I will be in Florence Italy for about 2 weeks around Easter and will have some time on my own. I would like to have suggestions on interesting, authenic towns to visit within an hour to an hour and a half from Florence. I have spent time before in Florence, Fiesole, Lucca and Siena, so I am looking for some other towns to visit. These towns need to be accesible by public transportation. Also I would like recommendations for some excellent guides based in Florence who run tours into the surrounding countryside.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16238 posts
All towns are authentic. Not aware of any fake ones. It's not Hollywood.
Some easily reachable:
Arezzo, Cortona, San Gimignano, Certaldo, Pistoia, Pisa, Volterra, Colle Val D'Elsa, Lastra a Signa, Impruneta, montespertoli, Montecatini, Greve, Monteriggioni.
Take a look at this site for many more ideas:
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
What Roberto said. I also like Anghiari, Sansepolcro and Pienza.
Posted by
Ballwin
833 posts
Roberto has some good suggestions. If you decide to go to Arezzo, feel free to message me about food, things to see, etc. It is not a big tourist destination, but that's one of the reasons I love it. It's an hour from Florence by RV trains.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16238 posts
Zoe's suggestions are great, but I didn't mention them because without a car there is no way you can reach them in 1 and 1/2 half hours. Actually even with a car you would need close to two hours to reach Anghiari and Sansepolcro. Even Pienza, which is not as far, is hardly doable in 90 minutes by car. But with public transport options those three towns are not doable on a day trip from Florence. You risk being stuck there for the night or at best you'll have too short a time to visit before having to catch a bus back.