1. Best of Tuscany Full-Day Scenic Tour from Florence
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of the towns, villages, and countryside of Tuscany on a full-day private excursion from Florence, and travel back in time to the days of the Romans, Etruscans and Middle Ages. You will start by driving to Pisa, a gentle town that recalls the days of the Pisan Republic. The focus will be on the astonishing Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), home to the medieval Duomo, Baptistery, and legendary Leaning Tower. Continue to the Etruscan village of San Gimignano, famous for its Vernaccia wines and medieval towers. Stroll the narrow streets of this pearl of Middle Aged Tuscany, before driving to the walled settlement of Monteriggioni, built in the 13th century by the Sienese to keep watch over the Roman Via Cassia from its hillside location. Siena is the next stop, where you will tour the romantic center, best known for the annual Palio horse race in the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. The city’s medieval skyline is dominated by the Gothic cathedral and taut needle of the Torre del Mangia. Also not to be missed is the Palazzo Pubblico, home to an important museum, and a great work of architecture in its own right. On the way back to Florence, see the charming Chianti area, characterized by rolling hills dotted with vineyards, cypress trees, olive groves, and small hamlets.