Planning for Firenze/Toscana early May 2026

[Doug Scarola]

I am a long term member but due to the loss of my wife in 2017, I have been off the board. There’s a new woman in my life and she’s never been to Italy! As I turn 75 next year (I’m active 75), I want to go back to Italian soil. As she only has a long week, I am thinking of Firenze and Toscana as a week… Firenze, Pisa, Lucca, Siena and maybe some other small towns.
My question is, as I want to base outside of Firenze in one of the smaller towns, rent a car and drive around…Firenze we will train in.
Any good towns to look with nice accommodations at a fair price and access to the trains…
Last time, I based in San Gimi but the hills are a bit much to get from car park to the town
I have not been in Italy since 2012 and I am long overdue. I want to impress her with Italian life and Toscana is the best place IMHO.
Thanks all…

 

[Penn251]

I am a big Lucca fan. Lots to do there and well-located Easy train to Firenze, Pisa, Viareggio, Forte Dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, La Spezia (gateway to Cinque Terre). A bit longer but easy drives to Volterra, San Gimigniano, Sienna, into the Lucchese hills or the Garafagnana. Can also easily do vineyards. Here is a link to a fuller list of what can be accomplished from Lucca. https://www.sloweurope.com/community/threads/lucca-october-2025.7997/#post-48868

P.S. - If hills are an issue, Lucca has an additional draw - it is flat. Also, if you stay there, definitely find a place inside the walls. Free parking outside the walls is just a ten minute or so walk.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Arrival/departure airport can be an influence, so I like to check flight timings / connections / costs side by side with considering locations.

How much of a draw is Firenze? For many (myself not included), it's the heart of a stay in the region. If that's true for yourselves, then consider two bases: an initial stay of 3-4 days in Firenze itself, before hiring a car to go to your 2nd base, dropping the car off at your departure airport. Alternatively look at a stay outside Firenze, but on a good bus/coach(pullman in Italian ) route right into the centre. Buses/coaches are more common and more useful here than in much of Italy.

If Firenze is a minor draw, then it's well connected on the train network, and it can be more pleasant to drive to a local provincial station, parking up there, and then take the local train in. Our focus when planning is to reduce stress as much as possible, because arriving stressed really saps energy and enjoyment.

Siena and Montepulciano both hilly, so consider skipping those. Lucca is super for a day trip, but /i reckon could also make a homely base, either inside or outside of the walls. The rare proximity of its train station to the city walls makes it handy for day tripping by train. For a smaller place, but with an interesting glass-making tradition, Colle val d'Elsa impressed us. Pisa is both the worst of mass tourist trash, and something of an under the radar gem! Avoid the direct route from either station to the field of miracles and all but the botanical gardens (and the field of miracles itself) in the area surrounding the field of miracles. Those areas are blighted by tourism. However explore the city itself for lots to enjoy and of interest.

Depending on the time of year, driving can be a wonderful experience with the views, and I like the idea of making it a small town focus. I think Italy presents its very best side culturally in small / unassuming towns / villages (and its worst in tourist hotspots). Finding a local festival can be a wonderful experience, and often the smaller the better.

 

[Bob Whelan]

We are of a similar age and find Florence a wonderful place to stay as an home base to explore and make day/overnight trips. We’ve stayed here for the last four years for a minimum of two weeks and up to a month. We rent AirBnB at Piazza Santo Spirito in the Oltrarno (other side of the Arno) where it’s more homey, less touristy and way less crowded. Great small restaurants, gelato and pasticceria too! During our stays we have visited Montalcino, Lucca, Pisa, Bologna, Cinque Terre, Venice, Certaldo Alta, and Siena… all by train from Santa Maria Novella station. All but Montalcino which required a bus from the train stop in Buinconvento m were easy trips, San Gimignano and Voltaire require a car. We’ve also made plans for wine tours and cooking classes through Viator. Have fun planning and enjoy your trip!!

 

[Alpinista]

That is a lot to do in a week (and factor in jet lag which is a little more of an issue for us older folks -- I'm on the other side of 80 myself). If your friend has never been to Italy, it's likely she's going to want to see the high interest items?? Uffizi, David, Leaning Tower, etc.?? We are based in Lucca and find it very easy to take train to/from Florence for the day and then to drive everywhere else we go. Lucca has its own attractions and gives great access to the sea (Viareggio and Pietrasanta); Carrara; the hill towns of Bagni di Lucca, Barga, and Castelnuovo di Garfagnana; and a quick drive to Pisa (beyond the architectural items, we always treat ourselves to a day at the San Giuliano Terme in Bagni di Pisa). If there is a issue in planning a full list of activities in the days you have allocated, Siena would be the odd man out in my list.

 

[Fioridave]

I am a long term member but due to the loss of my wife in 2017, I have been off the board. There’s a new woman in my life and she’s never been to Italy! As I turn 75 next year (I’m active 75), I want to go back to Italian soil. As she only has a long week, I am thinking of Firenze and Toscana as a week… Firenze, Pisa, Lucca, Siena and maybe some other small towns.
My question is, as I want to base outside of Firenze in one of the smaller towns, rent a car and drive around…Firenze we will train in.
Any good towns to look with nice accommodations at a fair price and access to the trains…
Last time, I based in San Gimi but the hills are a bit much to get from car park to the town
I have not been in Italy since 2012 and I am long overdue. I want to impress her with Italian life and Toscana is the best place IMHO.
Thanks all…

Five towns in one week has you spending more time on the road than in piazzas. If it’s her first time, do 4 days in Florence ane a couple day trips to towns within 40 minutes by train

 

[Ian Sutton]

On how much to fit in, we've tended towards an 'option list' rather than a to-do list, and with the car you have great flexibility.

We prepare a number of day trip / half day trip possibilities, and also stuff to interest us where we're staying. Often we'll decide over breakfast where to go that day, allowing energy levels to dictate how much we see.

 

[Bob Whelan]

It’s a great way to travel. During our extended stays in Florence we rarely have an agenda other than a plan that requires an overnight stay. We generally plan our day around the city over cappuccino and how much energy we may have based upon our previous day. With how easy it is to travel by train we occasionally may plan a day trip that morning as we recently did to Certaldo Alto for lunch at a favorite place. Aging allows us to take a day off here and there!

 

[vicogirl51]

Stay in Lucca . We are good friends of Alpinista and agree with him!!!

 

[jan]

Hi Doug and welcome back.
I agree on Lucca. It's a wonderful spot with good train service. And pretty much flat.