Siena and San Gimignano are the classic Tuscan pairing, but they are awkward to combine by public transport: San Gimignano has no train station, and every leg needs a bus change in Poggibonsi.
With a private driver you go from your Florence hotel to San Gimignano, on to Siena and back in one day, with no timetables. Add Monteriggioni’s walls or lunch at a Chianti winery, and stop wherever the view is worth it.
Not included: meals and wine tastings
Here is how the day works by car, and why it is harder to do by bus or train.
| Leg | Distance | Time by car | By public transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence → San Gimignano | About 56 km | About 55 min | About 2 h, change in Poggibonsi |
| San Gimignano → Siena | About 40 km | 45 min or more | 1 – 2 h by bus |
| Siena → Florence | About 72 km | About 1 h | About 1 h 15 min (131R bus) |
| Whole loop | About 170 km | Under 3 h | Over 4 h, three connections |
Sources: Rome2Rio, kimkim, Rome2Rio, Discover Tuscany. Times are typical and vary with traffic.
We leave your Florence hotel in the morning and drive south through the Chianti hills to San Gimignano, under an hour away. After the towers, Monteriggioni makes a short stop on the way to Siena, where you can spend the afternoon. Then it is about an hour back to Florence. If you prefer wine to walls, swap Monteriggioni for a winery; our Chianti wine tour from Florence page explains the options.
San Gimignano’s historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. Fourteen of its medieval towers still stand, out of around 72 at its peak, according to World Heritage Site. The town is small enough to see on foot in a couple of hours, with time for the walls and the views over the valley. Read our guide on how to get to San Gimignano from Florence.
Siena’s historic centre is also on the UNESCO list. Its shell-shaped Piazza del Campo hosts the Palio horse race on 2 July and 16 August, and the striped marble cathedral is one of the great Gothic churches in Italy. Siena is larger than San Gimignano, so give it the longer part of the day. See how far it is from Florence to Siena by each option.
You can, but it takes most of the day in transit. San Gimignano has no train station, so from Florence you take bus 131 to Poggibonsi and change to bus 130, about 1 hour 55 minutes in total. Between San Gimignano and Siena the bus takes 1 to 2 hours, sometimes with another change in Poggibonsi, and there are only around ten departures a day in peak summer, according to kimkim. The rapid 131R bus back from Siena to Florence takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. With three connections to catch, there is little time left in either town.
Group coach tours run on a fixed timetable from a central meeting point, with set times in each town. A private driver picks you up at your hotel, lets you change the order or skip a stop, and can add a winery, Monteriggioni or Volterra. For families, small groups and anyone who wants to set their own pace, private is the easier day.
Siena is at its busiest on Palio days, 2 July and 16 August, when the centre fills with crowds. Spring and autumn are comfortable for walking both towns. In summer, start early so you reach San Gimignano before the heat of the day.
Every tour is private and starts from your hotel in Florence. Pick a route below or ask us to combine your own.
Send the date, your Florence hotel and how many of you are travelling.
San Gimignano and Siena, plus Monteriggioni, Volterra or a Chianti winery if you like. We suggest the order and send a quote.
Your driver collects you in the morning, drives you through the day and brings you back to your hotel.
Yes. By car, Florence to San Gimignano is about 56 km, San Gimignano to Siena about 40 km and Siena back to Florence about 72 km, so the whole loop is roughly 170 km and under 3 hours of driving. That leaves most of the day for the two towns.
Day trips of this kind usually last 8 to 11 hours from Florence. With a private driver you choose the start time and how long you stay in each town.
Many travellers do San Gimignano first, in the morning, because the narrow road up to the town can get busy with tour buses later in the day. Siena is larger and absorbs crowds better in the afternoon.
No. San Gimignano has no train station; the nearest is Poggibonsi, where you change to a local bus. Door to door, the train and bus route from Florence takes about 2 hours.
About 40 km (25 miles), 45 minutes or more by car depending on traffic. By bus it takes roughly 1 to 2 hours, sometimes with a change in Poggibonsi.
About 72 km (44.5 miles), around 1 hour by car. The rapid 131R bus takes about 1 hour 15 minutes and the train between 1 hour 30 and 1 hour 45 minutes.
Yes. Monteriggioni, the walled village just north of Siena, is an easy stop on the way, and a Chianti winery fits between the towns. Wine tastings and meals are not included in the tour price.
Yes. We collect you at your Florence hotel in the morning and bring you back there at the end of the day.
Up to 3 guests in an E-Class or S-Class, up to 7 in a V-Class and up to 8 in a Sprinter. Every tour is private, so only your group is in the car.
Send us your date, hotel and group size through our booking form, or call us. We reply with a suggested route and a quote.
Tell us your date, hotel and group size. We will reply with a route for the day and a quote.
Or call +39 333 857 8412 · info@mundolimousine.com
