Easy to get to places from Siena

The whole area is historical and beautiful :)

That being said, I really liked Volterra and isn't far from Siena.

Thanks Dantbarnes

Yes I've been looking at possibly going there. Was there anything in particular in Volterra that is a "simply can't miss"? Or is it just the whole town in general?

Nothing that was can't miss, I think from a purely architectural standpoint San Gimignano was more "impressive" but certainly more touristy.

What I liked about Volterra was I felt transported back in time, that might sound silly but it was kind of a dark dreary day and I felt like I was walking the streets in the past. Felt like I was in a movie of sorts. So hard to explain but when the weather cleared the views of the Tuscan valleys were unreal. This place felt a bit untouched by the modern world to me in places.

What I liked about Volterra was I felt transported back in time, that might sound silly but it was kind of a dark dreary day and I felt like I was walking the streets in the past. Felt like I was in a movie of sorts.

Are you sure the crew from Twilight - New Moon weren't in the streets? ;-)

We visited San Gimignano in the morning and Volterra in the afternoon. We loved both, but I'd love to spend more time in Volterra. We just loved the vibe of the town. I want to do more exploring of the Roman and Etruscan past. I wished we had visited the Etruscan museum.

Be sure to stay in the evening. There's a lovely promenade outside the city gates. The townsfolk meet there in the evening to visit and have a little walk. The town is absolutely gorgeous in l soft glow of the setting sun. One of my favorite photos from our trip was the view of Volterra from the promenade, although I did have to use Photoshop to remove a crane and all the satellite dishes!

Are you sure the crew from Twilight - New Moon weren't in the streets? ;-)

lol less Twilight, more Sleepy Hollow

Well I think you both made up my mind :). I totally understand feeling like you are transported back in time and that is the type of experience I am looking for!! I am a history freak and a throwback. I think I would have thrived a couple of hundred years ago. I'm interested in the Etruscan history and would love to see anything relating to it.

Castellina in Chianti and Montereggioni are both short bus rides from Siena and can be visited in 1 day. Both walled hilltop towns that are beautiful.
Check with your lodging for the bus schedule.

Thank you Gerri. I will look into it since I will have a couple of days to spare in the area. All great suggestions and much appreciated. Thanks everyone!

This option may be way off from what you were thinking, but I really enjoyed it. We went from Siena by bus to Grosseto which takes just a little over one hour. (We stayed there and then went to Rome) Grosseto still has the hexagonal walls surrounding the old portion of the town. Also, the town has some nice weekend festivals, if you happen to select one of those days. Since you're interested in history, check out the Maremma Archaeology and Art museum which contains important collections of Etruscan artifacts. I enjoyed being in a pleasant town that wasn't on the regular tourist list.

If you do decide on Grosseto, I highly recommend the little restaurant behind & one block over from the cathedral - Ristorante Grantosco. Start with the Cevice di gamberi appetizer.