Florence to San Gimignano

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 5 min read

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San Gimignano's cluster of medieval stone towers, visible for miles across the Tuscan hills, makes it one of the most photographed hill towns in Italy — but it's also one of the least conveniently connected to Florence by public transport. There's no railway station in the town and no single direct bus either. Here's the honest picture of how to get there.

Why there's no simple direct option

San Gimignano has never had a railway line, and while public buses do connect it to Florence, they are not a single direct service for most of the year. The standard route is a coach operated by Autolinee Toscane (the regional operator that absorbed the old SITA network) from Florence's bus station near Santa Maria Novella — an easy walk or tram ride from most central hotels, covered in our Florence public transport guide — to Poggibonsi, followed by a change onto a local bus for the final stretch up to San Gimignano itself. Total journey time is typically 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes including the wait for the connection, and it's worth building in some slack in case the onward bus is running a little behind schedule.

The Poggibonsi connection in practice

Poggibonsi itself is a fairly unremarkable modern town, but it's the necessary hub for reaching San Gimignano by public transport, and it's also on the main Florence–Siena railway line, so travellers coming by train can change there onto the local San Gimignano bus rather than starting the whole journey by coach. This makes Poggibonsi useful to know about even if buses aren't your first choice: train to Poggibonsi, then a short local bus into San Gimignano, is a reasonable alternative to the all-bus route, particularly for anyone already planning to pass through on the way to or from Siena.

Driving to San Gimignano

San Gimignano is about 55 km from Florence, roughly a 1-hour drive, mostly via the RA3 and SR429 roads through rolling Chianti-adjacent countryside. Driving is, honestly, the most convenient way to reach the town for anyone comfortable with Italian rural roads, since it avoids the bus connection entirely and allows a stop at a vineyard or smaller hill town along the way. Central San Gimignano is closed to outside traffic, so plan to park in one of the paid car parks just outside the walls and walk in — it's a short climb from any of them. See our driving in Italy guide for ZTL restricted zones and general road rules before setting off.

Organised day tours

Given the awkward public transport connection, organised day tours from Florence are a genuinely practical option here, more so than for many other Tuscan towns. Most combine San Gimignano with Siena and often a Chianti vineyard stop or a lunch with wine tasting, covering three destinations in a single day without needing to plan any of the bus changes yourself. This convenience comes at the cost of less free time in any one place, and San Gimignano in particular rewards a slower visit, so independent travellers who don't mind the Poggibonsi change often see more of the town for less money.

What to see in San Gimignano

The town's fourteen surviving medieval towers — out of a reported seventy-two once built by rival wealthy families competing for status — give San Gimignano its distinctive skyline and its nickname, "the Medieval Manhattan". The tallest, Torre Grossa, can be climbed for sweeping views over the towers and the surrounding Val d'Elsa countryside, and is generally considered the best single thing to do in town. Piazza della Cisterna, a herringbone-paved square built around a 13th-century well, is the natural centre of any visit, ringed by cafés and, famously, some of Tuscany's best-known gelato shops.

The Collegiate Church and its frescoes

The Collegiata, San Gimignano's main church, is modest from the outside but holds an exceptional cycle of Renaissance frescoes covering nearly every wall, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments in vivid colour. It's a paid entry separate from the town's other sights, but widely considered worth the ticket for anyone interested in medieval and early Renaissance art.

Vernaccia and the surrounding vineyards

The hills around San Gimignano produce Vernaccia di San Gimignano, one of Italy's oldest recognised white wines, and several small wineries within a short drive or even walk of the town offer tastings. It's a good reason to linger rather than treat the town as a quick photo stop, particularly for travellers arriving by car who can build in a vineyard visit either side of the walk through the historic centre.

Getting around once you're there

San Gimignano's historic centre is small and entirely closed to outside traffic, so once you've arrived by bus, car or tour coach, everything is within a short, if occasionally steep, walk. The town is built on a hilltop, so expect some uphill stretches between the main gates and the central piazzas — comfortable shoes are worth it more here than in flatter Tuscan towns.

Which should you choose?

For most independent travellers without a car, the bus via Poggibonsi is the standard route, and it's worth simply accepting the connection rather than searching for a direct service that may not exist on your travel dates. Driving is the smoothest option if you have a car and want flexibility, and organised tours are genuinely sensible here given how fiddly the public transport is, especially if combining San Gimignano with Siena or Chianti in one day. For nearby Tuscan towns with better direct connections, see our guides to Florence to Lucca and Florence to the Chianti wine region.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a direct bus from Florence to San Gimignano?

Not reliably year-round — the standard route is a coach to Poggibonsi followed by a change onto a local bus, though some limited seasonal direct services do sometimes run in summer.

How long does it take to get from Florence to San Gimignano?

Typically 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes by bus via the Poggibonsi connection, or around an hour by car.

Is San Gimignano worth visiting as a day trip from Florence?

Yes — the towers, the Collegiata's frescoes and Piazza della Cisterna are worth a half-day at least, and it combines naturally with Siena or Chianti if you have a full day.

Are day tours a good option for San Gimignano?

They can be, given the fiddly public transport connection — many combine San Gimignano with Siena and a Chianti wine stop, trading free time for convenience.