On a budget, Siena Day-Trip still earns its price.
Bus ~€9 each way; cathedral ~€8–15
Siena delivers a complete, intact medieval world — the sloping Campo, a striped Gothic cathedral that rivals Florence's, and a climbable tower with huge views. The catch: the fastest link is the bus (the train involves an awkward transfer), it's hilly walking, and it deserves a full day rather than a rushed morning. The strongest standalone day-trip for history and atmosphere.