Is it possible to see the highlights of Tuscany in 1-day? The answer is yes, but the real question should be “is this a good use of your time?” With limited vacation time, sometimes you have to fit as much sightseeing into one day as possible. That’s how I ended up on my full day tour to see the beautiful sights of Tuscany – including Pisa, San Gimignano and Siena. On my Italy vacation we only had 2 nights in Florence to see all that we could. Looking back, I wish we had more time to spend in this beautiful region. Alas, we made the most of our time and definitely plan to go back to take our time visiting the area.
To make the most of this trip I booked a 14 hour tour that left from the heart of Florence to see Pisa, San Gimignano and Siena – more generally Tuscany in 1-day. And what a busy day it was! The day was full of highlights, but there was definitely room for some improvement. Here are the highlights of my tour visiting Tuscany in 1-day.
Florence to Pisa
The day started off bright and early! That’s actually not fully true – it was actually dark and early. We left the hotel in the dark to make our way to the Santa Maria Novella train station in the heart of Florence. We met our tour guide at the station and were guided to the bus area to board the coach. After everyone boarded the bus we hit the road a few minutes past 7:30 am. The drive out of Florence was your average drive through a city, but once we hit the countryside it was very scenic!
Pisa
Our first stop on the tour was to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. And as soon as we arrived, it started pouring rain! I’m not talking a heavy rainfall, I”m talking rain coming down in sheets and on an angle! No umbrella or poncho was standing up against this rainfall. We made the best of the situation and saw the tower in the rain. I must say, I was kind of disappointed with the tower itself… I think I was expecting more. It might have been the terrible weather but it felt like we had way too much time at this stop. We didn’t go up the tower, but it looked like an average tower in Italy, just a little tilted.
Verdict: Would I plan a trip specifically to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Nope. But if I was in the area I would definitely add it to my itinerary.
San Gimignano
The next stop on our tour was San Gimignano. When we had access to internet, we learned that this medieval town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a photographer’s dream! We had a quick stop here for approximately 1-hour to walk around, take photos and shop. The town was surrounded by a medieval stone wall and had approximately 13 towers built around the town and we heard that in early days there were more than 70 towers in the area. This picturesque little town was full of small shops, boutiques, restaurants, delis and cafes. You can see sprawling views of the Tuscan countryside from the walls of the city and it makes you feel like you’re in a postcard.
We made the mistake here of having a “snack” before lunch. The area is known for it’s Pecorino cheese and prosciutto so we naturally had to try a sandwich. We each got one without realizing how large they would be just before our winery lunch and Chianti tasting. These sandwiches were amazing! Just like my Nonna (Italian grandmother) used to make. I wish we had more time to explore this town and would definitely want to come back to this area in the future.
Verdict: So, would I plan a trip specifically to see San Gimignano? Absolutely! And if you’re in the area, I highly suggest adding this to your itinerary.
Lunch at a Tuscan Winery
After visiting the medieval town we went to a winery for a traditional Tuscan lunch at a picturesque winery. This winery produced Chianti – and very delicious Chianti at that! We were served a 3-course meal starting with an antipasto plate of meats, cheeses, mixed vegetables and bread. Following that we had penne pasta with tomato sauce and basil and roasted chicken. After the main dish we had a tart – which we were far too full to eat, but had a bite anyways. Throughout the courses we were walked through a sampling of 3 different wines, which were all very tasty. At the end of the lunch we had the opportunity to purchase wine from the winery and then had to get right back on the bus to make it to Siena.
Verdict: Would I plan a trip specifically to a winery in Tuscany? Heck yes! I hope to be back to do a full tour of the area and see as many wineries as possible.
Siena
The drive to to Siena was approximately 1-hour from the winery. The coach parked on the outskirts of the town (the city centre is closed to vehicles) and we walked into the heart of Siena. Our tour guide didn’t tell us much about the area, so anything we learned was what we could find on Google search (when we had access to wi-fi) or from research we did when we got home. Siena is located in the central area of Tuscany and is one of the two most popular tourist cities in the area. We only had a few hours to explore the city but were able to see a few of the main highlights.
The Piazza del Campo, is known for it’s shell shape and is surrounded by brick buildings. This public area was quite a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. People were sitting on the stones having picnics, drinking wine, spending time with friends in small groups and even laying alone having a nap! We also went to the Siena Cathedral, but unfortunately our tour guide messed up with the time and we weren’t able to go inside. However, from the outside this cathedral was quite impressive. I’m sure it was lovely inside too, but we will have to go back one day to see for ourselves.
Verdict: Would I plan a trip specifically to see Siena? No. The town itself was pretty, but I”m not sure I would need more than a day to see all that it has to offer. If I was in the area already I would add this to the itinerary but not for more than 24-hours.
Summary
Is it worth it to visit Tuscany in 1-day to see Pisa, San Gimignano and Siena? I’d say yes. The tour was definitely worth the money for how convenient it was. However, the tour guide we had was probably the worst guide I’ve had on any organized tour I’ve taken. And I’ve been on a lot of organized tours. I liked being able to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa with a quick visit and didn’t think I needed any additional time there. I think we definitely needed a few hours (or days!) in the San Gimignano area to full experience Tuscany and the beautiful scenery. Siena was lovely, but I don’t think we needed any additional time there. If I wanted to see outside the city centre or visit any of the museums we’d probably need an extra day or so.
If I were to go back, I’d try to do this myself via train or cabs so I could spend the time where I wanted, versus where the tour said we had to be.
Verdict: Overall, I’d definitely recommend taking a tour to see Tuscany in 1-day and specifically these three cities. Especially if you’re looking for convenience or too afraid to drive yourself (like me!).
