We love Rome and spent a couple of weeks in 2024 doing everything in the city. Now we want to branch out and spend a week in Rome and maybe a week someplace else, but I'm having trouble picking a place. Was thinking of an agriturismo but I don't know if I really want to be out in the country. I'm thinking of adding Siena or orvieto or Lucca for 4-5 nights. But which town (or another) has the most interesting historical sites and art? That's what I'm most interested in. We spendlt some time in Ghent a couple years ago and really loved it Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you so much!!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8983 posts
Of the 3 you listed Siena would probably work best
Lots of day trip possibilities as well
Lucca doesn’t really have any art or historical sights
Orvieto has the Duomo and the underground and a few good museums
Agriturismo stays almost always require a car
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
2451 posts
I've been to all 3 and loved each of them. My favorite was probably Orvieto because it was so interesting, being on top of the tufo stone & how it had been tunneled in to. I found many nice treasures in their shops, loved the weekly market and found the duomo very interesting (inside & outside.)
Posted by
Idaho, USA
9442 posts
The most art would point to Florence. But Siena is a nice place to stay, also. Some ideas if you want to go farther would be Bologna or Torino. I really like the Umbria area, but those cities may be too small for you. But do plan to take a day trip to Tivoli from Rome if you haven’t already.
Oops, just saw you wrote “small”. Then Siena or Orvieto. Another day trip from Rome is taking the fast train to Caserta. It’s one hour to reach it, and the palace is within sight of the train station.
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
5190 posts
I still think Floence. It feels much smaller than Rome because its so walkable. It is also a great place to fly home from, if you dont mind a connection.
Posted by
OP
297 posts
Thank you for all these replies so far! It's great to get firsthand recommendations. Wanted to add that we have been to Florence already so that would not be on our list this time.
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
2074 posts
For art, yes, Siena. We took the Flixbus to Siena from Rome's Tiburtina bus station, but you can also take the train to Florence and then a bus or train to Siena.
Palazzo Pubblico ---- Simone Martini's Maestà and Ambrogio Lorenzetti's fresco of the Effects of Good and Bad Government.
Duomo --- stripey Italian Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, sculptures by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini. Also the Piccolomini library and the cathedral floor.
Baptistery
Museum of Santa Maria della Scala
Pinacoteca Nazionale
Posted by
Alberta
757 posts
I love all 3 but for 4-5 nights I agree with the crowd and say Siena. It is a bit bigger than Orvieto and has more to see and do. There are lots of daytrips by bus to other small towns. You could of course manage both Orvieto and Siena. Train to Orvieto for two nights, then on to Siena.