- Siena
- (20)
-
Italy
For a more authentic Tuscan experience, go to Siena in winter. With far fewer tourists, you can see the sights without the crowds and although it's quite cold, the days are usually clear and crisp. Typical Tuscan food is more suitable for winter too - ribollita (vegetable and bread soup, far more delicious than it sounds), pici (local pasta, rather like fat spaghetti) and bistecca alla fiorentina will keep you full and warm for hours. The atmosphere before Christmas is magical - the streets are festooned with garlands made from fir trees and oranges while on New Year's Eve, the Piazza del Campo, filled with revellers of all ages, plays host to a free concert with stars from the Italian music scene.
Piazza del Campo, Siena
Google map: bit.ly/iP31vP
Ok, so a trattoria just off the Florence-Siena motorway may not sound like the most picturesque spot for lunch, but don't be deterred. Bar dell'Orso offers up a classic take on the best of Sienese cooking. Take a seat on the terrace with a view of the perfectly preserved medieval walls of Monteriggioni, and feast on an antipasti plate of cured Tuscan hams, followed by homemade pici - a long, square-edged, thick pasta - covered in a tomato and garlic or pecorino and black pepper sauce. Walk off lunch by taking a long leisurely stroll to the nearby Romanesque church of Abbadia a Isola (for directions have a copy of James Lasdun's excellent 'Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria' to hand).
Bar dell'Orso, Via Cassia Nord 23, Monteriggioni
+39(0)577 305074
http://m.bardellorso.com/Home.xml
Google map: bit.ly/ijlimL
The vast majority of the Tuscany region in July gives itself over to free music festivals in either street or theatre and usually from early evening into the early hours. I can recommend Siena as the best location with Feste della Musicale (13 to 17 July) and Siena music week (9 to 16 July ) being the most popular with fantastic ranges of music from Jazz, lyrical, alternative, soul, pop, electronic and visual art to operatic, classical and all things Italian (this is Puccini and Mascagni territory.) A popular thing at most outdoor venues is free mineral water.
Although hotels (albergos) can be expensive look for small family run trattorias - many do bed/breakfast at reasonable rates. The stunning city piazza (square) is a wonder to behold lots of other attractions including lots of Renaissance history, quieter nearby rural locations, the wine regions of San Gimignano and Poggibonsi and above all friendly welcoming people, great food and weather. You can find lots to do all week and everyday is a new adventure. Do not miss it - I wont.
Website: bit.ly/lm93qZ
Google map: bit.ly/mRHTa8
This amazing sculpture garden in a wonderful Tuscan landscape has such a range of sculptures, some are funny, some are deeply moving, and all are interesting. There is also an interesting small restaurant, with really nice food including a set menu of the day. They loan out big white umbrellas on rainy days, which added to the enjoyment. Oh and there are domestic pigs by the car park which we also enjoyed ...
www.danielspoerri.org
Località Giardino, 58038 Seggiano Province of Grosseto, Italy
+39 0564 950 805
Google map: bit.ly/jf0KUx
Torreprima is a comfortable farmhouse, only 3km away from San Gimignano, which has medieval origins. It sits on top of a hill overlooking the surrounding Val d'Elsa, Tuscan countryside with olive groves and vineyards.
It's ideal for a relaxing fun holiday and contact with nature. It also has garden, pool and ping-pong, and there's a riding school nearby.
Loc. Cortennano La Torre 17
53037 S.Gimignano
Tel. +39 0577 941371
Google map: tinyurl.com/2w2e6hv
www.torreprima-holidays.it/
A day trip to fantastic Siena and an excellent lunch at this osteria. It made our day.
Great Italian food, great Italian wine and great atmosphere.
Arrive early or book as this is a popular restaurant.
We had to wait a half hour for a table, but it was definitely worth it.
Via del Porrione 33, Siena, Italy
0577/48-013
Google map: tinyurl.com/y8dhz2j
This is a peninsula far from for the mainland just 2 kilometers trough a handmade pathway in the middle of estuary. The almost-island is an inhabited mountain named Monte Argentario. Porto Santo Stefano is one of the two small tipical fishing village in the area. You can enjoy looking at the sea from the central square place at Porto Santo Stefano, placed in the middle of the bay and also is the center of town. The streets here are steep. All the houses'windows on the hill look at the sea.
You can enjoy a great pizza and specially all the most-freshly seafood just some minutes after the fishing people carriage it from the boats.
