Food destinations within easy reach of Florence. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.

Worth the trip

Greve in Chianti ★ 4.5

1 hour by SITA bus or carSITA bus 365 from Piazza Adua

Famous for: Chianti Classico cellars and Tuscan lunch in the piazza

Greve in Chianti, 35km south of Florence, is the historic capital of the Chianti Classico wine region, with the triangular Piazza Matteotti.

Greve in Chianti

San Miniato ★ 4.6

1 hour by train from Santa Maria NovellaTrain from Santa Maria Novella to San Miniato-Fucecchio, 6 euros each way

Famous for: White-truffle hunting and tasting October to December

San Miniato, 50km west of Florence, holds the annual Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco every November weekend, with the rare San Miniato white truffle.

San Miniato

Lucca ★ 4.5

1.5 hours by train from Santa Maria NovellaTrain direct from Santa Maria Novella; 9 euros each way

Famous for: Buccellato cake, tordelli lucchesi pasta, the Saturday market

Lucca, 80km west of Florence inside its 16th-century walls, runs a parallel Tuscan kitchen with the buccellato sweet bread, tordelli lucchesi.

Lucca

Siena ★ 4.6

1 hour 30 by train from Santa Maria NovellaTrain from Santa Maria Novella to Siena via Empoli; 11 euros each way

Famous for: Pici cacio e pepe, panforte, ricciarelli, Palio season summer

Siena, 75km south of Florence, runs the canonical pici cacio e pepe in every trattoria off Piazza del Campo, with the panforte and ricciarelli pastry.

Siena

Montalcino ★ 4.7

2 hours by car or train + bus from Santa Maria NovellaTrain to Siena then bus to Montalcino; 16 euros total

Famous for: Brunello di Montalcino tasting cellars

Montalcino, 110km south of Florence, holds the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG appellation, with 250 producers including Biondi-Santi, Argiano, Casanova di Neri.

Montalcino

Bologna ★ 4.8

37 minutes by Frecciarossa from Santa Maria NovellaHigh-speed train Frecciarossa, 20-50 euros each way

Famous for: Tagliatelle al ragu, tortellini in brodo, mortadella

Bologna, 100km north of Florence and 37 minutes by Frecciarossa train, is the canonical Emilia-Romagna kitchen, with tagliatelle al ragu (never spaghetti.

Bologna

Pisa ★ 4.3

1 hour by train from Santa Maria NovellaRegional train direct, 9 euros each way

Famous for: Cecina chickpea pancake, pasta alla renaiola, seafood

Pisa, 80km west of Florence, runs a separate Tuscan-seafood kitchen with the cecina chickpea pancake from the wood ovens of Lungarno Pacinotti.

Pisa
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