crazymina

Hello...

I was supposed to stay in Siena for only two nights, and instead am staying for 6 nights. Thought I would post a couple of restaurant recommendations, and other info.

Restaurant Recommendations:

Cane e Gatto
Via Pagliaresi 6
0577 287 545
fax 0577 333 916

I made a comment on another thread, but thought I'd add it here. Wonderful restaurant with a fixed 6 course menu. Expect it to take 3-4 hours, so make it your evening adventure. Make reservations in the high season. One of the better meals I've had in my life, and it was 55 euro, plus extra for wine, etc. (My total was 80)

Osteria Nonna Gina (found this one on this board)
Pian dei Mantellini, 2
0577 28 72 47

Good lasagna. I enjoyed it even more because the waitress was so kind. Lasagna, a 1/4 liter or wine, sparkling water and insalata cost 13 euro. I was so stuffed, that the waitress brought me an amaretto digestive on the house, and when I complimented it, she told me to drink the rest of the bottle! (I didn't). Make a reservation for weekends.

Osteria La Chiacchiera
Costa di S. Antonio 4

This was a guidebook recommendation. I thought it was simply OK, although it was packed to the gills with Italians. The waiter was able to seat me in 30 minutes on a Sunday night (around 9:15). The funniest part was when he came around to ask me out for the evening. I smiled and told him my hotel had a 12:30 curfew. He slyly smiled and told me that was fine...I could sleep at his place. Gotta love that Italian hospitality. (And like the bottle of Amaretto...I didn't).

INTERNET...

Internet Train.
3 locations, you buy a card with prepaid time and can use it at any of the locations. 5 dollars an hour. If you are staying for a few days, ask if you can get the student rate. The lady was nice enough to offer it to me, and if you prepay for 3 hours, it is 3.33 an hour. Otherwise, it is 4. There are some other internet venues in town as well.

Via di Citta, 121
Via de Pantaneto 54
Via di Pantaneto 49 (bar and internet)

For you budget hotel seekers, I can recommend the Hotel Piccola Etruria. Clean, simple rooms with TV and phone, and friendly staff. Single with bath, 45 euro. Without, 40 Euro. Doubles are also well priced. The Tre Donzelle next door offers even cheaper accommodation. Both are spitting distance to Il Campo.

Hope that helps a bit with some things on Siena!

elaine

Glad to hear that Cane e Gato is still good. Great info, thanks.

Grasshopper

Six days in Siena! Can't wait to hear what kept you there. Be sure to see St. Catherine's head.

Ciao and keep on making those memeories.

elaine

Hi again, a question
Siena's main bus stop for both local and inter-city buses used to be in front of the San Domenico church.
Then I'd heard the stop(s) had been moved.
Do you know?

Judy

Grasshopper, where is St. Catherine's head?

jimcolorado

St. Catherines head is in the San Domenico Church, and not the Duomo as many would have you beleive. It is quite a site. Don't forget that the San Domenico Church is a sacred place, and the head of St. Catherine is a sacred relic.

Big second for the Osteria La Chiacchiera. We ate dinner there three times and thought it was very good. They serve what can only be called "Tuscan peasant food" but we loved it for it's simplicity and great taste. Get there early or make reservations. We saw several parties turned away who thought they had reservations.

crazymina

Elaine...the main bus depot in town is the Piazza Gramsci...hope that helps.

Grasshopper, I have sort of stopped visiting churches, but I will try and go take a peek!

As for why I keep staying here...well, it's just a nice town, and a good place to relax for a few days!

Grasshopper

Thank you, Jim, for pointing that out. I was not trying to make St. Catherine appear to be a freak show! She is my patron saint and one of the most admired women in Catholic history.

TuscanTraveler

The premier authority on eating in Northern Italy (many travelers won't go anywhere that she doesn't recommend) says that Le Logge is THE place to dine in Siena (I believe; I'm going on memory here, but please check back again tomorrow and I'll confirm that this is indeed it)
Le Logge
Via del Porrione, 31 33 35 - Siena
Tel. 0577/48013
Fax. 0577/224797
[email protected]

Also, there was a post on another travel website saying that their "best meal in all of Italy" was at Guido's in Siena.

capo

Hi Mina. Glad to see that you enjoyed Osteria Nonna Gina, as I've mentioned it here on the board a few times. We ate there twice last spring and loved it, both for the food and the cozy, colorful atmosphere. It was packed both times we were there, on weeknights.

I remember seeing the name Cane e Gatto, but we never made it there. It sounds very good.

The other place we loved eating at in Siena was our locanda, and I'd highly recommend it if you want a simple, but delicious and inexpensive, meal served by a kind and gentle artist, Marcello, and cooked by his wife, Sonya, people who were also two of the nicest Italians we met on our entire trip. It's the Locanda Garibaldi, at 18 Via Giovanni Dupre, about a block south of Il Campo.

crazymina

Just a quick note to Elaine...there were still buses in front of the San Domenico church. Since I haven't taken any, I don't know how it all works...

Grasshopper, I went to visit St. Catherine today. It was so serene in there...I was by myself for quite some time and had some good meditative moments.

Capo and Tuscan traveler...thanks for the suggestions...I was wondering where to go for dinner tonight. My last night in town. I have mapped out your suggestions, and it will be a matter of which one I run into first!

I also followed another fodorite's suggestion today and went up to see the "panorama". I saw that it was crowded at around noon, so I went back at 4:45 or so. Gorgeous afternoon sun, and I again had the rooftop to myself for some time. It was so beautiful, I stayed until the sun set, past 6, over the hills.

Thank you everyone, for your suggestions, on a thread that I posted in the hopes of a hint or two to others. I had a very nice day.