Florence: Day Trips and Tours from Milan

From Roman outpost to 21st century tourist hotspot, Tuscany’s capital has attracted visitors for centuries. Florence, Italy is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. The town played a pivotal role in developing modern thought.

Known as the cradle of the Renaissance, this postcard-pretty town was once the home of the Medici family who funded many Renaissance creations. A Florence day trip from Milan is a convenient way to steep yourself in Italian art and history.

Here's all you need to know about visiting Florence, one of the most breathtaking destinations for day trips from Milan.

How to get to Florence from Milan?

Florence is located in Tuscany in northern Italy, a little over 300 kilometers south of Milan.

From Milan to Florence by car

From central Milan, take Via Alessandro Manzoni to Viale Enrico Forlanini. Note that the road changes names several times over 7 kilometers

Follow A1 to Firenze for 300 kilometers and exit toward Ponte a Ema/Ospedale S.M. Annunziata/Greve/Siena from SP127. Turn left toward Florence on Via Benedetto Fortini and follow signs for the city center.

Depending on traffic and road conditions, the drive takes from 3.5 to 4.5 hours.

From Milan to Florence by bus/public transport

Italy’s high speed trains make short work of the 300 kilometers between Milan and Florence. With an average travel time of 2 hours and at least one train leaving per hour, a train ride to Florence is reliable and fast.

Hourly trains from Milano Centrale station to Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station run from 5 AM until 11:20 PM.

Guided tour to Florence from Milan

Save the trouble of driving or struggling through language barriers to buy train tickets by booking a guided tour. Trouble-free day tours to Florence from Milan combine round-trip train tickets, a visit to Florence and often tickets to the Uffizi Gallery in one price.

What is the typical itinerary?

Start early for a full day of travel and sightseeing. Catch the 8:30 train to Florence from Milano Centrale, making sure to arrive 30 minutes or more before the departure time. Relax and take in the scenery as the train speeds you to Florence.

Embark on a guided or independent tour of the town. Tour options include a live guide, hop-on hop-off bus tours or the chance to explore on your own. Spend 6 to 8 hours in Florence exploring the historic cobbled streets and squares before the 2-hour train ride back to Milan in the evening.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Florence?

Make your way from Milan to Florence by high-speed train for an exciting day of sightseeing in one of Italy’s most desirable cities.

Florence walking tours plus train tickets

After your speedy train ride from Milan, meet your tour guide at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella Station for a walking visit to the city’s main attractions. Spend about 1.5 hours with a guide before setting off on your own. Return to Milan by evening with your included round-trip train ticket.

Florence day trips by train plus Uffizi Gallery tickets

Book a convenient Florence day tour that bundles round-trip train transportation from Milan and skip-the-line tickets to the Uffizi Gallery. Take in masterpieces at one of Italy’s most popular museums before venturing through Florence’s ancient streets. For extra value, choose a tour that provides a hop-on hop-off bus tour.

How much does a day trip to Florence from Milan cost?

Prices for day trips to Florence from Milan vary according to what is included in the tour package. A walking tour package with round-trip train tickets costs €155 per person. These tours offer you a live guide to introduce you to Florence plus free time to explore on your own.

Tour packages at about €200 per person provide round-trip train travel and entrance to the Uffizi Gallery. Some tours also include a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass to access more of the city while benefiting from a multilingual audio tour.

What will you see and do?

Renaissance art

There is no place better in the world to experience the marvels of the Renaissance. Concentrated in 14th-century Florence was wealth, will and talent that gave birth to a school of thought that changed the world. The city was home to the most influential minds of the time, including Michelangelo, Leonardo DaVinci and Machiavelli.

Dotting the city are galleries and museums featuring some of the planet’s most celebrated works. Find Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia Gallery, Bruneschelli’s architecture at San Lorenzo church and more and the mind-boggling array of masterpieces at the Uffizi Gallery. The magnitude of the city’s collections has even led to notorious fainting spells.

With tour packages that include tickets to the Uffizi Gallery, enjoy skip-the-line access to thousands of paintings, sculptures, sketches and more. Spy Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus,” Caravaggio’s “Medusa,” Michelangelo’s “Doni Tondo” and much more. The building itself is a draw. Take in the museum’s columns, frescoes, courtyard and gardens that date to 1581.

Scattered around the city are numerous Renaissance creations. Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise” resides in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo and the “Fountain of Neptune” in the Piazza della Signoria. Michaelangelo’s works adorn the Medici family mausoleum, and visits to the city’s churches introduces you to some of Italy’s most famed frescoes.

Piazzas

The center of Italian life are its cities’ piazzas. Florence boasts many picturesque and historic central squares where you can find many of the town’s major destinations as well as dining and shopping. Top on the list are Piazza della Signoria, Piazzale Michelangelo and Piazza Santo Spirito.

Find some of Florence’s most coveted sites at the Piazza della Signoria. Check out the piazza’s Renaissance statues as you head to the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Vecchio. Although Piazzale Michelangelo teems with tourists and souvenir stands, the view from this vantage point is unrivaled in Florence. Pick up lunch at Piazza Santo Spirito’s daily market.

Gothic churches

Many of Florence’s churches are must-see sites, even for the non-religious. The historic structures house famous frescoes and icons, and more than a few occupy sites of worship that date to Roman times. The Basilicas of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce and the Duomo are stops on most Florence day tours.

These three 13th-century churches are steadfast Florentine institutions that have weathered wars and natural disasters for more than half a millennium. The frescoes and chapels of the basilicas will have you in awe.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as the Duomo, is a trifecta of historic buildings. The three structures are the cathedral, the baptistry and the bell tower, all protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Duomo is the largest brick-and-mortar dome in the world, and its interior features the dazzling “Last Judgment” fresco by Vasari.

Ponte Vecchio

Florence’s Ponte Vecchio, or “Old Bridge,” is just that. With the first structure commissioned in 123, the bridge has seen several iterations over the centuries. The bridge standing today was built in 1345 and has been a marketplace since then. A covered gallery spans the bridge where visitors have been able to purchase fine jewelry since 1595.

The Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge in the city to be spared by Nazi troops in World War II, supposedly because Hitler was touched by its uncommon beauty. Views from the bridge are sublime, encompassing the Arno River, the city and the Tuscan hills beyond.

When is the best time to visit Florence

Florence is beautiful at any time of year. The high tourist season is from April to October. Encounter the fewest other travelers in the winter. Early spring and late fall allow you to enjoy pleasant weather and spring gardens in bloom without the crowds.

Are there any tours to Florence from other cities in Italy?

Yes, there are tours departing from other cities in Italy:

• Day tours to Florence from Livorno
• Florence day tours from Lucca
• Day trips to Florence from Pisa
• Florence day trips from Rome
• Day tours to Florence from Venice

Travel tips

• Wear clothing and shoes appropriate for an active day with lots of walking.
• If your tour package includes tickets to Uffizi Gallery, plan your visit early in the day to avoid crowds.