Tuscany tours provide added value to sightseeing
MyTour in Italy’s Tuscany and Pisa day tour from Florence
It’s all about added value: you can well roam through the Tuscan hills on your own, see the major landmarks and capture good views, but booking a professionally crafted tour, say a Tuscany and Pisa day tour from Florence, enables you to make the most of your time.
Guided tours of Tuscany Italy led by licensed guides ensure you admire all the must-sees, journey in full comfort, and catch hidden vistas that a good many DIY visitors never get to!
Oh yes, Tuscany tours can be enchanting, enlightening, and unforgettable, as long as…
As long as they are well-planned and led by knowledgeable professionals.
Which, unfortunately, is not a given.
The problem: too many tour-selling companies
Over the last ten years, the expansion of mass tourism, plus the ever-increasing popularity of Tuscany and its most iconic locations, have led to a hazardous demand-triggered phenomenon. As Pisa, Siena, Florence, and small Tuscan villages started filling up with tourists, companies selling Tuscany tours literally sprung from the ground, cramming the internet, as well as the local cobble-paved streets, with all kinds of advertisements.
The result: too many (dreadful) Tuscany tours
But tour planning is not a piece of cake: it takes expertise, know-how, widespread knowledge, and good problem-solving skills too. You just can’t improvise, and the guided tours of Tuscany, Italy provided by many a newborn travel agency show how true this is.
Plenty of the Tuscany tours for sale on the internet are really not worth your money: poorly planned and led by feeble guides who speak piteous English, these low-standard guided tours of Tuscany employ shabby vehicles driven by chauffeurs that hardly know where they’re going. Not to mention the carelessness in booking tickets and/or reservations for museums and sites, and the hurried-through way the actual viewings are conducted.
Are there any good day trips under the Tuscan sun?
Luckily, not all guided tours of Tuscany Italy are handled by non-professionals. But, with the whole region brimming with companies that promise “superior quality and top-notch services”, how does one figure out which ones are really worthwhile?
When it comes to tours, and especially day trips that involve a tour escort or guide service and traveling by bus, reputation and qualifications are what you need to look at. But it takes time and a lot of careful research to peruse websites, compare data, read former clients’ reviews, etc.
Where can a traveler find straight-to-the-point info and advice on Tuscany tours?
On the Studentsville blog of course!
Studentsville can help you find satisfying Tuscany tours.
Our faithful readers well know that Studentsville’s aim is to help foreigners, especially students, find their way around and enjoy fulfilling experiences. That’s why we try to cover all aspects of living abroad, from advice on housing to useful tips on where to buy what you need. Taking day trips is definitely the best way to get to know Tuscany’s fascinating and diverse cultural heritage. So, we thought, our aficionados could use some advice on guided tours in Tuscany, Italy.
We tried the tours ourselves!
With this in mind, our staff decided to try out a few day trips and provide readers with circumstantial feedback on what to book to get:
- good value for money
- an enjoyable experience
- a properly-designed schedule
What most travelers seek: pleasant one-day guided tours to Pisa and Siena
Talking with visitors, and liaising with our contacts in Florence’s hotels and hostels, we found out that what most travelers look for when they are in town is a Tuscany and Pisa day tour from Florence that includes viewing of Siena and of a smaller town too.
Now, planning a tour with these features is no cinch: the distance between Pisa and Siena is 133 km, i.e. almost 83 miles, so there’s quite a lot of traveling involved. Plus, both cities are chock-full of spectacular sights to see. Hence, a good day trip needs to be properly planned and flawlessly conducted.
Seeking options for a Tuscany and Pisa day trip from Florence? Well, read on, and see what we found!
A pleasant and interesting guided tour of Tuscany Italy: MyTour in Italy’s Tour of Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa with lunch
We took 5 different tours and took detailed notes on everything: guides, planning, and traveling. We then weighed the pros, cons, and prices. In the end, we decided that the Tuscany and Pisa day trip from Florence we most enjoyed was the one provided by My Tour in Italy. This company was born in the verdant Chianti hills twenty years ago, is renowned for the variety of tours it offers throughout the whole of Italy.
Curious about the company? Learn more here
The Tuscan tour we chose
Having different alternatives to pick from is always great because it allows you to choose your preference based on both cost and services provided. MyTour in Italy provides a variety of options for the Tuscany and Pisa day trip from Florence. We selected the Traditional Tour Option, which includes a guided tour of Siena led by a professional licensed guide.
But you could, alternatively, go for the Basic Option, which is super cost-effective, or opt for either of two upgraded versions: the small-group tour, or the one that comprises viewing of the Siena Cathedral.
Our day with MyTour in Italy: first stop in Pisa
We met our guide, a kind and friendly professional with a happy smile and pleasing manner, and departed Florence (with no delay) in the morning. The journey, aboard a clean state-of-the-art vehicle, was very comfortable. The first stop of our Tuscany and Pisa day trip from Florence was in Pisa: our tour escort gave us basic information and directions, and we then enjoyed exploring the magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli on our own. Strolling with our fellow travelers, we had the chance to take photos and admire the leaning tower and marvelous cathedral.
Chianti, San Gimignano and Siena
Then off we went towards the rolling hills of Chianti. Reclining in our seats, we gazed at sun-kissed meadows, vine-clad hillsides, and dainty villages on our way to San Gimignano, one of Tuscany’s most picturesque and well-preserved ancient towns. Once there, we wandered through the quaint alleys, discovered the tall towers, and browsed the pretty shops. It was like spending time in a fairytale! Our lovely Tuscany and Pisa day trip from Florence continued with a scenic journey to Siena, a UNESCO-heritage site, and a picture-perfect example of a typical Medieval city.
A guided tour of Tuscany must include beautiful Siena!
The local professional guide who led us through Siena was polite, attentive, and, in our opinion, quite knowledgeable. She took us to the Duomo, Baptistery of San Giovanni, and Torre del Mangia, illustrated each site’s history, told us stories about the local customs, and even a few bewitching legends and fascinating anecdotes.
A superb lunch in a marvelous piazza
Finally, we were escorted across the airy, magnificent Piazza del Campo – Siena’s main square, where the famous Palio horse race is held – to a charming restaurant. That’s where we had lunch, right in the piazza. We had the chance to sample typical Tuscan fare traditionally prepared with fresh local produce. And there were delicious vegetarian options too, which was great. A perfect end to a very pleasant day!
Looking for an enjoyable and interesting and budget-friendly San Gimignano, Siena and Pisa tour from Florence? Check out MyTour in Italy’s signature “Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa with lunch”!