You can have a bath in the sea, sunbathing, having a mineral water bath in the nearest(near to Orbetello), hiking on the mountain, walk round the town, go on a leisure boat trip...or just plan a trip to Siena or Firenze, only and hour and a half far from here.
It is like the paradise, you'll enjoy the historic places like the Spanish fortaleza (castles), the seaside walk, the mountain views, the excellent wines and food, the calm and tranquility, and the sea bathing and of course, the nearest to Firenze and Rome.
You should take some of the numerous, almost every 2 hours, trains from Rome, in direction to Milan or Lucca. You should stop down at Orbetello Station and there rent a car or a taxi. In some minutes, just about 10 kilometers far you will be in an almost unknown italian paradise.
This is a peninsula far from for the mainland just 2 kilometers trough a handmade pathway in the middle of estuary. The almost-island is an inhabited mountain named Monte Argentario. Porto Santo Stefano is one of the two small tipical fishing village in the area. You can enjoy looking at the sea from the central square place at Porto Santo Stefano, placed in the middle of the bay and also is the center of town. The streets here are steep. All the houses'windows on the hill look at the sea.
You can enjoy a great pizza and specially all the most-freshly seafood just some minutes after the fishing people carriage it from the boats.
You can have a bath in the sea, sunbathing, having a mineral water bath in the nearest(near to Orbetello), hiking on the mountain, walk round the town, go on a leisure boat trip...or just plan a trip to Siena or Firenze, only and hour and a half far from here.
It is like the paradise, you'll enjoy the historic places like the Spanish fortaleza (castles), the seaside walk, the mountain views, the excellent wines and food, the calm and tranquility, and the sea bathing and of course, the nearest to Firenze and Rome.
You should take some of the numerous, almost every 2 hours, trains from Rome, in direction to Milan or Lucca. You should stop down at Orbetello Station and there rent a car or a taxi. In some minutes, just about 10 kilometers far you will be in an almost unknown italian paradise.
This is a peninsula far from for the mainland just two kilometers through a handmade pathway in the middle of an estuary. The almost-island is an inhabited mountain named Monte Argentario. Porto Santo Stefano is one of the two small typical fishing villages in the area. You can enjoy looking at the sea from the central square at Porto Santo Stefano, placed in the middle of the bay and also the center of town. The streets here are steep. All the houses windows on the hill look at the sea.
You can enjoy a great pizza and especially all the fresh seafood just some minutes after the fishing people carry it from the boats.
You can have a bathe in the sea, sunbathing, having a mineral water bath - the nearest is Orbetello, hiking on the mountain, walk round the town, go on a leisure boat trip ... or just plan a trip to Siena or Firenze, only an hour and a half from here.
It is like paradise, you'll enjoy the historic places like the Spanish fortaleza (castles), the seaside walk, the mountain views, the excellent wines and food, the calm and tranquility, and the sea bathing and of course, the proximity to Firenze and Rome.
You should take some of the numerous, almost every two hours, trains from Rome, in direction to Milan or Lucca. You should stop down at Orbetello Station and there rent a car or a taxi. In some minutes, just about 10 kilometers far you will be in an almost unknown italian paradise.
Google map: tinyurl.com/yczbbqt
Piazza del Campo is the main square in Siena. The city is lovely... but this square is magnificent. Don't miss the "Palio", the horse-race that every year celebrate the ancient battles among Siena's quarters.
Casina di Rosa is a great holiday rental in this tiny village south of Siena. A fantastic base for daytrips to most popular sites. We loved it. Civitella Marittima still retains the true essence of Italy and has not been spoilt by tourism. The people are friendly, from the owners to the shopkeepers and the lady who waved each morning from a nearby window.
Civitella Marittima is also well located for visiting other places in Tuscany. The villa has lovely town and countryside views (particularly from the bedroom window) and the glow of the rising morning sun on the surrounding buildings, with the swallows circling overhead, is not to be missed. The village is very friendly - after a week we almost felt like locals.
Newsagent and internet point whose multilingual owner Giorgio Prosperi speaks fluent English. Located on the walk between the Duomo car park and the sights it's perfect for a guide, a map, a newspaper or to check your web mail.
www.sanmarcosi.it/
Via San Marco 38a - 53100 Siena, Italy - Tel. +39-0577-286019
We had much fun taking the olive oil tasting tour combined with a wine-tasting tour in southern Tuscany escorted by a very nice man, Carlo!
