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If you’re anything like me, you’re trying to make the most of your time when you’re out and about traveling. I’m not a leisurely traveler. Never have been, maybe never will be? As someone who works in schools, I’m quite limited in the days I can travel during the year. It’s a blessing and a curse to be on the school schedule! Regardless, I make every day of travel worth it.
To give you some context, Florence was one of the stops on my 10-day Italy trip (12 days if you don’t count the 2 days that were lost to travel). We spent a total of three full days there and had a blast! Yes, it’s not a lot of time and we may not have seen the city as thoroughly as we had wanted but we got enough of a taste to not need to go back for quite some time. If you want to get a good taste of the city without visiting the ins and out of each museum and church, these are the perfect activities for you!
How I Booked Some of My More “Involved” Tours
With that being said, utilizing different tour companies has been my saving grace when trying to pack it all in. Now, I don’t use tour companies for everything I do but I have found that for certain activities, it’s best to leave it to the experts! Especially since most tours will pick you up from your hotel or at a location near the city center. Not having to worry about transportation or certain logistics has been quite the game changer!
Vespa Tour
You can’t go to Italy without riding a Vespa! That would be like visiting Paris and not eating a croissant. Riding a Vespa through the Tuscan countryside is a must-do when visiting Florence. Not only do you get the opportunity to escape the city and see the beautiful landscape, but you also have the opportunity to live out your Lizzie McGuire Italian Summer dreams.
As a group of 4, we decided to book a Vespa tour that allowed us to ride together. We didn’t initially think too much about booking a double Vespa but it ended up being our saving grace!
Check-in & Pick-up
Our group met at the touring office about a 15 minute walk from the Duomo in Florence. Florence is quite walkable so there should be no problem getting to the meet-up point from your stay. Make sure you walk into the Towns of Italy office. This is where you will sign the necessary paperwork before hopping onto the bus to get your Vespa! All our tours were booked through Get Your Guide and they were hosted by local Italian tour companies. Get Your Guide was a great way to see everything offered on one page!
Once we had all our paperwork squared away, you’ll be met by your guide on a bus into the Tuscan countryside. It was about a 20 minute bus ride. I actually really enjoyed the ride as our tour guide was super knowledgeable and pointed out many landmarks on our way to to the Vespas. Also, it was a sneak peek at the gorgeous Tuscan terrain!
Safety First
Once we arrived at our destination, the guides gave us all helmets and explained the proper way to handle a Vespa. What I appreciated about this tour was that they made sure everybody felt comfortable operating a Vespa before taking us out on the road. They made everybody do a test drive around the perimeter to ensure that everybody felt good about riding out on the roads. They emphasized safety and reiterated that they were more than happy to drive people who did not feel comfortable.
This is where signing up for the double vespas came in handy. Although they ask that people who sign up for this tour have some experience on a two-wheeled vehicle, most people did not–myself included. Although I wasn’t too shabby at riding the Vespa, I was a bit shaky and felt unsafe. Thankfully, my husband has had some experience and I was more than happy to hop on the back while he navigated through the countryside. What started off as a way to save money became the way we were able to go on the tour without having to ride holding onto a strangers back! Of course, if you do opt for the double Vespa, you can definitely take turns driving.
The Experience
The ride through the countryside was GORGEOUS. It was truly breathtaking and felt super freeing to drive along the winding streets. The entire time, the guides made sure to check-up on everybody and went at an appropriate place. We rode the Vespas for about an hour, broken up into multiple parts, which I thought was just enough to be satisfied. On the tour, we had two stops– a small city where we had a little snack and got to walk around and a vineyard where we got to sample some delicious wines and have some lunch! Thankfully, they had us return our vespas before we hopped on a bus to the winery–safety first!
After lunch and wine-tasting at the vineyard, we had the opportunity to walk around and take pictures and peruse the gift shop. Then, the bus took us back to where we originally met up at the start of the tour. I honestly loved this tour and thought it was a great experience. It was super fun and very special being able to ride around the countryside. I highly recommend taking the Vespa tour when you’re out in Florence.
