There could be a number of reasons you’re searching for day trips from Florence without a car. Perhaps you’re a slow traveler in Florence and want to try a sustainable mode of transportation. Or, like me, don’t know how to drive a manual transmission!
No matter your reason, you came to the right city. Florence is incredibly well connected, with trains going straight up north to Milan, south to Rome, and all points east and west. You can get to a lot of destinations by train, making Tuscany your oyster!
This guide has a total of 6 train-friendly day trips from Florence, but my personal favorite is Lucca, a walled Renaissance city that is now a walk and bike-enthusiast’s dream.
What’s In This Article
- Six easy day trips from Florence using trains or buses only, no rental car or driving required
- Exact transportation instructions from Florence (stations, train lines, and bus routes) for each destination
- What to do in each city, including cultural highlights, food stops, and walking-friendly experiences
- Travel tips for stress-free transit, including ticketing advice, seat reservations, and strike warnings
- A mix of classic and lesser-known destinations across Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, all doable in one day
TL;DR: These six day trips from Florence can all be reached by train or bus in under two hours, making it easy to explore Tuscany and beyond without renting a car.
Poggibonsi
In less than an hour via regional train, you can discover Poggibonsi, a mid-sized town in Siena’s province. Although not as popular compared to the San Gimignano’s of Tuscany, this city is well worth a visit if you like a chill city without too many crowds.
To get there, take a regional train 18225 to Siena leaving from the Firenze Rifredi station.
Pro Tip: If traveling in the summer, beware of planned train strikes.
What to do in Poggibonsi
Who doesn’t love a one-of-a-kind museum? Poggibonsi is home to the Archaeodrome, an openair museum showcasing the lifestyle of Poggibonsi residents during the Frankish period (9th – mid 10th century). It’s a reenactment village, complete with straw huts and actors wearing clothes of that time.
I found myself surprised at the quality of pizza shops in Poggibonsi. For an unassuming town, there are some killer places here for a slice. I recommend stopping for lunch at I Boceri Ristorante.
Bologna
Bologna is often considered the best city in Italy for food (though, I personally think Florence is the winner). Nonetheless, Bologna is a fantastic day trip for foodies, especially those who love stuffed pasta—tortellini was invented here!
Getting there: The trip to Bologna is made super fast and easy, simply take the Venezia S.Lucia train on the Frecciarosa line. It’s a direct train on a journey leaving from Firenze Santa Maria Novella station, and gets you to Bologna in under 40 minutes.
Pro Tip: Buy your Frecciarosa tickets ahead of time and be prepared to show your ticket to the conductor on board. Seats on this train are assigned at reservation.
What to do in Bologna
Bologna, while known for its foodie scene, is also a hub for intellects and culture. There are some amazing museums dedicated to music, like the Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica for historical and artisanally crafted instruments, or the Sala della Musica, a permanent display celebrating popular artists from Bologna.
For art, I love the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, a museum showcasing work as early as the 13th century.
Siena
Once a rival city that Florentine citizens didn’t dare venture, Siena is now well connected via train, making it one of the easiest day trips from Florence.
All you need to do is hop on the 131R bus (you need to buy tickets ahead of time) leaving from the Florence Bus Station, and in about an hour you’ll be in Siena. The 131R runs about every hour, so you’ll have no problem seeing Siena in a day, but do be sure to book your tickets early in case the bus is crowded.
Pro Tip: You can also buy tickets for the 131R bus from Florence at the Autostazione Autolinee ticket office, and you will need to validate your physical ticket before getting on the bus. You’ll see a yellow validation machine in the station.
Things to do in Siena
Siena is most known for the Palio di Siena, an annual horserace that happens twice every summer. Riders representing different contrade (city districts) ride bareback on the horse, which plow through the city streets.
Besides the horse race, there are plenty of unique things to do in Siena, like going for a guided truffle hunt in the woods, or paying a visit to the spectacularly colorful Piccolomini Library inside of the Duomo.
Lucca
Close to the ocean with a historic city center enclosed in Renaissance-era walls, Lucca is a popular day trip from Florence that doesn’t require a car!
With much to see and do in this unique city, you may even want to extend your trip for another day (perhaps hit the beach? Why not!).
Getting there: To get to Lucca from Florence, hop on the regional 18482 train to Lucca. These trains leave about every 30-60 minutes from Firenze Rifredi.
Things to do in Lucca
Aside from the history of Lucca, what I loved most about this city are the wide ramparts dedicated to beautiful walking and cycling paths for pedestrians. As you guessed, the city is very walkable and biker-friendly too. I recommend renting a bike for another perspective of the city.
Pisa
Perhaps the most popular day trip from Florence is Pisa—the city most well known for its leaning tower. Aside from that, there are a few other attractions in Pisa to fill out your day.
If you plan to spend a little longer than just a day, Pisa is a great jumping point to other cities on the west coast. You could easily get on another train to be in Livorno, a port city with canals and raised, stone bridges, in less than an hour!
Getting to Pisa: The journey from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Pisa takes less than an hour by train. Simply hop on the train for Pisa Centrale.
Things to do in Pisa
The first stop for most visitors in Pisa is the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa), a freestanding bell tower that continues to stand somewhat upright. You can see the tower for free outside, but you’ll need to buy tickets if you want to enter the church next door.
As for other attractions in Pisa, there are lots! I loved the old palazzo buildings (Palazzo Agostini is lovely and definitely worth a visit), and the Palazzo Blu is a permanent art museum.
You’ll also find interesting street art throughout the city. Notably, go check out the Keith Haring mural (Tuttomondo), which you can find on a guided walking tour.
Aside from the specific sites on a map, one of my favorite things to do is simply walking along the Arno. This river is the same one that runs in Florence, and is just as beautiful here during sunrise and sunset.
Arezzo
As I mentioned in another article about Tuscan day trips, Arezzo is one of those cities that is content in living in the past. Arezzo seems to be in no rush to modernize its Medieval town center, and I think that’s a good thing.
Getting there: Start your journey at the Firenze Campo Marte train station, where you’ll hop on the train destined for Roma Termini (yes—you can take a train all the way from Florence to Rome!) and get off at the Arezzo stop. The ride will take about an hour in total.
Things to do in Arezzo
Arezzo has a great central cathedral (Duomo) where you’ll find a huge vaulted ceiling and 15-century frescoes of Mary Magdalene.
For an example of 15th-century austerity, take a tour of the Medici Fortress. Imposing stone walls enclose this structure and its many hidden walkways and interior squares. It was once owned by the Medici, a family that was at one point the most powerful in all of Italy.
Modena
Although getting to Modena from Florence is a little more of a challenge (you have to take two trains), this is still a worthy day trip, especially if you care about food culture.
Modena is the balsamic vinegar capital of the country, nay, the world, and features vinegar tastings, museums, and tours.
Getting there: You’ll have to first take the train to Bologna, and then connect onto the regional Modena train leaving from Bologna’s central station (Bologna Centrale). For slow travel enthusiasts, might I suggest you extend this into a two-day trip: spend a night in Bologna, and then catch the train to Modena in the morning.
Things to do in Modena
Naturally, in the balsamic vinegar capital, you must immerse yourself into the world of distilling vinegar. Take a guided tour to a vinegar distillery where you can discover the age-old tradition born from this region and taste-test products.
I recommend grabbing lunch at either Ad Maiora or Enoteca Ristretto before heading back to Bologna.
