10 Days in Tuscany - Discover Tuscany by Rail

Tuscany is famous for its wealth of fine art, fine wines, architecture ranging from Romanesque to Renaissance, extraordinary landscapes, and intriguing history and culture.

You can have an extremely relaxing holiday in this region while fitting in plenty of wine tasting, walks through the countryside, and visits to castles, palaces, galleries and museums.

Tuscany is an ideal region to explore Italy by train. If you are planning a holiday under the Tuscan sun, the following 10 day itinerary will give you some travel inspiration.

 

Day 1 – Siena

You can reach Siena by train from any of the major Italian cities such as Milan (approx. 3.5 hours with 1 connection), Florence (1.5 hours), and Rome (3-4 hours, 1 connection).

Siena is one of Italy’s most beautiful medieval cities and one of the most visited parts of Tuscany. When you visit Siena’s incredibly well-preserved historic centre, you immediately understand why UNESCO named this city a World Heritage site in 1995.

Siena’s gothic appearance, shell-shaped Piazza del Campo and Palio di Siena (the most famous horse race in the world) make it an incredibly unique and enchanting city which simply mustn’t be missed on your Tuscan adventure.

 

 

Day 2 – Poggibonsi

There are direct regional (standard local) trains that you can take from Siena to Poggibonsi (Poggibonsi – S.Gimignano) which take 20 – 30 minutes. While Poggionsi is quite industrial, you will find many ancient buildings, cobblestone pathways, beautiful basilicas, and awe-inspiring castles in this provincial town set among rolling hills and vineyards.

There are a number of attractions worth taking the time to visit here, such as the Fonte delle Fate (which translates to “the fairies’ fountain), Palazzo Pretorio ("Magistrate's Palace"), Torre del Podestà ("Podestà's tower") and the Castello della Magione (a medieval castle that once belonged to the Knights Templar).

Just a short bus ride from Poggibonsi is the ‘City of Beautiful Towers’, San Gimignano. There is no train station in this famous medieval walled village. San Gimignano’s thirteen surviving 14th century towers rise high above of all the surrounding buildings offering an impressive view of the city from the surrounding countryside.

 

Days 3 and 4 – Florence

It isn’t advisable to attempt to visit Florence just for the day. Florence is the capital of Tuscany and one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. It is an incredibly popular city with tourists because it simply has so much to offer families, couples, and solo travellers alike. Florence was the centre of the early Italian Renaissance art, where many famous artists launched their careers during the 15th century.

Florence boasts an impressive array of museums, palaces and churches which house some of the finest works of art in the world, from Michelangelo’s David to Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and La Primavera.

You can see a lot of this jewel of a city on foot as the historical centre is fairly small and houses a plethora of hidden treasures that you may miss if you only travel by bike or bus. Some of the most visited attractions include the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore), the Piazza della Signoria, the medieval Palazzo Vecchio and the Ponte Vecchio (old bridge).

There are direct regional trains running from Poggibonsi-S.Gimignano to Florence (Firenze S. M. Novella station) and the journey will take you around an hour.

Days 5 – Pistoia

Roughly 40 km outside Florence, the city of Pistoia boasts a harmonious mix of natural beauty and artistic heritage.

From mountain excursions and relaxing spas to palaces and castles, this Italian province offers visitors a wide range of exciting sights and activities.

The centro storico is extremely well preserved and jam-packed with historical and architectural beauty.

There are regional trains from Florence to Pistoia which take between 30 and 50 minutes depending on what time of the day you travel.

 

Day 6 – Lucca

Lucca is one of Tuscany’s most charming and romantic towns. In springtime, the town’s red-orange terracotta roofs, lush green valleys and meadows full of vibrant wildflowers create postcard-like scenery which resembles scenes from a fairytale. Lucca is protected by 16th-century walls consisting of wide walkways on which you can easily walk or cycle around the city. One of the most popular tourist attractions is Torre Guinigi, a 14th century tower which stands 130 feet tall and has an ancient oak tree on top.

The regional trains running between Pistoia and Lucca take between 45 - 90 minutes, depending on what time of the day you travel.

