Colle Val d' Elsa or Castellina
 

I posted a question 'Siena or San Gimi' recently, hoping to decide where to stay next summer for our first visit to Italy for a week. All suggestions were helpful but I am no closer to an answer ! Now I am wondering whether Colle Val d'Elsa or Castellina might be a good choice. I would like to be in a scenic setting but close to access the superstrada to get around easily to Siena, Florence as well as the smaller towns.Staying in Chianti might get us too far off the main road and we would end up driving too much. Would Castellini be convenient yet have lots of character, restaurants,etc ? Or should I stick with my original idea of staying just outside of Siena ?

We stayed twice near Colle and found it a very convenient location. The autostrada is right there for access to Siena and Florence, and San Gimignano and Volterra are 30-40 minutes away. (We were actually on the other side of the autostrada, near Monterrigioni.)

Not sure where your accommodations would be, but the upper town of Colle is quite charming and the countryside all around is lovely.

Chianti is very beautiful country, but personally I'd rather be a bit more centrally located if I were planning a variety of day trips.

Marilyn, do you remember where you stayed in Colle ? It seems there are not many apartments/villa there for rent. Or maybe I'm not looking in the right places.

I agree--near Colle is better access for day trips. Check out Villa Belvedere just off the highway, or Castel Biggozi near Strove.

If you stay in or near Colle Val D'Elsa
there is a GREAT restaurant there called Arnolfo. Reservations essential!

I stayed in a lovely farmhouse near Castellina a couple of years ago. Its a very pretty area with a good wine chateau down the road (rocca del macie i think) and for us it seemed easy to get to Siena, Florence and around. Castellina is a village though rather than a town. There are restaurants and shops but don't expect to be a big place with lots to visit.

We were actually in an agriturismo farmhouse apartment just above Abbadia Isola (?sp). It's a few kilometers south of Monterrigioni. The location was good, but I can't recommend the actual place because the 2nd time we stayed there was less than ideal.

I don't think you would go wrong staying just outside of Siena either. That's my choice for the next time, but I also adore Siena.

Stayed at the Villa Belvedere on the hill above Colle Val d'Elsa a few years ago. The village is pleasant has some excellent resturants and is just off the autostrada. The hotel is excellent but a bit pricey, probably close to $200 a night now. Great restaurant though