How to Make the Most Out of a Week in Tuscany
Issue #68
A few months ago, I published a guide to 72 hours in Florence, but what if you have more than 72 hours? That’s the question a reader recently asked me via email. “My nephew is studying in Florence next semester. I'm flying over to see him with my sister and sister-in-law,” she wrote. “Two of us have been to Rome before so we wanted to maximize our time in Florence and the surrounding towns. Any recommendations for day trips from Florence? We will be there from March 16-23.”
First of all, let me say that I applaud the decision to spend a whole week in and around Florence. There’s a lot of talk about slow travel, but I still see people who try to cram three major cities and/or regions into a week. Spending a whole week based in one city is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture and get to know the area by taking day trips. Plus you don’t have to repack your suitcase every few days!
Tuscany in particular has a wealth of things to see and do—many of which are within easy day tripping distance of Florence. I certainly have some ideas, but in order to get a local perspective, I asked my Florence-based colleague Nicky Swallow if she would share some tips too.
Nicky immediately responded, “Do you know if she has a car?” When planning day trips, one of the most important factors is whether you want to rely solely on public transportation or feel comfortable renting a car and driving. When I posed that question to the reader who wrote to me, she replied, “We thought it would be easier to rely on the train, but we are open to renting a car and to your suggestions!” Read on for tips from me and Nicky about where to go by train or car.
If you’re relying on public transportation
“Siena, Arezzo, Pisa and Lucca are all within an hour of Florence and can be done on public transport (train or bus) and are all well worth a visit,” Nicky says, adding, “Pisa and Lucca can potentially be done on the same day.”
Having been to Siena, Pisa, and Lucca, I would suggest spending a whole day in Siena, even if you decide to combine the other two. Siena might be the most picturesque Tuscan city aside from Florence. You’ll want to spend some time admiring the fan-shaped Piazza del Campo, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful Medieval squares in all of Europe. The Duomo is considered one of Italy’s greatest Gothic cathedrals. Go inside it to marvel at the Renaissance frescoes painted by Pinturicchio in the Biblioteca Piccolomini.
Lucca is also well worth visiting. This fortress town was inhabited by the Etruscans before the Romans colonized it, but much of what you see today dates back to the Middle Ages. The oval Piazza del Anfiteatro stands on top of a Roman amphitheater, hence its shape. The compact city center is small enough that you can walk across it in about 20 minutes, but it’s worth spending a few hours wandering the narrow lanes lined with lovely boutiques, restaurants, and bars.
One of the city’s curiosities is the Torre Guinigi, a Medieval tower with a grove of trees growing on top. When in Lucca, be sure to try torta d’erbi or torta coi becchi, a rustic pie that marries sweet and savory with swiss chard, pine nuts, raisins, cinnamon, and candied fruit.
If you’re ready to rent a car
While trains in Tuscany are generally convenient, there are some places they don’t reach. If you’re willing to rent a car, you can drive deep into the countryside, tour some of the region’s best wineries, and visit small towns that don’t have a train station.
About an hour from Florence by car (but lacking a train station), San Gimignano is one of Italy’s best preserved medieval towns. It’s famous for the medieval towers dotting the skyline, which were built by powerful families trying to one up each other. The town is popular among tourists, so depending on the time of year you visit, you might have to contend with crowds, but I think it’s worth seeing. If you go, be sure to try the local white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Half an hour from San Gimignano is Volterra, another medieval hill town. Like Lucca, Volterra has Etruscan roots and you can still see the remains of the Etruscan city walls and learn more about this pre-Roman civilization at the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum. You can also see the remains of a Roman theater. Volterra is known for alabaster and wandering around the town, you’ll stumble upon plenty of shops selling items made with the luminous stone.
Of course, one of the best things to do in Tuscany is wine tasting. For that, Nicky advises: “Ideally, hire a car and drive down into deepest Chianti.” She recommends Castello di Ama, which she calls a “magical place.” The estate is noted for its contemporary art collection as well as its wines. It also has a great restaurant and a handful of rooms in an 18th-century manor house.
Another winery Nicky recommends (which has long been on my wish list) is Antinori nel Chianti Classico. As winemakers for 26 generations, the Antinori family is one of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious winemaking families. They have a number of estates, but this one has a futuristic winery that’s a feat of contemporary architecture. It also has an excellent restaurant.
If you have more time and are willing to go farther
You could see part of the scenic Val d’Orcia on a day trip from Florence, but there’s a lot to see and do in the picturesque countryside and hill towns in this UNESCO-protected area. With rolling hills, country roads lined with cypress trees, sunflower fields in the summer, vineyards, and olive groves, this is Tuscany at its most scenic. From Florence, you can reach Pienza—one of the five towns in the Val d’Orcia—in about 90 minutes by car, but I recommend spending at least a night in the area so you can also visit Montalcino and some wineries.
Tuscany also has a beautiful coast. I have to admit, I don’t know the Tuscan coast very well, but I can recommend Capalbio in the Maremma. It’s one of the borghi più belli d’Italia (most beautiful villages in Italy) and is also home to Niki de Saint Phalle’s monumental Tarot Garden as well as some nice beaches.
Further Reading
For a primer on what to do in Florence, be sure to read my 72 hours guide to the city.
Once you’ve seen Florence’s major sights, head across the river to Oltrarno. I shared some tips for exploring the neighborhood from local calligrapher/designer/hotelier Betty Soldi in this TripAdvisor piece.
Nicky Swallow has lived in Florence for 20 years. Check out my interview with her and browse her extensive Tuscany coverage for the Telegraph here and for Condé Nast Traveler here.
For Noted by Quintessentially, I wrote about five charming towns to visit in Tuscany.
In my list of 24 places in Italy to inspire your 2024 travels, I recommend visiting the Val d’Orcia.
You can read more about Pienza—one of the five towns in the scenic Val d’Orcia—in my postcard from Pienza, Tuscany’s ideal Renaissance city.
I also dedicated a feature to the Tarot Garden, a pilgrimage site for art lovers in the Maremma.
If you decide to rent a car, be sure to read the issue about some things you should know about driving in Italy.
I love all the advice here! Volterra is always the town I suggest people to visit along with Siena!
Awesome. Tuscany is huge on my bucket list. I just need to find those iconic rolling hills and then bask in it! Thanks for the read.