Booking choice: Siena and San Gimignano, from $310 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Siena is about 230 km from Rome by road, and San Gimignano is further on. That makes it a longer drive than Montepulciano, and the big coach operators tend to skip it.
The main option is a minivan day with hotel pickup; here is what it covers, what it costs and when the Val d'Orcia day is the better choice.
The quick answer
Yes: the Welcome Italy minivan day picks you up at your Rome hotel at 7:00, gives about two hours in Siena, then San Gimignano and a wine tasting, and runs about ten hours, from $310 per person. It rates 4.8 from 134 reviews. If you mainly want Tuscan countryside and a farm lunch, the Montepulciano day is cheaper and closer.
How far are Siena and San Gimignano from Rome?
Siena is roughly 230 km from Rome, about two and a half to three hours by road; San Gimignano is about 40 km further.
That is why most one-day tours from Rome head for the closer Val d'Orcia instead. A Siena day needs an early start and a minivan rather than a big coach.
Which tour covers Siena and San Gimignano from Rome?
Welcome Italy's semi-private minivan tour, with hotel pickup inside the Aurelian Walls, from $310.
It includes two hours in Siena with the tour leader (the Basilica of San Domenico, the cathedral square and Piazza del Campo), a visit to San Gimignano, and a tasting of wine and local products at a well-known cellar. Private versions from other operators cost more.
Siena and San Gimignano in one day, with hotel pickup. Check dates.
Check dates for Siena and San GimignanoWhat do you see in Siena?
Piazza del Campo, the cathedral square, and the Basilica of San Domenico, linked to St Catherine of Siena.
Siena's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Campo hosts the Palio horse race on 2 July and 16 August; on those days expect crowds and changed plans. Entry to the cathedral is not included on the tour.
What do you see in San Gimignano?
The "city of towers": a walled medieval hilltop town whose surviving tower houses make the skyline.
Its historic centre is also UNESCO-listed. Time here is short on a day from Rome, typically under an hour, so head for the central squares and the famous gelato, then back to the van.
How does it compare with the Montepulciano and Pienza day?
Siena is more famous and more monumental; the Val d'Orcia day is closer, cheaper and includes a full lunch.
| Siena & San Gimignano | Montepulciano & Pienza | |
|---|---|---|
| From | $310 | $115 |
| Length | 10 hours | 12 hours |
| Transport | Minivan, hotel pickup | Coach from Piazza del Popolo |
| Food | Tasting of wine and local products | Three-course lunch with wine |
| Rating | 4.8 (134) | 4.7 (5,660) |
Closer, cheaper and with a real lunch: Montepulciano and Pienza from $115.
Explore the Tuscany in One Day tourCan you add Florence too?
Not sensibly in one day from Rome; the Florence train tour adds San Gimignano instead of Siena.
ItaliaTours' train day combines a guided walk in Florence with a winery lunch and free time at San Gimignano. See Florence day trip from Rome.
Florence plus San Gimignano by fast train: check dates.
Check dates for Florence and San Gimignano by trainIs it worth it?
Yes if Siena is the one place you must see; otherwise the closer Val d'Orcia gives more time in Tuscany for less.
Guests on the Siena day praise small groups (sometimes just a couple of guests) and patient guides, and warn about steep streets and heat in summer. Bring water.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa from Rome in a day?
Not realistically: Pisa is on the far side of Tuscany. Tours that combine the three start from Florence.
Is there a train from Rome to Siena?
There is no fast direct line; trains usually change at Chiusi or Florence and take around three hours or more. Buses are an alternative.
When is the Palio in Siena?
The Palio horse race runs on 2 July and 16 August each year in Piazza del Campo.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Siena & San Gimignano with Wine Tasting
Siena and San Gimignano in a minivan, with pickup
Tuscany in One Day: Val d'Orcia, Wine & Lunch
- Round-trip air-conditioned coach from Rome with Wi-Fi
- Guided walk in Montepulciano with a local guide, photo stop at San Biagio
- Three-course lunch at a Tuscan farm and winery, wine tasting incl. Brunello
Florence & San Gimignano by High-Speed Train
Florence plus a winery lunch at San Gimignano, by fast train
