All articles — guides, tips and hidden places

Ravenna by Train: Eight UNESCO Sites and the Finest Byzantine Mosaics in the World

Ravenna was the last capital of the Western Roman Empire, then the seat of Byzantine power in Italy for two centuries more. Eight monuments survive from that era - the finest collection of early Christian mosaics anywhere in the world. An hour from Bologna by direct train.

Ferrara by Train: A Renaissance City the Crowds Have Missed

Ferrara has a moated Renaissance castle in the centre of the city, nine kilometres of walls to cycle around, frescoes that rival those in Florence, and almost no tourist crowds. Thirty minutes from Bologna by train.

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.

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.

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.

What to Do in Florence: Beyond the Uffizi and the Duomo

Beyond Florence’s headline sights lies a quieter, more intriguing city, where a short detour reveals hidden corners, overlooked masterpieces, and a far richer sense of place.

12 Days in Italy by Train — Using Rome and Florence as bases

Best Day Trips from Florence by Train: Siena, Lucca, Arezzo and Beyond

The best day trips from Florence by train include Siena, Lucca, Arezzo, San Miniato, Pisa, Bologna and even Rome — all reachable without changing hotels, repacking your suitcase or hiring a car.