Hi, I'm looking for a wee bit of help please!

I am heading to Florence with my bf in May for 3 nights (surprise bday trip for him, hes never been to Italy before)On our last day I would like us to hire a car and spend the day exploring Tuscany - had a good look on this site and there are sooo many recomendations for visiting Tuscan towns but for longer trips... any suggestions on what towns we should include in a day trip?

The plan is to pick the car up at 10.30 in Florence, spend the rest of the day and early evening exloring Tuscany, head back to our hotel in Florence then in the morning head to la spezia to drop the car off for 10.30 (will have to get up and out early lol)as we will be spending the next 3 nights in the cinque terre.

I would like to see Lucca but thinking we could maybe stop there for breakfast the following morning. I will definitely include Siena and Volterra but would really appreciate any suggestions on other towns that are a must when in the region.

Thank u so much! x x

You can make a loop:

Florence - Lucca - Pisa - Volterra - San Gimignano - Siena - Florence (or other way round).

It is doable if you do not spend much time at these places. IMO, you can get an impression if you just see the places (e.g. the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, the square in Siena, the village of San Gimignano).

Thanks!

We're staying in Pisa on our last night before flying home and hoping to have a wee wander round Lucca the next day before dropping car off in La Spezia so that would give us more time elsewhere... thanks just wanted suggestions that werent overly ambitious for one day! x x

Hi Carol,

for the sake of one day [and the hassle of trying to park in florence overnight] I'm not sure that renting a car for 24 hours or so is worth it.

you could do a very nice day trip to siena on the bus [train also available but the station is a bit outside town so the bus is easier] or up to Fiesole.

then stop off at Lucca on your way to CT.

regards, ann

ditto skipping the car rental and using public transport. Driving and parking in Florence is a royal pain. there are several trips doable on the bus or train from Florence. SIena would be nice as well as Greve in Chianti

Thanks for the advice and suggestions!

I think we are still going to go ahead with hiring a car.(we got a good deal through auto europe, the hotel has given suggestions for parking nearby and it gives us more freedom than buses or trains) The plan is to drive from Florence to San Gimignano have a wee wander there then drive down to Pienza (know this is a longish drive but I think it would be worth it for the scenery - what does everyone else think?) Then from Pienza up to Siena for a couple of hours stopoff then back to Florence via dinner at Fiesole. My bf doesnt mind driving long distances - we drive all over Scotland a lot. Interested to hear what everyone else thinks of this intinery though? Thanks! x x

Hi C,

I am as willing to drive through beautiful countryside as the next person or two, but Florence to San Gimignano ...to Pienza.... to Siena ... then back to Florence is a 6 hour drive if you prefer not to go back and forth on the same road.
See www.viamichelin.com and click "discovery route"

This gives you about 1 hr each in SG, S, and P.

If that is what you want to do, it can be done.

lol thanks Ira!

Yeah I realised yesterday that it would be a long day of driving! I was on google maps and the times it gave were
Florence - San Gimignano 1hr 16mins,
San Gimignano - Pienza 1hr 57mins, Pienza - Siena 1hr 12mins &
Siena - Fiesole 1hr 36.

Thinking we would prob stop in San Gimignano for breakfast and have a picnic for lunch and plenty of view admiring breaks but its more about seeing the countryside than spending time in all the towns.... Although I would like to dedicate a an hour or so to wandering around Siena. Thanks! x x

It depends on your goal: hurry through as many towns as possible to get an overview of where you'll want to return CON CALMA,
or visit fewer towns but savor them.
I recommend if you want to see San Gimignano to proceed to Volterra. Hope you don't get car sick easily, but otherwise the views and towns are splendid (though in summer, I can't take the crowds at San G.) Also,beautiful objects in Alabaster. the winding road calls for slow driving, I believe this would be a day trip in itself.

For Siena, you could drive down East of the autostrada, through Imprunetta (from Florence to Greve), to Panzano (unforgettable views of the countryside), Castellina, Gaiole in Chianti, look at the maps there are many charming hill towns. you would have time to stop for gelato, cafe` or lunch. After Siena, (one of the best preserved Medieval towns), you could take the autostrada home, or if you're still willing and daylight left, you could drive home west of the autostrada, Poggibonsi way, not as spectacular, but nice hill towns, if you really breezed through it all you could still do San G. .
Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Quirico etc are another trip. you'll just have to come back....

Hmm just had a thought - maybe best if we leave dinner at fiesole til the next time.... could stop at Greve instead for food. That would be much more of a leisurely pace! x x

Carol, I posted then read your reply to Ira. If it's the countryside you're looking to savor, I'd recommend my plan in paragraph 2. From Florence, it doesn't get any better than this, and it's lovely all the way to Siena.

Hi carolmeg,

as you are determined on this plan, what soliera has said is very good advice.

many fodorites have talked about how nice SAn Gim is after all the tourists have gone home. so one alternative is to make it your aim for your evening stop and have a meal there before you return to Florence.

Fiesole is entirely in the opposite direction so would fit in better to a day when you are in flroence and fancy getting out of the town. the nights will be fairly long in may and you could enjoy a drink from the terrace of the bar just where the bus stops. it goes from the square just round the corner from the accademia so you could go there one evening for an hour or so and admire David before it closes.

regards, ann

No matter what, I would see San Gimingiano---it is a walled city with fabulous pottery unlike the others. Pisa is OK but kind of boring. Lucca is beautiful. Siena is beautiful and only 1 hour from Florence.

Thank u everyone for all the advice and suggestions, I'd really like to see the Chianti region and Val D'Orcia - both look amazing and would be a shame to not see as much as possible when we're in Tuscany.

I will discuss the driving with my bf when I tell him where we are going (it will be a bday surprise then flying out 2wks later - he thinks we're going to the highlands of scoland lol just as beautiful im sure just very different) and we'll come up with some plan. x x

I've posted many times here that I think the Val d'Orcia is the prettiest countryside in Italy.

Since you're staying in Florence, I would not even try to visit any other large cities like Siena or Lucca - use the time to visit the unique small villages like San G, Pienza, Volterra, Montepulciano - but PRIMARILY the wonderful countryside.

I think you should choose either:

1. Drive around in Chianti (see the "Greeen Michelin Guide for Tuscany" for a suggested route), and San Gimignano (early morning or late afternoon only), and Volterra.

2. Drive in the Val d'Orcia (try to find my suggested driving itinerary form a past post by me), and Pienza & perhaps Montepulciano. You will not have time for the entire drive & these 2 villages - so read my suggested route & perhaps skip Montepulciano.

Stu Dudley