Vinci day trip from Florence or Pisa
A day trip to Vinci from Florence or Pisa: the Museo Leonardiano with its models of his machines, first in the Palazzina Uzielli and then in the Conti Guidi castle with the Uomo di Vinci on its terrace, Mimmo Paladino's Piazza dei Guidi, the church of Santa Croce where Leonardo was baptised, lunch by Piazza della Libertà and Leonardo's horse, then the house at Anchiano where he was born, out among the olive groves. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Vinci in 1 day
Day 1
Palazzina Uzielli (Museo Leonardiano)
The museum's first section, a building below the castle with rooms of models of Leonardo's machines and their drawings.
Museo Leonardiano (Castello dei Conti Guidi)
The medieval castle of the Guidi counts, filled with models of Leonardo's machines, from cranes to flying machines.
Piazza dei Guidi
Small square by the castle redesigned by the artist Mimmo Paladino, its paving set with geometric patterns inspired by Leonardo.
Church of Santa Croce
The village church, rebuilt over the centuries, with the font where Leonardo is believed to have been baptised in 1452.
Historic centre of Vinci (Piazza della Libertà and Leonardo's Horse)
The village's main square below the castle, with a large modern horse sculpture based on Leonardo's studies of horses.
Leonardo's Birthplace (Anchiano)
The stone farmhouse among olive groves where Leonardo is thought to have been born, with displays on his life and work.
Watch: Vinci
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
From Florence it is about 45 minutes by car, or a train to Empoli in about 30 minutes and then a local bus up to Vinci in about 20 minutes. From Pisa the train to Empoli takes about 40 minutes, then the same bus. Buses are less frequent on Sundays and holidays, so check the return times.
Staying in Florence or Pisa? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Vinci
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with green or golden olive groves and good weather for the walk to Anchiano. Summer is hot in the hills: in the afternoon drive to Anchiano rather than walking up. November brings the new olive oil to the farms and restaurants around Vinci.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Vinci on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Vinci on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Vinci on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
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Tips for Vinci
- One ticket covers both parts of the Museo Leonardiano, the castle and the Palazzina Uzielli, and Leonardo's birthplace at Anchiano.
- Anchiano is about 3 km from the village: walk the Strada Verde through the olive groves, about 45 minutes uphill, or drive and park by the house.
- Vinci is small and quiet, with only a few restaurants; book lunch at weekends, or bring a picnic for the olive groves.
- The Montalbano hills around Vinci are olive country; the new oil is pressed in November and sold at the farms.
- The museums can be busy with school groups on spring mornings; arrive at opening time, as this plan does, and see the castle before the groups.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Church of Santa Croce: Vignaccia76, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic centre of Vinci (Piazza della Libertà and Leonardo's Horse): LigaDue, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leonardo's Birthplace (Anchiano): Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museo Leonardiano (Castello dei Conti Guidi): Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Palazzina Uzielli (Museo Leonardiano): Sailko, CC BY 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
