Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region in Italy. It is famous for being the home of many Renaissance art and architecture masterpieces. In fact, Florence is known as the birthplace of the Renaissance as many early writers and artists of the period sprung from here. It is also located some 60km from the captivating town of San Gimignano. San Gimignano is a walled medieval village within the Province of Siena with a rich past and fascinating architecture. It is famous for its stunning hilltop setting and many towers, which give it its nickname of the “Medieval Manhattan”.
In 1990, UNESCO declared the historical centre of San Gimignano a World Heritage Site because it perfectly preserves many architectural and artistic Italian masterpieces from the XIV and XV centuries.
Today, some 3 million people visit San Gimignano every year. Visitors often make the journey from Florence. So, if you’d like to do the same, there are four ways to get from Florence to San Gimignano.
How to get from Florence to San Gimignano
Bus
Getting the bust from Florence to San Gimignano is very straightforward. You just head to Via Santa Caterina da Siena, right next to Florence’s Santa Maria Novela train station, and board the public bus to San Gimignano. You’ll need to transfer to another bus at Poggibonsi. The first leg of the journey takes bout 50 minutes and the second bus takes about 20 minutes. However, you could be waiting a while for the second bus, so plan accordingly. During peak hours or summer, the total travel time could be upwards of two hours.
Once you get to San Gimignano, alight at Porta San Giovanni. This is the main city gate; from here, it is a short walk to Piazza Cisterna in the city’s centre.
Car
Renting a car gives you the most flexibility as you can depart when you like and stop off along the way. There are many car hire firms around Florence, but finding the best deal is the first step. Florence and San Gimignano are just 60km away from each other, and the drive should take about fifty minutes. From Florence, you just follow the Lungarno della Zecca Vecchia and SS67 to Via Marco Polo and then drive from A1/E35 and Raccordo Autostradale Firenze – Siena to Poggibonsi. Take exit Poggibonsi Nord from Raccordo Autostradale Firenze – Siena. Finally, take Strada Regionale 429 di Val d‘Elsa and SP1 to Via Bonda in San Gimignano.
Train and Bus
There’s no train station in San Gimignano, so you can’t actually travel directly between Florence and San Gimignano by train. However, you can combine a train journey with a short bus ride.
From Florence’s Santa Maria Novela train station, take a train to Poggibonsi train station. The journey takes just under one hour. Once you reach Poggibonsi, catch local bus number 130 to San Gimignano. The bus journey takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes – longer in the summer.
Tour
The most convenient way to get to San Gimignano is to take a tour. Most tours from Florence take in many places of interest along the way, including stops in Siena and Pisa. So, this option is a great idea for those who don’t want to drive themselves but would like to explore more of the Tuscan countryside. Most tours will include comfortable, air-conditioned coach pick-ups, an English-speaking guide, and guided tours of the towns with some free time so you can ramble at your own pace. This is one of the best ways to sit back and enjoy the views without having to worry about missing connections or looking at directions.
