Florence - to Pisa, Lucca, and Siena day trips

You certainly can't do justice to Florence if you try to cram all of these into just 3 days. We did 3 days there, never did a day trip, and still didn't see everything on our to do list. Siena really deserves a day of its own. Pisa could easily be combined with Lucca on a one day trip.

I took a day trip with a tour company that went to Sienna, Pisa , and a hill town with a lovely lunch at a winery. Look on Trip advisor . I cant remember the name of the compnay off the top of my head. It may have been Walks of Florence. It was excellent

Siena is south of Florence, Pisa and Lucca are west. You could fit in Pisa and Lucca in one day. People don't normally stay in Pisa longer than a couple of hours, just to see the tower. Then you could continue on to Lucca, which has much more to offer. Or, you can go to Siena. Just not all 3 in one day! Also, depends on how much time you want to spend in Florence.

If you do go to Siena, it would be preferable to take the bus rather than the train. The bus stops in the middle of town, whereas the train station is at the bottom of a big hill.

Three days in the beautiful town of Florence is not a long time, especially when you consider arrival and departure times. We were just there in October and ran out of time...again! You didn't mention the time of year, but I'm thinking late spring/summer by your description...remember there will be tremendous amounts of people also there, so plan accordingly. Also, spending 2-3 hours in the Uffizzi is not long considering the amount of paintings, sculptures, etc, the same with the Accademia. That is just one day by the time you go from place to place, eat, look around, go to Piazza Michangelo for the views, eat more, etc. I would stay in Florence the entire time, but if you want a short bus ride Fiesole is 25 minutes outside and really magnificent to visit, especially at sunset.

Yes, you can combine Pisa and Lucca pretty easily. Train to Pisa, bus to Lucca from Pisa (bus stop at the edge of the Field of Miracles, at least as of 2011 when I was last there), and then probably a train back from Lucca to Florence. I didn't do this as a day trip, though.

If you want to see more than the tower, walk about 30-45 minutes from Pisa Centrale station to the Field of Miracles where the tower is located. (I think Rick Steves describes this walk in his Italy book.) You'll walk through the university area after you cross the Arno river. You could detour at the Arno for a quick circle around the river up/down a few bridges if you like. It's sure not charming like the Arno in Florence - a little grittier, but it is interesting, and much less touristy than the obnoxious tacky-tourist atmosphere right around the tower. If you just want to see the tower in Pisa and nothing else, take a local bus from Pisa Centrale to the Field of Miracles (forget which bus)...or find one of the few direct trains a day that goes directly from Florence to Pisa San Rossore station, which is a closer walk to the Field.

Not everyone falls in love with Florence and wants to spend every minute there. I had three nights there and still did several day trips and didn't regret it. I'm also not a museum person (still went to the Accademia for a short visit). Because the train to Pisa (and perhaps the train home from Lucca) are regional trains, you can decide at the last minute what to do for day trips. If you are loving Florence so much that you decide to spend all your time there, forget about your day trip(s). But plan them in advance anyway so you have the option.

We did a day trip to Siena on our first trip, and the few hours we had didn't do the place justice. I don't know how feasible going back in a few years is, but if it is, I'd recommend a night or (preferably two) there.

Pisa and Lucca in a single day is very manageable. Even without rushing, we had time for a nice dinner in Florence when we came back.

And if you do go to Pisa.... sure look at the tower and Baptistery, but don't miss the cemetery if you can. You will be right there by it.

Oh and... sorry... Another option is to not stop in Pisa Central on the train but stop in Pisa S.Rossore. It's a walk through a portion of town to get to the town but it's lined with shops and places to eat if you need to grab a bite. I enjoy the monuments/museums while my wife enjoys the shopping so for me it was a good compromise.

Gary

To piggy back on others comments, Pisa and Lucca are VERY easy to do in one day. From my experience, I would recommend getting to Pisa as early as possible. Ride the train to Pisa S.Rossore and it's a short walk to the Duomo and tower. But, you want to get there BEFORE the hordes of coach tours arrive. I found the Piazza dei Miracoli to be quite unpleasant due to the masses of inconsiderate and aggressive selfie-stick wielding tourists (by far the worst I saw while in Italy during two weeks). If I every go back, it will be earlier or later in the day in order to avoid the crowds.

I took the train from S.Rossore to Lucca and then from Lucca back to Florence. Just have cash (or a functioning CC & PIN) for a train ticket from the machines as the station didn't have ticket agents when I was there in '15.

You should be able to make Lucca in time for an enjoyable lunch and a wonderful stroll atop the wall surrounding the old city.

As for Florence, even if you're only mildly interested in Renaissance art and culture, the city can keep you captivated for weeks. I've spend a total of 8 days in Florence and feel I could spend another 8 and not have enough time. If you are only going to be in Florence for one or two days, I wouldn't miss the Duomo (don't miss the basement) and the Pitti Palace. One bit of advise, the food is better and cheaper the further away from Piazza Del Duomo, Piazza Della Repubblica and Piazza Della Signoria you get. But, then again, it's almost worth the price (and mediocre quality) to sit outside while enjoying the view of the Duomo.