Tuscany - is 4 days too long in Florence (no DCs with us)?

[sandalsinthebin]

Dropping DS for holiday with a pal in mid Tuscany this summer, and have a week just myself and DH before we collect him again. Planning one day in Siena and one day in Pisa. Can anyone advise on whether it's worth spending the remaining 4 days mooching about in Florence (love mooching, drinking coffee and all that history), BUT is there anywhere else amazing in Tuscany that we shouldn't miss while we're there without any DCs? On public transport but happy to jump on trains. TIA any Tuscany-loving mumsnetters x

I would absolutely recommend a visit to San Gimignano - train from Siena to Poggibonsi (possibly my favourite name for a town ever), then bus or taxi from there.

You could get a train from Florence to Bologna for the day. You could go to Arezzo by train (spent time at uni there), also further south you could head to Orvieto. Or just mooch around Florence - lovely city!

Florence has so much to do and see that you will have 4 very packed days! My recommendation is to take the tour bus up to Fiesole and have a good look around the Roman ruins, church and monastery. The monks there were a travelling order so there are artefacts from all over the world.

Another recommendation is the Palazzo Medici Riccardi - beautiful artwork and an incredible house anyway. Ditto the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli gardens. You can also buy tickets to climb to the top of the Duomo - well worth the price and effort for the close-up view of the inside of the dome.

If you're into art, then yes. Firenze can get very busy and hot in summer (I much prefer it in winter). I would suggest two days there and a day in San Gimignano and perhaps Lucca (not Pisa though!).

Bologna station is a bit of a hike from the main sights and it will be hot!!! Definitely go to San Gimignano and spend the rest of the days in Florence.

1 day is too long in Pisa while 4 days is too short for Florence

Pisa has the leaning tower and the baptistry and, well, that's it.

Florence on the other hand has a treasure trove of art and you would only skim the surface in 4 days. We are planning a fortnight for Florence!

Also Bologna in August is utterly brutally hot. We did it on our honeymoon - over 40 degrees most days, lots of things shut as the Italians wisely had all packed off to the beach.

Lucca, Orvieto and Arezzo are better bets or Fiesole for close by.

Plenty in Florence for 4 days, Pisa is worth a visit, as are Orvieto, San Sepolcro and Lucca. I wouldn't bother with Bologna on such a short trip though.

Jealous!

I second San Gimignagno. It is definitely worth a visit. We spent a week in Tuscany a couple of summers ago. We spent two very full days in Florence, a day each in Lucca and Pisa and a day in San Gimignagno (plus a couple of days lounging by the pool). It was a really good mix. Lucca has an annual festival. We had missed something good by a day, so it might be worth checking that out online.

Brilliant! Thanks all this advice is great I can't wait now. I'll definitely plan for a trip to San Gimignagno, and try to squeeze Lucca in too, the rest of the time in Florence. We'll be there early July so hopefully not too hot.