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Siena lodging

We are headed to Italy in September. Plan to spend 4 nights in Rome, and then take the train to Siena (or other town if one is better). We have 4 nights to spend in Tuscany area. We would then rent a car the next day to visit other hill towns. We plan to drop the car in Siena and then take the train to Florence where we will spend two nights before flying out.

We would like to stay in or near a town so we can be there each night when we return from our day trip. Preferably where we can walk to dinner. I understand that having the car in town will be a problem. Is Siena a good choice for this? If so, any recommendations for accommodations? We like nicer places, not necessarily budget places. Would we be better off moving to a couple of towns for two nights each?
Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Tom

Posted by
8159 posts

Have you considered taking a train from Rome Termini up to Orvieto--70 minutes. There's a Hertz rental agency across the street from the train station. Orvieto's also a favorite hilltown to vis
You can take an autostrada (controlled access) for most of the 75 mile drive to Siena, and it's an easy drive.
We found Siena to be very congested and parking difficult to find. But the surrounding region has many agriturismos where you could stay and do day trips to other popular hilltowns--like Volterra, San Gimignano and many others.
We stayed between Certaldo and San Gimignano in a 2 bedroom apartment for 4 days @ 70 Euros per day. Virtually every farm in the region has rooms and/or apartments as a secondary income source.
You can turn the car in at a number of in town Florence Hertz offices or at the airport.

Posted by
16 posts

David
That sounds like something we will consider. I'm just trying to avoid the car while in Rome and Florence. We would like to stay some place that is close to a town with a few good restaurants, hoping to walk to eat, or at least a short drive

Posted by
11613 posts

Tom, a couple of years ago I stayed at Hotel Minerva in Siena, at one of the city gates. The hotel has a garage for parking onsite, for a daily fee. Ten minutes' walk to the Campo. My friends and I visited a couple of hill towns each day, then walked to dinner in town. Some rooms have views of the Siena skyline.