Looking for day trip from Florence. Want to explore a charming town, countryside views, slow pace and less crowds. Don't need all the churches and museums etc. Would enjoy wine tour and farm to table meal possibly. Does this exist and any suggestions? Will need to take trian or bus. Thanks
Posted by
Irving
3574 posts
Rent a car for the day and drive to Siena via the SR222 "Chiantigiana Road": https://lovefromtuscany.com/scenic-drives-in-tuscany/. This is where Chianti wine comes from.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17851 posts
Certaldo and San Gimignano
You could visit both on the same day, they are close.
Certaldo has a train station (on the Florence-Siena line), from the station walk toward the old city center on top of the hill. There is a funicular that can take you up. The funicular is about 300m walk from the station.
To San Gimignano you can take the same train a couple of extra stops to Poggibonsi. Then there are buses that go up to San Gimignano.
San Gimignano is popular so it is more crowded at certain times.
Both towns have places where you can do wine tastings, especially San Gimignano, which is famous for the Vernaccia (a white wine).
Posted by
Northern New York
157 posts
Recommend that you consider taking a small group wine tour with lunch from Florence. There are many to pick from and I suggest you consider one of the more premium tours. Worth every penny!
Posted by
94 posts
We have enjoyed TWICE a lunch and tour at Verazzano Winery. The winery itself is just gorgeous and you will thoroughly enjoy the drive there. Tour terrific, but the lunch outstanding! So worth it. https://www.verrazzano.com/en/
Also, with a car you can get to the church you see in pictures right in the middle of Tuscan field - Chapel of the Madonna de Vitaleta.
https://www.visittuscany.com/en/attractions/chapel-madonna-vitaleta/. You might also enjoy Pienza - again, a smaller town. Of course, Cortona (we spent three months in an apartment in the old city) is fantastic. Under the Tuscan Sun was about Cortona and filmed there with the addition of a fountain in front of the City Hall steps! BUT it will have a number of tourists during the day - but late afternoon an aperitivo in the Piazza della Repubblica is PERFECT!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
9350 posts
The towns accessible by bus and train are going to be crowded-Siena, SG, Lucca
Certaldo would be quiet
For the wine tour and farm to table meal you really need a car or a guided tour
Take a look at ToursbyRoberto.com
He books up early, gets very good reviews