Siena and San Gimignano
 

Is it possible to do a day trip from Florence to Siena and San Gimignano in the same day? I have read that both towns are fairly small so I am wondering if my husband and I could explore Siena in the morning and San Gimignano in the late afternoon/early evening and then head back to our hotel in Florence for the night.

Hi Mary. I don't know about bus connections between all of these places, but you could definitely do it by car, if that's all the time you had (or wanted to spend) for both of these places.

Yes, Mary. I took a tour through CAF Tours (www.caftours.com) that did just that but we did SG first then Siena. I recommend the tour if you don't have a car. Easier than trying to make the right changes on busses.

I would do SG in a.m. and Siena in afternoon/evening b/c, IMO, there is more to explore in Siena.

I haven't done it but you can plan a do-it-yourself daytrip to both.<BR><BR>You can take a very early-morning bus from Florence to Siena<BR>(bus connections between F and S are more convenient than the train). There is frequent bus service between Siena and San G--you could travel there let's say after lunch, or into the afternoon.<BR><BR>When you finish at San G, you can take a taxi to Poggibonsi which is where I believe you can get a train back to Florence. You'd have to check the schedule for when the last train is.<BR><BR><BR>www.annells.demon.co.uk/main/busita.htm links to websites on Italian bus services<BR>www.tiac.net/users/pendini/bus.html <BR>bus service, Florence to Siena<BR><BR>trains www.fs-on-line.com <BR><BR><BR>

Thank you for all your helpful advice. I had read that it was better to go to SG later in the day after the afternoon crowds had left. Sounds like I will just follow the advice of this board instead.

Siena, what’s there to do? Piazza del campo, one of the most beautiful and famous piazza in Italy, the seashell shaped piazza where the Palio is run. On the lower end of the campo is the town hall and tower. The Palazzo Pubblico contains many works of Sienese art; one of the more famous frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti shows the effects of good and bad government. The Torre di Mangia provides a breath-taking view of the city (don’t try this if you have a weak heart or are claustrophobic). The Duomo (design most influenced by Giovanni Pisano) was built to impress and it does. Inside are an astonishing number of busts, statues, frescoes, and painting. The octagonal marble pulpit by Nicola Pisano is amazing, as are the works by Donatello, Bernini, and Michelangelo. The Libreria Piccolomini contains many illuminated books and brilliant frescoes. The floor is covered by art but unfortunately this is covered by cardboard except during floorshows (bring on the nuns – sorry). Outside the Duomo you can see the Archbishop’s palace, Spedale di Santa Marie delle Scale (1000 year old hospital contains frescoes that are huge), Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. There are palaces (palace of the Piccolomini, Logge del Papa, Loggia della Mercanzia, Palazzo Chigi-Saracini); churches (San Domenico-with the head of Saint Catherine, Basillica di San Francesco, Sant’Agostino) and enotece (the Enoteca Italia in the fortezza has more wines to try then you have time).<BR>The market (by the fortezza) is on Wednesday mornings (about three hundred vendors providing basic goods to locals. Ceramics are sold all over but especially on the street between the Campo and Duomo.<BR><BR>But with all there is to do don’t miss just strolling through a real town that looks like it hasn’t changed in hundreds of years.<BR>P.S the bus from Florence to Siena is faster and more convient than the train.<BR>

I am a fan of both cities. My vote would be to go to Siena in the AM and leave for San Gim after lunch. Try to get to San Gim by about 4pm.<BR><BR>We have been to San Gim both during the day and at night. We much prefer San Gim at night. We usually go to San Gim after spending the day elsewhere. We try to get to San Gim at about 4pm. San Gim has huge number of outdoor attractions and public art. The best part is watching the sunset from the Fortezza Medici at the top of the city. We do love to climb up Torre Grosso so we always do that as well. And we always look for our favorite street musician, Andrea di Piazza who plays in the square to the side of the Collegiata. There are some wonderful restaurants in San Gim such as Il Pino. Lastly, the quality of the gelato seems much higher overall in San Gim than in Siena.<BR><BR>Siena is to us more of a museum city. Yes there is the Campo and sitting at one of the caffes having a hugely expensive Campari watching the evening Passegiata is wonderful, most of what I love to do in Siena is easily accomplished during the morening and early afternoon. I would go to the Duomo and the Palazzo Publico. Across from the facade of the Duomo is another museum that often has wonderful public exhibits. Plus Siena does not have the greatest reputation for food (though Cane e Gato gets high praise).<BR><BR>Siena is a large city with a fairly large centro storico. Parking can be a problem in Siena if you arrive late in the afternoon. The main attractions of Siena, the Campo and the Duomo are fairly close. I do not find Siena have a lot of charm as I find it fairly crowded and dirty. But I love it nonetheless.

Took a day trip from Florence to San G and Siena last week. The tour company was CAF Tours. The first stop was San G in the morning for an hour free time to wander (which was enough time)and a guided tour of Siena in the afternoon.<BR><BR>Their office was between the train station and Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Ask your hotel. We booked our tickers the day before the tour. The hotel made the arrangements for us.

Seeing both in one day is absolultely do-able. Although not a big fan of organized tours, we took a bus trip (arranged through the American Express travel office in Florence the day before.) The tour took us to San G in the a.m., followed by (a surprisingly decent) lunch in Sienna, with full afternoon there. Although a guided museum tour in Sienna was also included, some opted out in order to shop instead (sorry we didn't do the same.) If you're not renting a car, this is a good and fairly economincal way to tie in both cities for a full and pleasant day trip from Florence.

Mary,<BR>I spent three nights in Florence in end May, and I made day trips to Siena and San Gimignano.<BR><BR>For these two locations, take the SITA bus. The SITA bus station is located near the train station, but not within direct sight. Ask any local to show you the direction.<BR><BR>There are many departures to Siena each day, but a lesser number to San Gimignano. My suggestion would be to do San Gimignano first because the bus company runs many return trips from Siena back to Florence during 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm.<BR><BR>To get to San Gimignano, take the SITA bus to the town Ponggibonsi, where you change to another bus to San Gimignano. Total traveling time is slightly more than one hour.<BR><BR>After you have visited San Gimignano, wait at the bus stop for either the direct bus to Siena, or the indirect bus to Ponggibonsi (whichever comes first). If you take the bus to Ponggibonsi, then you change for the bus going to Siena. The reason for doing this is because Ponggibonsi has more connections than at San Gimignano.<BR><BR>As you enter the old town of San Gimignano, the first cafe on your left sells the return bus tickets.<BR><BR>Get to the SITA bus station and get an English copy of the time-table for Siena and San Gimignano. You will easily figure out what I am trying to explain to you.<BR><BR>If you are standing outside the MacDonald restaurant near the train station, the SITA bus station is on the opposite side across Piazza Santa Maria Novella, but it is not within direct sight.