Full Day Tuscany Tour
Getting There & Check-in
In order to get to our pick-up point, we did need to take the subway. Although I was a bit nervous about taking the train so early in the morning, it was a super easy hop on the T2 tram by the big train station(Santa Maria Novella Station) in Florence. The ride there took about 30 minutes and it was a straight shot. It’s the last station so you can’t miss it! When you get on the tram, DO NOT FORGET to validate your ticket! On our first day, we got fined because we had no clue! Don’t make the same mistake, it’s a hefty fine of 40 euros.
Once we got to the station, there were a ton of groups waiting around for different tours. It’s a huge hub and there are dozens of busses waiting to take different groups to different places. Although it was crowded, it was pretty easy to spot our group and check-in. You will get a sticker that distinguishes you from other groups. Don’t stray too far once you’ve found your group though, it can get a bit confusing!
After a pit stop to grab some snacks and use the restroom, we were off. We headed onto a double decker bus and all the important announcements were made by our tour guide. Most importantly, make sure you arrive back to the bus on time. They WILL leave you if you are not there on time. If you get lost, there’s a number on your sticker you can call.
Pisa
While we were on our way to Pisa, it started to drizzle. Rain or shine, the tour goes on. When we got off the bus at our first stop, it was a bit chaotic due to the rain. There were people selling ponchos and umbrellas and amongst the chaos, we lost our group. Thankfully, everybody generally moves towards the same direction so we were able to find our guide pretty quickly. With that being said, make sure you’re paying attention and follow the group! These places are quite crowded so it’s easy to get lost.
In Pisa, we had about an hour to roam around. It’s not a very big place so it was plenty of time to walk around and get all our silly pictures in. Although it’s quite crowded, I didn’t find it too difficult to snap some good pictures. There are options of this tour where you can go on guided tours but my friends and I decided to walk around on our own.
Siena
Siena was the next stop on our trip. At this point, the rain came to a stop which was a relief. It is a gorgeous city with beautiful architecture and churches. We were given about 2 hours to wander around Siena which I thought was the perfect amount of time to walk the sprawling streets.
Since we did not opt for the version of the tour with a guide, we spent the time wandering around and hitting all the major landmarks. On the bus ride over, we read up on all the major sites so we knew exactly where to walk. The Duomo di Siena and Piazza del Campo are not to miss! What I found really nice about the city was how easy it was to get around. The major sites are clearly marked so you cannot miss them! In Siena, be prepared for lots of hills and steep incline. Good walking shoes are a must!
Lunch
For lunch, we were taken to the Chianti region. This is similar to where we were taken on our Vespa tour. I found this lunch to be much more fun and involved as we were given a demonstration of the best wines and balsamic vinegar pairings. Throughout the pairings, we were given bread, cheese, and a salad. Towards the end, we were served pasta and given time to finish up our wine and peruse the gift store. The food was pretty good considering it was for a huge group and the tour itself was super fun. We definitely left feeling much looser than when we came in.
San Gimignano
Our last and final stop was San Gimignano. After a full day of tours and a hefty wine tasting, we were TIRED. Thankfully, we all had the opportunity to take a little nap on the bus before heading out to our last location. San Gimignano is known as the “Medieval Manhattan” for its skyline of towers. As you walk up the steep hill to its entrance, its reminiscent of towns you would see in Game of Thrones.
When you walk into its doors, you’re transported into another world. It’s beautiful architecture is mind blowing. I could not help but marvel at how people could have built something so sturdy to have lasted the test of time. As you walk into the city, there are multiple viewpoints where you can see the sprawling landscape of Tuscany. Also, don’t miss the famous gelato while you’re there–Gelataria Dondoli. There’s a long line but it moves fairly quickly. There are a ton of fun flavors so don’t be afraid to mix and match!
Final Thoughts
This tour is not for the weak. It’s a very long day with a lot packed in so just know you’re in for an all day experience! With that being said, I love this type of tour. You get to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time to really make the most of your time in a city. I love that the transportation, itinerary, and lunch are covered as well. If you’re looking for a tour to cover a lot of ground, I would definitely recommend giving this one a try!
Take a look at the Vespa Tour!
Take a look at the Full Day Tuscany Tour!
