You could spend endless weekends exploring all that Florence has to offer. From the Uffizi collection to the Boboli Gardens to the Piazza de Michelangelo, there is plenty nearby to keep your weekends busy.

However, one of the best parts of studying abroad in Europe is exploring different cities and countries with friends. We’ve put together advice on the top day trips from Florence from study abroad students using gtrot.com. gtrot is a social travel site that makes it easy to show were your friends have been, where they’re going, and see overlapping travel plans.

Pisa: One of Italy’s most iconic buildings put Pisa on the map for tourists. Pisa has the same charm of the Arno in Florence but with a quainter downtown containing plenty of shops and restaurants to check out during the day. When you go, make sure to bring your camera to get the obligatory “holding up the leaning tower of Pisa” shot. You’ll also need to step back and snap a picture of all the tourists trying to do the same. Plan your trip during daylight hours, as the iconic leaning tower of Pisa is not lit up at night.

Siena: This tiny medieval village has maintained the narrow stone streets and buildings from centuries earlier. Spend a day wandering the narrow alleys, admiring the church frescoes, and imagining what it would’ve been like in a world without cars, electronics, or paved sidewalks. Do not miss the town square that is famous for Il Palio, a two-day series of horse races held each August. Neighborhoods become rivals, each cheering on their horse and proudly wearing scarves with their neighborhood crest. The event lasts all day with a final winner declared during the last race. After glory or defeat, each micro-neighborhood eats together at long wooden tables in the street.

Continue reading the top side trips on the ultimate Study Abroad website: StudyAbroad.com. Then make sure to share all of your  side trips with friends using gtrot.

So where are you going next? Share your travel plans on gtrot! You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Photo by 7Bart.