Top tip for visiting Italy: find Firenze on the train station board.
Florence, called Firenze in Italiano, is a remarkable Tuscan city that’s curated some of the best Renaissance art in all of Europe.
And it’s a fantastic homebase for exploring other phenomenal parts of Italy.
Check out some of the best day trips from Florence by train and maximize your time in Italy.
The best day trips from Florence
The Renaissance art ain’t going nowhere—but you are. Take advantage of your proximity to Rome, Venice, and more with easy day trips from Florence leaving from Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Laurent Fox. Image Location: Leaning Tower of Pisa, Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
Pisa day trip from Florence
Arrival train station: Pisa Centrale
Journey time: ~1 hour
Gather ‘round, friends, it’s time to take the obligatory “hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa” photograph.
There’s no shame in this silly snap: it’s one of those scrapbook shots that your kids will roll their eyes over in warm reminiscense one day. While you’re here, you’ll find other photo ops with more straightened structures like the Piazza del Duomo, the Camposanto cemetery, and the Pisa Cathedral.
Rome day trip from Florence
Arrival train station: Roma Termini
Journey time: ~2 hours
All rails lead to Rome, including a direct train from Florence.
If you’re a first-time visitor, then you’ve certainly got your own Rome itinerary to tackle. But if you’ve already toured the Eternal City on another visit? Use your time in Florence to check off those last to-dos you left undone.
We’re talking about lesser-visited sites like a museum curated by Napoleon Bonaparte’s descendents, wandering beneath the Vatican’s Basilica, and scoping out the remains of Nero’s villa.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Maremagnum. Image Location: Castello Sforzesco, Milan, Italy
Milan day trip from Florence
Arrival train station: Milano Centrale
Journey time: ~2 hours
From the opulence of the Renaissance to the haute fashion of tomorrow, a day trip from Florence to Milan is your ticket to Milan Fashion Week.
Ok, maybe not your literal ticket, but what better reason to make a day trip than to sneak a peek at next season’s trends?
If you’re not into those threads, try these on for size: Milan’s got some awesome food that’s Kardashian approved, a gorgeous train station, and over 100 museums.
Venice day trip from Florence
Arrival train station: Venezia Santa Lucia
Journey time: ~2 hours
Art lovers can find a different shade of Renaissance masterpieces in Venice. Venetian painters like Vecellio and Titian helped define the 16th century’s style. No need to walk into a museum or gallery to feel completely inspired: just take one look at the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge and you’ll want to paint your own work of art.
Image Credit: Getty Images, jenifoto. Image Location: Monterosso, Cinque Terre, Italy
Cinque Terre day trip from Florence
Arrival train station: La Spezia Centrale
Journey time: ~2.5 hours
If you’re keen on making the most of your Italian budget, skip one museum in Florence and purchase a train ticket instead. Slap €5 down and you’ll add a ticket to the Cinque Terre Express alongside your ticket to La Spezia Centrale. This cheap carriage seat lets you ride the rails to all five villages on the Italian Riviera. It’s a slow-paced area where you can refresh and recharge for more museum hopping in Florence.
Image Credit: Getty Images, bbsferrari. Image Location: Siena Cathedral, Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Tuscany day trip from Florence
Arrival train station: Siena
Journey time: ~1.5 hours
Technically, yes, Florence is in Tuscany.
But we don’t think we’re being too liberal with our geographical guesses to say that many travelers consider Florence and Pisa as “city break” destinations and other areas in the region “Tuscany” vacations.
Case in point: Siena. Deep into the center of Tuscany, Siena is set amongst rolling Tuscan hills and is entirely walkable. That means that you can imbibe the vino and still meander through this medieval city without fail.
Naples day trip from Florence
Arrival train station: Napoli Centrale
Journey time: ~3 hour
When you look at the map, Florence and Naples look rather distant which is why a day trip from Florence to Rome is infinitely more popular. So trust us when we say that not only is a day trip from Florence to Naples worth it, but it’s not as far as it seems.
Take an early morning train ride and be at the top of Mount Vesuvius by lunch. Explore Pompeii and eat your way through plates of seafood in Naples before getting back to Florence for a moonlit Chianti.
Go with the Flo-rence
Download the Trainline app and snag affordable tickets for the best day trips from Florence to Cinque Terre, Rome, and more.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Julian Elliott Photography. Image Location: Piazza del Campo, Siena, Tuscany, Italy