Central Italy
Pistoia by Train from Florence: Tuscany's Most Overlooked City
Striped Romanesque churches, a cathedral square among the finest in Tuscany, and a medieval hospital decorated with Della Robbia masterpieces — only 30 minutes from Florence by train, and almost entirely overlooked.
Central Italy
Lucca by Train from Florence: A Day Trip to Tuscany's Most Charming Walled City
Lucca is one of the most quietly rewarding cities in Tuscany — intact Renaissance walls you can walk or cycle around, a Roman amphitheatre whose shape still defines the piazza above it, and almost none of the crowds that overwhelm Florence.
Central Italy
Siena by Bus and Train: A Complete Guide to One of Italy's Greatest Medieval Cities
Siena is less than 90 minutes from Florence by direct bus — a UNESCO medieval city with one of the great public squares in Europe, a cathedral that rivals Florence's, underground cellar restaurants and the Palio horse race twice a year. Far less visited than it deserves to be.