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Come to Florence…then get out of town!

Side trips to take during your Tuscan vacation.

Coming to Florence with your significant other?

Good: there’s arguably no city more romantic in the world. But after all the art, shopping and hustle and bustle, you might crave a few days in the countryside or in a calmer Tuscan town—and there’s no shortage of those.
From cypress-lined roads and zen-inducing landscapes to UNESCO monuments and world-class art, plenty of towns and regions within easy reach of the Renaissance city are brimming with treasures all their own. 

You’ve probably heard of the postcard-perfect Cinque Terre villages (a quick note that may not have registered: cinque means “five”, so these stunning cliffs and technicolor houses you’ve seen Rick Steves rave about actually form five small, but indeed separate, towns—Manarola, Monterosso, Vernazza and Riomaggiore).
If it’s on your must list, consider to join an outing that includes a boat journey (weather permitting), café-hopping and a tasty local lunch served with seaside views.

If you’re a bit more artistically inclined, consider exploring outside the confines of Florence’s most famous museums and instead stepping into the territory of the ultimate Renaissance man, Leonardo Da Vinci.
Vinci is a short ride from the Tuscan capital and you’ll get a firsthand look at the multitalented master’s home, as well as some of his most fascinating inventions. 


Pair it all with a jaunt to Pisa, land of the Leaning Tower (and so much more), and you’ve got the recipe for a perfect day out. 

Should breathtaking scenery be your main priority, set your sights on the Siena province.
The Val d’Orcia, a section of this area, is a vibrant and verdant landscape, instantly recognizable and arguably responsible for making the image of Tuscany famous in the world.

Dive straight in to it with Tuscany Highlights’ Val d’Orcia Journey, perfect for wine lovers as it takes you through Montepulciano, home of the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and history buffs, as you’ll be in Pienza, the “ideal Renaissance town” and the old stomping grounds of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who went on to become Pope Pius II.

Scoot over to San Gimignano and Siena, World Heritage Towns as named by UNESCO and get a glimpse of why the "City of the Palio horserace" (Siena) and the “Manhattan off the Middle Ages” (San Gimignano) have enchanted visitors for generations. 

Perhaps you’ve already been to Siena or are planning a separate trip and feel like tacking on something additional to your San Gimignano stop. 

San Gimignano

We have for you an exclusive look at Tuscany’s Top Hill Towns which will stop not only in the “city of the towers” (San Gimignano) but in the heart of “vampire country,” too—Volterra, famous for its Transylvania - esque history and its more recent Twilight craze—as well as Certaldo, the charming birthplace of the poet and author Boccaccio, best known for the Decameron. 

If the idyllic walled town of Lucca’s on your list, combine it with Pisa in a dual tour through the towns. The towns have distinctly different aesthetics, histories and things to see, and yet they’re united in how they’ll bring your dream vision of Tuscan towns to life.

All these tours and towns are within easy reach of Florence, perfect for a day or two out.
Now comes the only hard part: choosing!