Where to stay in Siena: areas, accommodation and practical tips
Guide on where to stay in Siena: from the old town contrade to the Sienese countryside, with budget tips, accommodation types and the perfect area for every traveller.
Siena: sleeping inside a medieval city
Siena is one of the few Italian cities where the medieval old town has remained substantially intact. Staying within the walls means living in a contrada, hearing the Palio drums in summer months, getting lost in alleys that all converge on Piazza del Campo. But the Sienese countryside offers an equally magical alternative.
Best areas to stay
Old Town (within the walls)
Siena's heart is divided into 17 contrade, each with its own character. Staying in the centre means having Piazza del Campo, the Duomo and museums steps away. Hotels in fourteenth-century palaces, B&Bs with rooftop views and guesthouses in tower-houses.
- Pros: everything walkable, authentic medieval atmosphere, intense cultural life
- Cons: cars forbidden (permanent ZTL), suitcases on hills, noisy during Palio
- Average budget: €90-180 per night
Piazza del Campo area
The heart of the heart. Properties with views of the shell-shaped piazza are the most coveted and expensive. The experience of looking out over the square early morning, when it is empty, is priceless.
- Average budget: €130-280 per night (with view, much more during Palio)
San Domenico and Fontebranda
A slightly off-centre area but still within the walls, near the Basilica of San Domenico and the house of Saint Catherine. Quieter, with parking at the municipal stadium just steps away.
- Pros: quieter, parking nearby, slightly lower prices
- Cons: uphill to reach the centre, less evening life
- Average budget: €70-130 per night
Station area and outer boulevards
Outside the walls, along the boulevards surrounding the centre. Modern hotels with parking, escalators that take you to the centre in 5 minutes. Practical for those arriving by car wanting easy mobility.
- Pros: free parking, low prices, car convenient for excursions
- Cons: outside the medieval atmosphere, need to climb up to centre
- Average budget: €60-110 per night
Sienese countryside (Chianti, Crete, Val d'Orcia)
Farmhouses, villas and boutique hotels in Italy's most photographed countryside. Siena is 20-40 minutes away, but the experience is completely different: cypresses, vineyards, tastings and endless sunsets.
- Pros: extraordinary landscape, pool, traditional cuisine, peace
- Cons: car essential, far from Sienese evening life
- Average budget: €100-250 per night
Accommodation types
- **Hotels in historic palaces**: in the centre, frescoed ceilings and old-world atmosphere
- **B&Bs in the contrade**: family-run, insider tips on contrada life
- **Guesthouses and residences**: independence in a historic setting
- **Chianti farmhouses**: vines, olive oil, pool and cooking classes
- **Hostels**: Siena's youth hostel is in a historic palazzo
- **Villas and farmsteads**: for groups, in the surrounding countryside
Budget tips
Siena is pricier than the Tuscan average but cheaper than Florence. The most expensive periods are Palio days (2 July and 16 August) when prices triple, and spring-summer weekends. Low season (November-February) offers Siena at its most intimate at halved prices.
Money-saving tricks
- Avoid Palio weeks if not attending the race
- San Domenico and Porta Romana area: within the walls but cheaper
- Stay in simple countryside farmhouses: €60-80 with breakfast
- Monday to Thursday costs significantly less than weekends
Best area for each traveller
- **Romantic couple**: Old Town, near Piazza del Campo
- **Palio enthusiast**: Your chosen contrada (yes, you can pick!)
- **Family with children**: Station area, parking and escalators to centre
- **Wine lover**: Chianti Classico countryside, wineries within reach
- **Student/backpacker**: San Domenico, historic hostel
- **Photographer**: Val d'Orcia, Tuscany's most iconic landscapes
Getting around Siena
The old town is a permanent ZTL: leave the car in external car parks (Il Campo, Santa Caterina, Stadio) connected by escalators. Within the walls everything is on foot (uphill and downhill). Tiemme buses connect the station to the centre. The countryside requires a car. Florence is 75 km away (1h15 by express bus).
