Siena and Assisi

I just sent you a PM about this! ;-) We'll let the others chime in on this, since I've yet to make it to Assisi (pouting), but what do you want to do in Assisi exactly - catch a quick glance at the frescoes and get outta town; or stay and wander through the church(es), eat lunch, etc.? That could be the defference b/n a daytrip and an overnighter. For Siena, definitely stay in town! The train station isn't IN town; depending on your physical condition, you'll want to take a taxi, bus, or maybe walk to the center of Siena. Probably taxi or bus!

I think your best bet is to stay in each town separately, as there's no really good place to stay in between if using trains. I would take the train from Rome to Siena, the morning bus (not train) to Assisi and the train back to Rome. Bus takes about half as long as the train between Siena and Assisi. I believe there's also a morning bus from Assisi to Siena, so you could do it in reverse. While I'm not a big fan of one-night stops, I think getting to experience the charm of these towns in the evening outweighs that. Note that the train station for both Siena and Assisi are below the town centers, so you'll need to take a short bus ride into town. The advantage of the morning bus from Siena to Assisi is that, while it leaves from the Siena train station, it arrives in Assisi and not at the train station below.

I strongly recommend staying overnight in each of Siena and Assisi, and to choose a hotel right in the city center in both cases. They are too far apart to been seen as day trips, and your use of public transportation precludes choosing a point in-between the two. Note that it takes just a couple of minutes by bus to reach the town center from its respective train station (but too far to walk in both cases).

If you go to Siena from Rome you can take the bus - about 3 hrs. It stops right at the old town and you can easily walk to your hotel. We stayed at Cannon d'Oro less than 5 min walk from the bus stop. An interesting 800 yr old building with a great breakfast room. There are many other hotels close by. We have never been to Assisi but do recommend at least one night in Siena. Visit Il Campo, climb the clock tower, tour the cathedral and museum, join the locals for an evening stroll. Have a great time!

I have been to both cities and agree with others Judy - reserve one full day for each one. Each time I visit I stop first at the Tourist Office and ask about changes/closings/etc. besides getting expert advice on all other matters pertaining to visiting their city. Any police officer can point your way to the T.O., and/or most shop owners can too. In Siena it is easy to spend most of the day in its world-famous piazza, eating and people-watching, but a stop at its T.O. will point out much more to see as well. In Assisi, tour its world-famous basilica and especially the frescoes by Cimabue and Giotto in the upper level; then view St. Francis' tomb and artifacts in the lower level. If you are up to it, you can also walk the path that he hiked daily. This summer some of the lower-level frescoes were restored to their original magnificent colours - worth the trip just to see them. Beware - both towns have PLENTY of shops! The best in-country guidebooks I use are published by the Touring Club of Italy. They are often available in tourist offices and are invaluable for in-depth learning about an attraction, but being printed on high-gloss paper are heavy. Instead, most T.O.s have loads of free brochures and pamphlets, and most also sell tickets to attractions that require them. Both cities are remarkably different - thus their appeal. I keep returning to both.

Agree with others...they are too far apart to do in 1 day...plan to spend a day in each.

Agree with others...they are too far apart to do in 1 day...plan to spend a day in each.

Stay in each. Both cities are magical, but each train station isn't "in town" per se. Take the shuttle to Assisi, it's simple. In Siena, I walked (it's uphill for much of it) and it wasn't too bad. Don't short change yourself a night in each of these great towns.

Judy, I loved both cities-each one is so different from the other. The cathedral in Siena and the Campo where the Palio is held are not to be missed. Agree with other posters that Siena is magical at night. Assisi also a lovely Umbrian town and I really enjoyed just walking the lovely streets and eating gelato in the center piazza. I stayed at a fabulous place in Assisi called Hotel La Palotta. Very comfortable room and gracious hostess. They even let me do my laundry and when it didn't spin out properly, the housekeeper finished up the task for me so that I could go out and explore. Their restaurant down the hill from the hotel serves delicious Umbrian dishes. You will love both cities. Ciao!