You can explore other towns in Tuscany by train or bus quite easily. Siena is 1 1/2 hours away and perfect for a day trip. The cost by bus is 7.80 euros each way. Lucca is around one hour away by train,and a lovely old town still with its 16th century walls, medievaltowers and old buildings.. Lucca is quieter than Florence or Siena,less crowded with tourists. Go on a Sunday morning when it is quiet andpeaceful and you can appreciate the old world feel, then watch the towncome alive as its residents come out to stroll the lanes. It ispossible to make a half day trip to Arezzo to see the Piero dellaFrancesca frescoes. Make a reservation online to enter the church afterchecking the train schedule. Be sure you buy a ticket from S.M. Novellatrain station in Florence (it has three stations). You can go byEurostar in 1/2 hour, or by slower trains in one hour. Actually, if you use the Eurostar you can do day trips to Rome or Venice as well.
San Gimignano is a popular day trip as well, filled with 14th century dwellings still in use. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has stunning views of the Tuscany region. It's a great place for wine tasting.
Anotherday trip would be to go to the outlets of designers just outside thecity. There are good buys here if you are into designer clothing andaccessories. The main outlet center is called The Mall. A coach tour ofthe outlets can be had through tour companies for around 25-29 Euros.Your hotel should have a brochure from one of them.
Of course, many people would not travel several thousand miles, and spend a small fortune to arrive at the birthplace of the renaissance only to end up on a day trip to the mall. For those wanting to experience the Tuscan culture and way of life there are many day trips out there eg Slow day in Tuscany which give a taste of the cuisine, wine and culture of Tuscany.
Villas and Gardens. One of the lovliest gardens around is at Villa Gamberaia (10 Euro entrance). The fiat 500 tours company take groups in vintage Fiat 500s to Villa Gamberaia (great gardens, very well known in the area). You can take a picnic up there for some stunning lunchtime views. You could also get the bus up there, which is the cheapest way. See the web for Villa Gamberaia. It is close to town, but away from the crowds, (imagine about 40 mins on the bus with a bit of a walk at the end, it take 20 mins on the vintage Italian car trip, or a taxi would be about 20 mins too). Ask in the hotel, or look on the web for details of the villa and garden history, and how best to get there for you.
Leaning Tower of Pisa. Half Day excursions by coach leave from the S.M. Novella Piazza. Tours leave around 13.30 hours daily returning to Florence around 19.00 hours. The tours are priced at €45 which includes a guided tour at the Field of Miracles which takes you into the Cathedral only, or the €29 tour gets you there and back without the tour. You must pay €15 extra at the Tower if you wish to walk the 294 steps to the top. The journey by coach takes about 1 hour 20 mins, allowing around 2 hours at the site, which is enough. The coach takes you by some lovely tuscan vineyards en route. Tickets can be purchased online from ticketsflorence.com website, though most hotels will be able to book this for you. It's an impressive site and a recommended tour.
The train fare from Florence to Pisa is 7.10 euros each way. The train fare from Pisa to Lucca is 3 euros. The train fare from Lucca to Florence is 6.40 euros each way.