We thank Gloria and Marcel, owners of Casina di Rosa (www.casinadirosa.it) for recommending this fun activity. Don't miss it if you go to Siena or the Maremma.
A lovely place. We had a fabulous vacation. There are three independent apartments which share a swimming pool and the garden. The location is perfect for daytrips. And there is a good restaurant nearby. A dream place.
Casina di Rosa is a cosy vacation rental in a hilltop village 30 minutes south of Siena.
We spent two weeks there and we already want to go back. The most amazing thing are the owners and their kindness. They went out of their way to help us organize wine tasting, olive oil tasting, a cooking class and much more. They are incredible. Plus the location is perfect.
The village is just off a major road that links Siena to the coast so we practically could see both Siena and the wine region AND the Maremma. We had searched the internet for months looking for a central location. We asked travel consultants and everybody told us that there was no place from where one could go on daytrips to Siena, Florence, the Chianti, the Valdorcia, Montalcino AND the Maremma and the coast. We had to choose, they said.
Well, in fact there IS such a place and it is Casina di Rosa.
Casina di Rosa
Civitella Marittima, Tuscany
www.casinadirosa.it
This combined ticket covers the Duomo, Baptistery, Opera dell' Duomo (museum), Duomo Crypt and St Bernard Oratory.
It works particularly well if you buy the ticket at the Baptistery as the queues there are shorter (and it opens earlier than the Duomo itself).
You then have time to look at the Baptistery, and walk round to the west end of the Duomo for the opening time of 10:30.
There is a priority entry system for ticket-holders, so if you time it well you can get into the Duomo before the main rush starts and have a few moments to appreciate the scale of the building in peace.
Despite the impression given by the map which comes with the ticket, the St Bernard Oratory is right over the other side of town by the Basilica of St Francesco. However the remainder of the sites are all clustered around the Duomo itself.
Baptistery of Siena (at the east end of the Duomo)
It is a large apartment in a beautiful part of Monticiano, a village south of Siena in Val di Merse, 15 minutes from petriolo hot springs, 5 minutes from breathtaking Abbey of San Galgano.
We were 7 people and managed to spend a week in a great part of Tuscany with 650 euros for the week! All included!
Monticiano, Siena. www.casagigliola.it
Choose a baking hot day to step through the thirteenth century gateway of Monteriggioni (there's no way I'm going to attempt spelling that a third time) and you'll find yourself in the world of Sergio Leone. Sit on a bench opposite the church and you can quickly recreate entire scenes to while away the time whilst your travelling partner finds joy in the few shops this walled town has to offer. Time passes quickly here and you may find it worthwhile to return at night for a new take on the town and some delicious restaurants.
Between Siena and Firenze.
Casina di Rosa a vacation rental in Civitella Marittima, a medieval hilltop village south of Siena. It is clean, cosy, very well equipped and we could not have rented a more perfect place for our holidays. We found it thanks to a review on the Slow Travel Website, which has chosen it as a favourite for the many good reviews it had. It has a fantastic website full of useful tips for your holidays in Tuscany. Even if you choose another rental or accommodation, check their website because it is very complete.
Casina di Rosa www.casinadirosa.it/; Siena www.terresiena.it/
The area itself is worth recommending. It has beautiful hilltop villages and very easy access to several diverse areas of Tuscany.
In 30 minutes / 1 hour, you can reach "postcard Tuscany" (ie, Val d'Orcia with Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano, San Quirico; the Chianti area with vineyards and beautiful castles; San Gimignano, Monteriggioni and Volterra; Siena; the Crete senesi; Florence) and the "off-the-beaten-path Tuscany" (ie, Monte Amiata; the Maremma plains; the coast; the hilltop villages of Maremma such as Roccatederighi, Roccastrada, Civitella Marittima, Pari, Massa Marittima; thermal baths such as Petriolo and Saturnia; the Tufi and the Etruscan Empire with Pitigliano, Sovana Sorano; Nature Parks such as the Maremma Nature Park; and art parks such as the Tarot Garden).
We rented a house in a beautiful village with a great restaurant, Civitella Marittima, and we are going back next year.
Amazing, amazing place.
The house we rented: Casina di Rosa www.casinadirosa.it/ in Civitella Marittima is a Slow Travel Favourite and it has a huge photogallery on the area and much information.
The village, Civitella Marittima, can be reached via the highway SS223 connecting Siena and Grosseto.
Is this your business?Search Been there
