We are 2 mid 60 couples that are planning a trip to Italy in Sept. . We have all been to Italy on tours before. This time we plan to travel by train. We are starting in Milan with day trips to Lake Como & Verona. From there to La Spezia with daybtrips to Cinque Terre & Lucca. We have selected accommodations in both places. Our next stop is Siena where we will use as a home base for visiting Tuscany. We are having some difficulty deciding where to stay. We will be arriving by train & will not have a car. We would like a location with easy access to the train station and within walking distance of the town's restaurants & shops. We are not into 5 * , but like nice, clean, comfortable surroundings. I would like some suggestions on what would be a good location. FYI, we are hoping to do some wine & food tours while there. We plan on being in Siena 4 nts.

I enjoy all the feedback on these forums. Always such good advise from sseasobed travellers!

You are much better off staying closer to the bus, rather than the train, station in Siena. The train station is not in the center, near shops or restaurants (not walking distance).

You can arrive by train, taxi in to the center, and stay there. If you're doing food and wine tours, you won't need the train, and there are buses to several locations. However, Tuscany just isn't the ideal place for public transportation. Buses often serve the needs of commuters and students, keeping to schedules in the morning and evening that accomodate them. For example, many bus routes may come IN to Siena in the morning, and leave in the afternoon or early evening to return commuters and students to their homes.

Trains are problematic, in that much of what draws tourists to Tuscany, the quintessential hilltowns and vineyards, isn't served by train at all.

I believe you can bus to San Gimignano, but there may be a change. I'm not sure about other bus routes, but before you plan, try to get schedules. It might be easier to plan based on what sorts of tours you get from Siena.

Honestly you might want to rethink this part of your trip.

Finally, if staying in LaSpezia, I would want to base in Portovenere. One would have to bus or taxi to the train in La Spezia, but I don't find La Spezia, which I have been through several times, to be a place where I want to stay. Some closer Portovenere hotels used to have shuttles into LS for the train, and still might.

Sorry about this, fluff; I did not see your other thread. But since I now have, I'm not sure why you're still interested in staying near the Siena train station.

Still try to place yourself centrally in Siena.

Thanks for your advise, tuscanlifeedit.i will look at staying in Portovenere or Levanto as opposed to La Spezia. Staying near the center of Siena & the bus station makes sense. Will check that out too.

We spent two nights at the Hotel Alma Domus. We rented a classic room with a nice view of the Duomo. Breakfast is included, the staff is super helpful, it's close to the San Domenico Basilica, and it's an easy walk to the Campo.

http://www.hotelalmadomus.it/inglese/index.php

Lee Ann

We had a memorable 3 night stay last September, in a B&B called Antica Residenza Cicogna, with wonderful hosts, great breakfast and charming rooms. It's a short walk from Piazza Gramsci, where the buses (both intercity buses and buses running from the station) arrive, and also walking distance to Campo and major sights.

I've stayed at the Chiusarelli 3 or 4 times, and would recommend it, about a minute walk from Pza. Gramsci:

http://www.chiusarelli.com

Have also stayed at the Fani Magnanelli twice, which is about a minute from the campo, and would recommend as well:

http://www.residenzadepoca.it

Breakfast is much more abundant, and the rooms are larger, at the Chiusarelli, if that matters.

Thanks for all the recommendations. I'll be sure to check them out!

ANUJ, We were able to secure rooms for both couples at Antica Residenza Ciocgna! Sounds like a wonderful place to use as a base for discovering Tuscany. We may do an organized day trip to a couple of wineries. Also, considering a car rental for 2 days. The couple we are traveling with is planning those activities. I was in charge of figuring out the trains & accomadations.

This past October we spent five nights at the 4 star Hotel Athens and were very pleased with the property. The staff was very friendly and courteous, the breakfast was generous, and our room was extremely clean.

It's located about a 10 minute walk from the Piazza Del campo and the center city.

We will stay there again when we return.

Buon viaggio,

Glad to hear, you will have a wonderful time.

It seems you may rent a car now, you may want to look up https://www.discovertuscany.com/sien...-in-siena.html for parking options. We were happy to leave our car (overnight, after a day of touring) at the station (cheapest option), and either take the bus from the station to the city centre or the (free) elevators going upto Siena (will involve some walking). The GPS doesn't work well within Siena.

Here is the bus timetable for the Siena area. There are definitely good options if you wish to use the bus but you need to check schedules before heading off for the day.
http://www.tiemmespa.it/

Thanks, ANUJ, for the helpful link to Siena parking. I discovered the discovertuscany.com website and have found it to be a good resource.

Thanks, dreamon, for the website for the bus schedule. I hadn't looked at the buses yet. So, will keep that handy.

I love all the info I get from fellow Fodorites!

Not all buses depart from Piazza Gramsci. Some to outlying areas depart from the train station. Buses on Sunday are pretty much non-existent.