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While you could easily spend a whole semester exploring the city itself, Florence’s proximity to so many beautiful and interesting cities means you have to get out of town for the day and check out the surrounding area.
There is so much to see, but here are the top three day trips from Florence:
Siena
- Distance: About an hour; easy bus service
- Why go: Siena is a beautifully intact Medieval city with a long, proud history. It is most famous for the Palio, a horse race where each neighborhood (or contrada) is represented.
- What to see: the Duomo (pictured), the Church of San Domenico, and of course the Piazza del Campo where the Palio is held in July and August.
San Gimignano
- Distance: About an hour, easy bus service
- Why go: San Gimignano is a picturesque Tuscan town most famous for its towers. Sort of like a a Medieval skyscraper, the city once had 72 of them. Only 14 remain but it is worth a trip to see this UNESCO World Heritage site.
- What to see: the Piazza del Duomo, Torre Grossa, and maybe stop by the Museum of Medieval Torture
Pisa
- Distance: About an hour, easy bus service
- Why go: The good news is the Leaning Tower of Pisa seems to be stabilizing, but there is more to see and do- though it wouldn’t be a trip to Pisa if you don’t take a photo of yourself holding up the tower.
- What to see: The Piazza dei Miracoli to see the tower and the Duomo, the oldest botanical gardens in Europe, and the Museum of Human Anatomy.
