Description
A day trip from Florence to Pisa, Siena and San Gimignano packs the best-known corners of Tuscany into one long day out. A licensed tour leader travels with you by air-conditioned bus, and the road itself is part of the show: rolling hills, hilltop hamlets and the Chianti countryside slipping past the window.
The first stop is Pisa, where the Square of Miracles gathers the cathedral, the baptistery and the Leaning Tower, which rises to almost 56 metres and tilts at about 4 degrees. Entry to the tower is not included, so climbing it is a separate choice.
Next comes San Gimignano, a medieval village on the UNESCO World Heritage list and nicknamed the Manhattan of the Middle Ages for its slender towers. You wander its cobbled streets, small squares and craftsmen's shops. If you choose the lunch option, a three-course Tuscan meal with Chianti wine is served here, with a vegetarian menu on request.
- Pisa and its Square of Miracles
- San Gimignano, with its towers and craft shops
- Siena, the Piazza del Campo and the cathedral
The day ends in Siena, an art-filled hilltop town with a pedestrian centre. With the guided walking option you follow its medieval lanes past the oldest bank in the world to the Piazza del Campo, and the cathedral entrance is covered when that option is selected. The route involves uphill and downhill walking, so it does not suit wheelchair users.