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Railbookers · Independent rail vacation

The Best of Tuscany

Independent 8-day Tuscany rail trip through Florence, Siena and Lucca

Illustration of The Best of Tuscany

Railbookers operates this independent, self-guided 8-day, 7-night rail vacation through Tuscany, starting and ending in Florence with stops in Siena and Lucca. The first day includes a stroll past the Florence Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio and an evening cooking class covering pizza and gelato, followed by a full-day excursion to Pisa, a Chianti winery, San Gimignano and Siena. From there, a roughly 90-minute train ride reaches Siena for a guided walking tour of Piazza del Campo and its medieval streets, before a regional train continues to Lucca, a walled town, for two nights exploring its cathedral and towers. The trip suits travelers who want a compact, food-and-wine-leaning introduction to Tuscany without a rigid group schedule, since sightseeing days are largely self-guided between the included tours and the Chianti excursion.

What to know before you look closer

  • The operator lists 15 hotel options across Florence, Siena and Lucca at different tiers; which hotel you stay in depends on the tier and city option you choose.
  • The day 2 excursion to Pisa, Chianti and San Gimignano is not described as rail travel in the evidence, so not every day of this rail vacation runs by train.
  • The evidence for this trip does not include current departure dates; confirm availability and current pricing with Railbookers before booking.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Florence

    Your Journey Begins in Florence

    Check in to your hotel, stroll past the Florence Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio. Evening Italian cooking class, learning pizza and gelato.

  2. Day 2overnight: Florence

    Day Trip to Tuscany from Florence

    Full-day excursion: tour of Pisa and the Tower of Pisa, a Chianti winery for lunch and wine tasting, San Gimignano, and Siena.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Siena

    Florence to Siena

    Train to Siena (about 90 minutes). Explore the city's narrow alleys and Palazzo Pubblico in Piazza del Campo.

  4. Day 4overnight: Siena

    Siena

    Small-group guided walking tour through Siena's medieval streets: Piazza del Campo, Palazzo Pubblico, the Cathedral, and the Palio traditions.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Lucca

    Siena to Lucca

    Regional Tuscan train to Lucca for a two-night stay, a medieval town protected by 16th-century walls.

  6. Day 6overnight: Lucca

    Lucca

    Explore the cathedral San Martino, the churches of San Michele and San Frediano, and the Guinigi Tower. Shopping on Via Gallitassi.

  7. Day 7overnight: Florence

    Lucca to Florence

    Return to Florence for your final night.

  8. Day 8

    Your Journey Ends in Florence

    Check out of your hotel after breakfast and continue with your travels.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1An evening Italian cooking class in Florence teaches pizza and gelato making.
  • Day 2A full-day excursion visits Pisa and the Tower of Pisa, a Chianti winery for lunch and wine tasting, San Gimignano, and Siena.
  • Day 3The train from Florence to Siena takes about 90 minutes.
  • Day 4A small-group guided walking tour covers Siena's medieval streets, Piazza del Campo, Palazzo Pubblico, the Cathedral, and the Palio traditions.
  • Day 6In Lucca, the itinerary visits the cathedral San Martino, the churches of San Michele and San Frediano, and the Guinigi Tower.

Included

  • Rail travel in standard class throughout
  • 3 nights total hotel accommodation with breakfast in Florence
  • 2 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast in Siena
  • 2 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast in Lucca
  • Italian cooking lesson in the heart of Florence
  • Full-day small-group tour of Tuscany with lunch and wine
  • Small group walking tour of Siena

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes, standard-class Trenitalia rail travel between Florence, Siena and Lucca is included, though the day 2 excursion to Pisa, Chianti and San Gimignano is not described as rail travel.
Is this trip guided or independent?
It combines an independent, self-guided rail vacation with select small-group tours, including a walking tour of Siena and the day trip to Chianti.
What is included besides rail and hotels?
An Italian cooking class in Florence, a full-day small-group tour of Chianti and San Gimignano with lunch and wine, and a small-group walking tour of Siena.
Where does the trip start and end?
It starts and ends in Florence, with stops in Siena and Lucca in between.
How long is the train ride from Florence to Siena?
About 90 minutes.

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