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12 Wonderful Day Trips From Florence
Step Back In Time In Siena
Stepping foot in Siena is like taking a step back in time.
A powerhouse to rival the great cities of Europe before the Black Plague’s kiss of death in the 14th century, Siena is home to a wealth of medieval history, art, and culture; for many, it’s the embodiment of a medieval city.
Composed of copper-red brick, soft-pink marble, Gothic-grey cobbles and icons draped in gold, it winds its way up on a pilgrimage to the gorgeous crescendo of its Humbug-striped Duomo – a Cathedral to rival any in Italy for beauty and intricate craft.
That this glorious Sienese skyline has changed so little in the last 600 years or so is remarkable but, come summertime, it serves merely as the backdrop for the song and dance of a thousand small birds.
A popular day trip from it longtime rival – nearby Florence – Tuscany’s compact ‘second city’ is certainly more than deserving of a few slow nights on its own merits, but the highlights can be discovered in a full-day’s sightseeing.
Here are some of the things you shouldn’t miss:
Piazza del Campo | This piazza is the centre of Siena life with restaurants, shops, and bars lining the shell-shaped square. On any given day you’ll find tourists trying to capture the city’s beauty, and locals going about their business or enjoying some downtime. In the middle of the square sits the Fonte Gaia, designed by Jacopo della Quercia.
Torre del Mangia | Forming part of the piazza, this tower offers the chance to view Siena from a different vantage point – if you’re prepared to walk the 400 steps to reach it! Your ticket will allow 30 minutes of viewing time, and we recommend getting your ticket as soon as you arrive to ensure you can secure a slot at a good time.
Duomo di Siena | Whilst Forence’s Duomo is undeniably beautiful, Siena’s provide some stiff competition, with a marble facade designed by Giovanni Pisano, frescoes by Pinturicchio and sculptures from Michelangelo, Donatello and Bernini. Unmissable!
Santa Maria della Scala | The oldest hospital in Europe now operates as a museum bringing together frescoes, relics and art collections from Tuscany’s past.
Read our guide to Siena for lots more inspiration + information.
Do It Independently
Siena is 51 km south of Florence and very easy to reach with public transport.
There are hourly direct trains* to Siena from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station (maps). The journey time is around 1.5 hours, and a single ticket costs €10.20. Please be aware that Siena train station is located in the new part of the city (here on Google Maps), around a 20 minute walk into the historic centre.
Alternatively, you could hop on Bus 131R which departs from Florence’s bus station. Taking 80 minutes, it is a little quicker than the train, but just be sure to catch the rapida bus and not the ordinaria, which takes a bit longer. You can check the bus timetable here.
As the entire of Siena’s centro storico is designated a ZTL (zona a traffico limitato), visiting by car – whilst possible, and offering up a very scenic drive – is not advisable. If visiting on a road trip or requiring a car for other reasons, you’ll need to park outside the old city walls and walk in.
You can find full details on how to reach Siena from Florence in this guide – ‘How to Travel From Florence to Siena | The Four Routes’.
Important // There are huge works taking place on this train line during summer 2025 and until the end of August there are no direct trains. Instead you will need to change at Empoli and Granaiolo, or pay for a more expensive ticket with one change. To check current timetables and book your tickets in advance visit the official Trenitalia website.
Take A Tour
Whilst getting to Siena with public transport is relatively straightforward, if you’d prefer to visit with a tour – especially if you’d like to cover a lot of ground, get deeper into the city’s layers of history and visit more than one popular place within the nearby Tuscan countryside – then there are a number of excellent options available from Florence:
Siena & San Gimignano | Get a taste of the Tuscan countryside on this full-day tour from Florence which includes a guided walking tour of Siena, a chance to explore the medieval hill town of San Gimignano and lunch at a family-owned winery, paired with local wines.
Siena, San Gimignano, & Monteriggioni Day Tour | This incredibly popular full-day tour (it has thousands of excellent reviews), covers a similar itinerary as above but instead of the lunch, there’s a wine tasting. It’s also longer allowing extra time to explore Siena and San Gimignano.
Tuscany Day Trip | Our final highly-rated tour recommendation includes a guided tour of Siena, free time in San Gimignano, a chance to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa, lunch and a wine tasting in the Chianti Hills. This tour is also available on Viator.
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to make your own way to Siena and then join a guided tour of the highlights to maximise your time, we can recommend this one – it includes a two-hour walking tour and skip-the-line Duomo tickets.
