Five Days in Tuscany: Day Trips from Pisa to Volterra, San Gimignano, Lucca, Livorno and Siena

Pisa works well as a base for exploring western Tuscany. The city itself takes half a day; the surrounding towns — Volterra, San Gimignano, Lucca, Livorno, and Siena — are all reachable in under two hours by car or public transport. What follows is a practical breakdown of each destination, with enough detail to plan the days without guesswork.

Day 1: Pisa

Arrive and orient yourself. The Piazza dei Miracoli — Tower, Cathedral, Baptistery, and Camposanto — is the obvious starting point and takes two to three hours. Tickets for the Tower must be booked online in advance; queuing on the day is not reliable. The rest of the city is quieter: the Arno riverside, Borgo Stretto, and the Piazza dei Cavalieri are all within walking distance and worth an hour each. Pisa is a functioning university city, which means reasonable prices for food compared to the tourist-heavy towns further inland.

Day 2: Volterra

Volterra is about an hour from Pisa by car (no direct train). It sits on a high ridge with long views in every direction and has been continuously inhabited since at least the Etruscan period. The Museo Etrusco Guarnacci holds one of the largest Etruscan collections in Italy, including the Ombra della Sera bronze figurine. The Roman theatre (1st century BC) is visible from a public terrace above the town at no cost. The town is also the centre of Tuscan alabaster craft — workshops are still operating and open to visitors. Smaller and less visited than San Gimignano, which makes it easier to move around.

Day 3: San Gimignano

San Gimignano is about 1h15 from Pisa by car, or reachable by bus via Poggibonsi. Fourteen of its original 72 medieval towers still stand, giving the skyline an immediately recognisable profile. The Collegiata (cathedral) has a full cycle of Old and New Testament frescoes covering the interior walls. The local wine — Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a dry white — is the thing to drink here; it has been produced in the area since at least the 13th century. The town is popular and gets crowded by midday in summer; arriving early makes a significant difference.

Day 4: Lucca and Livorno

Both towns are close to Pisa and can be combined in a single day. Lucca (30 minutes by train) is encircled by Renaissance walls wide enough to walk or cycle on top — the 4 km circuit takes about an hour on foot. Inside: Piazza dell’Anfiteatro (built over a Roman amphitheatre), the Cathedral of San Martino, and a compact historic centre without the coach-tour density of San Gimignano. Livorno (20 minutes by train) is different in character — a working port with a grid-plan centre and a canal district called the Venezia quarter. The local dish is cacciucco, a spiced fish stew; it is served at most trattorie near the market.

Day 5: Siena

Siena is the furthest day trip from Pisa — about 1h15 by car, or by bus via Florence. The Campo, Palazzo Pubblico, Torre del Mangia, and the Duomo are the main stops. The Duomo’s marble inlaid floor — 56 panels covering the entire nave — is uncovered only in late summer; for the rest of the year a protective covering is in place. For a fuller account of what to see and where to eat in Siena, see the Siena guide.

Getting Around

A hire car gives the most flexibility, particularly for Volterra (no train) and the Prosciutto di Modena hills if you are combining with a trip into Emilia-Romagna. Trains connect Pisa to Lucca, Livorno, and Florence (for onward buses to Siena and San Gimignano) frequently throughout the day. Bus services reach Volterra from Pisa but are infrequent — check timetables before committing to a bus-only day.