We are planning to stay for a week after a cruise in early July. Our plan is to take a train from Civitavecchia to Siena and spend 4 days there before heading back to Rome for a couple of days and to catch our flight home. Our granddaughter would like a 'countryside experience'. Any ideas for day-trips, hotels, tours, other experiences for the three of us - we won't have a car - that might get us out of the town? We want to make Siena our base to minimize schlepping our luggage (we are in our 70's). Thanks!
Posted by
New Orleans
1217 posts
I'd look into ToursbyRoberto. He is based from near Siena, and runs small groups (like eight people) and has a variety of tours to choose from. You'll see Roberto on several of Rick's TV shows. I did a small group tour with him several years ago, and it was delightful. We visited a couple of very small villages, an old country mill, had lunch in a village trattoria (outside, in the piazza) and also saw a Etruscan tomb site in the countryside. Sister and I specifically chose a tour that did not visit a vineyard, but several of his tours do include a vineyard visit. Roberto is great with families, too, according to reviews.
Posted by
New York, NY
1586 posts
Linda - You can visit Lucca from Siena during those 4 days there before going back to Rome. There is good public transportation between the two towns.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
748 posts
I would suggest Via Reggio for a lovely beach day. But why Sienna - I think Florence is an easier base to do train trips from . We did a daytrip to Via Reggio from Florence- easy trip and then taxi to beach area
Posted by
Hampshire, UK
406 posts
Siena is almost certainly my favourite Italian City, and if the lottery numbers ever come up, then I'd probably move there.
Having said that, I am not sure it is the best base if you don't have transport, particularly for people in their 70s (no disrespect meant) Siena is a hill town, and parts of it are steep. When I took my parents there, they found just walking about to be challenging.
Florence, in general, is flatter and has much better transport links.
It is possible to day trip from Siena to Lucca/Pisa, but it normally means changing trains at Empoli, and then again at Pisa - so the journey will take around 2 1/2 hours each way. Add to that you need to get to the station, which is at the bottom of the hill.
Don't let me put you off Siena - it is wonderful, but maybe not for the type of trip you are planning.
Posted by
OP
San Diego, CA, United States
12 posts
Well all of you have been very helpful. We didn't realize how difficult it would be to do day trips from Siena. We have been to Florence and were just looking to stay somewhere different. But we may have to reconsider that. Thank you all for your great suggestions.
Posted by
18 posts
Hi Linda, I'm just back from my vacation in Tuscany and I had a lot of fun. We were based in Florence and we took a wonderful 1day tour in Siena countryside with amazing e-bikes. I was with my husband and with my mum (65 years old) and we enjoyed this Crete Senesi tour with e-bikes ending the day in a SPA!!!!
Take a look at the tour I took and even tough it says 'from Florence', the owner of the tour operator is very gentle and try to accomodate all customer needs (there was a couple in our tour coming from Siena directly)
https://www.tuscanyquintessence.com/tours/crete-senesi-spa-day-trips-from-florence/
We also took https://www.tuscanyquintessence.com/tours/chianti-bike-wine-day-trips-from-florence/
My mum was really happy and she wants to go back to Tuscany very soon!! Enjoy...
Posted by
11569 posts
Why not stay in a Tuscan town instead of Siena if that is what your grand daughter would like?? Many charming towns are nearby- Castellina, Radda, Panzano, Radda, Pienza.
I also love Siena and did not have any problems navigating it’s streets and alleys.
Having a car would make your experience so much better and easier. We always have rented cars for Tuscany without any problems. Book through AutoEurope.com and specify Automatic transmission if you want it. If you can drive in San Diego, Tuscany will be easy!