I am staying one week in Rome and have 5 days to plan a trip outside of Rome. I would like to stay at a coastal town with a beach one or two days and night and then go inland to a hill town for 2 days before returning to fly out of Rome.
I want to take a train(no car rental) and a tour from (maybe) Siena to surrounding area. Is it a bad time to go to Siena, because of the horse races? Any suggestions on good touring companies? I tried www. terresiena.it as Rich suggests, but cannot decipher the information. I will be in Italy last part of July first week of August.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
You'll miss the Palio, it's July 2 and August 16. Your "coastal town with a beach" would be Monterosso in the Cinque Terre, the CT's best (and most crowded) beach. If you spend the rest of the 5 days home basing from Siena, you'll be able to take a tour to one or more hill towns such as San Gimignano.
Posted by
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
705 posts
http://www.sienaholiday.com. This is the website of a company that operates tours out of Siena. We did the bus tour of San Gimignano that also visits a local winery and really enjoyed it. They also do private tours. I wouldn't hesitate recommending them but would not ever recommend Cor Magis tours.
Siena is lovely and if you do stay there be sure to go to Naninnis (www.pasticcerienannini.it) - famous for their coffee and panforte but also have lots of other lovely cakes, cookies etc. Go to the Via Banchi di Sopra, 24 shop. You can just buy a small piece of panforte to have with a coffee there. It's always busy and has really good inexpensive coffee.
Posted by
Lake Forest, CA, USA
1633 posts
Check out www.sitabus.it for additional tours from Siena.
Posted by
OP
Mission Viejo, California
10 posts
Thanks, everyone, for the information. (I should have replied on this way, Kent, so others can get the benefit of the advice) Of course, I have more questions!!!!!
Are the trains comfortable in Italy? Is it worth the extra money for first class tickets, for the sightseeing value of traveling the country?
Should I reserve a place on the train from USA from Rome to Monterosso and then to Sienna? We will leave Rome to Monterosso the 30th of July and then on to Siena.
Posted by
OP
Mission Viejo, California
10 posts
Thanks for the suggestion to go to Monterosso. What do you think of Sestri Levante instead?
Posted by
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
705 posts
I usually pay the extra and travel 1st class on the train, but that's just personal preference. I generally have found that I can get a window seat easily and the carriages are far less crowded. I took the train from Genoa to Florence in May and was able to keep changing seats to get the best views and photos of the trip.
I have only visited Sestri Levante briefly and had a great meal there but I thought it was really pretty and is on my list to return to. It's a lovely part of the coast around there and up to Genoa.
Posted by
Buffalo, NY
70 posts
We just came back from two weeks in Italy and traveled by train the whole time. We traveled second class and never had difficulty finding a seat we wanted. I have no idea how first class could be better for 50% more.