If you want to relax and enjoy the slow pace of a Tuscan town full of Renaissance architecture and simple provincial pleasures, you simply must visit Lucca.

Day 7 - Pisa

Pisa is famous for its iconic Torre Pendente (Leaning Tower), but this university town is home to many more architectural and artistic wonders. The Leaning Tower is one element of Pisa’s spellbinding Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), where you will also find the magnificent romanesque Duomo, the extraordinary round Battistero (baptistry) and the huge Camposanto (a monumental cemetery), and several museums.

Much more awaits you beyond the Piazza dei Miracoli, including Piazza dei Cavalieri, a small town square which is home to many historical buildings that possessed major political power in the middle ages and Renaissance era and Museo di San Matteo (one of Pisa’s most important Tuscan Renaissance art museums).

Other attractions include Lungarno Mediceo and Lungarno Pacinotti on the north side of Arno river, and Lungarno Galilei and Lungarno Gambacorti on the south side.

Along these characteristic riverside streets you will find a wealth of other historical and cultural sites including piazzas, churches, and other important monuments.

It only takes half an hour to get to Pisa from Lucca on one of the local regional trains.

 

Day 8 – Livorno

You won’t find any medieval towers or castles in Livorno. However, spending a day in this bustling port town on the west coast of Italy is a great way to see a completely different side to Tuscany.

One of the most fascinating parts of Livorno is the 17th-century “Venezia Nuova” (New Venice) district. This area of Livorno boasts a network of Venetian-style canals and bridges. The canals can be explored on foot via the canal-side footpaths or by tour boat.

At the centre of the New Venice district you will find the remains of the Fortezza Nuova. This 16th century castle was built for the Medici family who possessed incredible wealth and political power in Florence from the 13th to the 17th century. The Fortezza Nuova is linked by the canals to the Fortezza Vecchia which was built in 1534.

Other highlights of Livorno include the town’s cathedral (the Duomo di Livorno), the beautiful walk along the seafront to the south of the town centre (beyond the port district), the lovely little beaches just south of Livorno along the Costa degli Etruschi (Etruscan Coast) and the city’s seafood which is rumoured to be the best on the Tyrrhenian coast.

It takes less than 20 minutes to get from Pisa to Livorno by train. You can choose from either the regional trains, Intercity or high-speed trains (Frecciabianca), depending on what time of the day you wish to travel.

 

Day 9 – Viareggio

Viareggio along with the coastal towns of "Torre del Lago Puccini", "Lido di Camaiore", and "Marina di Pietrasanta" make up the part of the Tuscan Riviera known as Versilia (or Riviera della Versilia), which has a sandy beach stretching for more than 20km. The town was first founded as a fishing village in the 12th century and is now one of the most popular seaside towns in Tuscany.

The spacious, endless sandy beaches, the excellent seafood specialties, great shopping and exciting night-life make Viareggio a holiday favourite with Italians and foreigners alike. Viareggio is also famous for its liberty period architecture.

One of the most important events in this lively beach town is the Carnevale di Viareggio (Viareggio Carnival) which is held every year in February and March.

Visitors come from all over the world to see the spectacular floats in the Carnevale parades.

There are a number of trains you can take to reach Viareggio from Livorno, including the regional trains with one connection, the high-speed Frecciabianca or the Intercity, all of which will take between 30 – 50 minutes.

 

Day 10 – Massa

Massa is a beautiful Tuscan seaside town which is located in the Frigido River Valley, near the Apuan Alps. The 15th century Malaspina di Fosdinovo Castle overlooks the city from high on a hill and boasts breathtaking views of the Tyrrhenian coast.

Other highlights of Massa include the Renaissance Ducal Palace in Piazza Aranci, the Cathedral (Duomo di Massa), Piazza Mercurio and the maritime village of Marina di Massa.

Massa is a 20 minute train ride from Viareggio on one of the local regional trains, or an even shorter trip on the Intercity or Frecciabianca trains.

 

This amazing Tuscan itinerary can be experienced with any of the rail passes that include Italy, a dedicated Eurail Italy pass or by purchasing point to point train tickets and seat reservations by using the Rail Plus train ticket booking engine.