After spending a week in Siena, we have an extra night and most of a day before needing to be at Rome Airport (FCO) at about 3 PM. We don't particularly care about going into Rome for just one night -- seems like more hassle than it's worth. We could have a car to drop at the airport, or just travel from Siena by train or bus then on to the airport the same way the next day.

I was thinking about either Orvieto, or maybe near Tivoli where we could explore for the day. I guess maybe we're looking for a really nice and interesting place to stay for a single night, perhaps with a really good restaurant. A winery with overnight accomodations sounds like a good possibility too. Probably not wanting to spend over $200 or maybe $300 for the hotel portion.

How about somewhere on the coast, north of the airport? You could spend a nice day at the beach like a local. Very little English spoken.

but, given that you have daily access to the beach at home this may not be a good suggestion for you.

Orvieto is a gem and a neat town - really exceptional. Tivoli is a ho-hum town - a real workaday Italian town with few tourists save for its Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa - both superb sights but for a town that is really nice no - Orvieto sits on a huge volcanic plug - check out the underground tunnels and just wander the maze of tiny lanes in the old town.

Hi there, NeoPatrick. Have you been to Orvieto? If not I think that would be a good choice and you two would enjoy it. Or even if you have been there before Orvieto is sure worth a repeat visit. Best regards.

http://www.orvietowines.com/

I have done that twice and have used 2 locations. First, Orvieto is a gem--hard ot beat. The other is Porto San Stefano on the Argentario promotory---nice fishing village on the coast.

Yes, I've been to Orvieto and it is a gem, but my partner has not been there. I did a little looking and didn't find a really exciting place to stay there.

Bob, I'll check out Porto San Stefano.

Our original plan was a week in the remote Tuscan countryside, but we have instead opted for a week right on the Palio in Siena. So I was thinking maybe our one night should be some wonderful country "retreat" with a great restaurant. Castello Banfi near Montalcino comes to mind -- but we're not ready to spend $600 or $700 a night for accomodations there.

Hmmmm, Bob, I'm becoming increasingly fascinated with the idea of a night by the sea and a nice casual seafood dinner in Porto Santa Stefano. Do you know the Fillipi II hotel? Walk to restaurants in town?

By the way, my partner (the only manual driver in our duo) is directionally challenged. How well do the GPS's you can with Auto Europe work in places like Santa Stefano, or remote Tuscan roads, for that matter?

I do not know that hotel---we winged it there and stayed in a small local place at the end of the main part of town--forget the name.
We have never used GPS in Italy, but once you cross the causeway the signs will be easy to PSS. We got there via Montalcino and Grosetto---past Castello Banfi---stop to buy some vino.