Siena was a beautiful hour and a half drive away through small villages and towns. We arrived early and I loved the empty old town streets as we made our way to Piazza del Campo to meet our tour guide for the day.

Lucky for us, we were just a 10-minute drive to the train station and a 15-minute train ride into the heart of the city of Florence. We started the day early and I am so glad we did. There was hardly anyone on the street as we walked to the Duomo and got to see the square and hear the bells before the area filled with tourists and vendors. It was such a beautiful site!

Pisa is just over an hour drive from where we stayed outside of Florence and great for a half-day visit. The Square of Miracles with the famous leaning tower, is truly beautiful. Outside the square there are all the touristy vendor stalls, but once you step inside the walls the green grass is immaculate and the white marble baptistry, cathedral, Campo Santo and the tower just gleam.