town is pictured in the famed film called "Under the Tuscan Sun." It was originated dating back to the 5th century BC. As you drive here, you can see the vineyards and olive trees along the countryside from Tuscan.
Although small, this place surely offers a lot of interesting attractions. One of these is the Diocesan Museum. This is an amazing place to can admire a stunning panel canvas of Beato Angelico called the Annunciation. Another place to see is The Etruscan Academy Museum of the City of Cortona or MAEC where you can see a lot of artifacts found in the area’s Eruscan archeological sites. You are also able to request further information from the museum regarding the Archeological Park.
A place that you should not miss when you visit is the Santa Margherita Sanctuary, the city’s patron saint you can find at Girifalco Fortress. This is the highest point on the hill which you can easy to reach by taking a short walk. By following the trail that goes along with the city walls, you are also able to enjoy an attractive view of the nearby countryside.
Fiesole
This is an accessible place to go from Florence since all you need to do is ride the number 7 bus situated at the Santa Maria Novella station. The town is located approximately 5 miles from the hills outside of Florence. You are able to get a pretty view of the Florentine horizon with Brunelleschi's Duomo impressively located in the forefront. The town has an old cathedral, lovely gardens, beautiful villas, snaking narrow streets, and fascinating vistas.
The majestic splendor of Fiesole, less than 10 kilometers outside of Florence, embraces rich history and it’s amazingly well-preserved. Generally unknown by many, this little town is filled with many surprises: the huge stones that form the Etruscan walls, the Roman baths’ remains, the luscious hilltop where Leonardo da Vinci did experiment about the concept of flight, and last but definitely not the least, the Roman stadium that now serves as a stage for the summer events of Estate Fiesolana. On top of this, this city is home to other historical sites like parks and churches where you are able to spend some time if you are looking for day trips from Florence to escape its busy life.
These day trips from Florence are suggested if you have plenty of time in the region and you have already explored what Florence has to offer. Florence accepts millions of visitors with open arms every year and it’s not astonishing that the Historic Center of Florence was named as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. The rich artistic tradition, wonderful buildings, and options for numerous activities found in this Italian city make it one of the best places to see in Europe.
Hopefully, our suggestions for day trips from Florence helped you decide where to spend your spare days when exploring this part of Italy. Do you have any suggestions for towns
or cities we should add on this list? If so, let us know in the comment below!