My 15 year old daughter and I will be in Forence for four days and want to day trip to either Lucca or Sienna, San Gigmianio. I can't decide which one. RS recommended guides are way to expensive for me...$400 for us for one day! Can we take the train and do it oursleves? I am on a tight budget.
Posted by
Seattle, USA
120 posts
I haven't been to Lucca but have been to Siena and San Gimignano. I preferred Siena. I found it a little bigger, more varied and interesting, less touristy than San Gimmy. Siena is easily reachable by bus from Florence. (And I easily found my way around it myself; you don't need a guide.)
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
You can easily do a day trip that includes both Siena and San Gimignano. SITA has an express bus from Florence to Siena. At Siena, you can get the local bus to San Gimignano. Here's the link. http://www.trainspa.it/EXTRAURBANO/130R.pdf Or, Grayline has a bus tour out of Florence that goes to both San Gimignano and Siena. You get about 90 minutes in San G. and about 4 hours in Siena. In Siena, we had a tour guide. My wife and I have taken this tour. 52E per person. The buses are very modern and pick you up across from the main train station. In Florence, Grayline operates as CAF tours. www.caftours.com.
Posted by
Redlands, Ca, USA
358 posts
When I was in Florence I took 2 sidetrips one to Pisa on the train and the other to both Sienna and San Gigmianio on a bus tour. Both trips were well worth the time it took to get to these places. Lucca is a nice town w/o any wow places to see other than ride your bike around the walls.
Posted by
NLR, Ar USA
92 posts
I have also trained to Pisa and Lucca, and Pisa is the easier one to get to by train. I loved Pisa and went from the train station to of course the leaning tower of pisa, also walked along the riverside and the center of town. I also liked Lucca very much. The town was less touristy and there are several cafes/restaurants around the main square. The whole town is medieval. If you don't wish to use the train, you can do a CITA tour or other tour that might be available from Florence.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
There is a bus that goes from Florence to Siena for around 7 Euros. Takes about 1 1/2 hrs and s you in the center of town rather than at the train station.
Another easy trip would be to Fisole..cost 1-2E. Great view terraces, or splurge on lunch at Ville San Michele... and "pretend" you're one of the rich and famous. Your 15 yr. old would LOVE it.
Posted by
OP
Nevada
39 posts
thank you all for your responses. I think I will try to do the Siena/San G on our own using the bus. It sounds like something we can handle.
Posted by
Wichita
831 posts
dawnya,
This may help http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/Firenze%20-%20Siena.pdf