Where to stay in Siena
Siena is small, steep and made of brick, and where you sleep decides how many hills you climb with a suitcase. The walled center is about a kilometer across, with Piazza del Campo in the middle and the cathedral a few minutes to the west. Stay near the Campo or in Città for a first visit and a short walk to everything. Choose the north side near the Fortezza for parking and lower prices, and the south side for quiet streets and good eating. The date that matters most is the Palio, on 2 July and 16 August, when rooms near the walls sell out months ahead.
The short answer
- First trip
- Around Piazza del Campo or Città and the Duomo, if the budget allows.
- Couples
- Città and the Duomo or Fontebranda, for quiet lanes and views of the cathedral.
- Families
- Camollia and the Fortezza, for parking, a park and bigger rooms, a short walk from the center.
- Tight budget
- Camollia or the station side, both outside the best lanes.
- The Palio
- Book a year ahead for the Campo, or stay in Porta Romana and walk in. See the Campo.
How we judge an area of Siena: walking time to the sights, how steep the way is, noise at night, transport, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Siena's neighborhoods, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Piazza del Campo | Duomo | Station | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Around Piazza del Campo | A first visit | Lively on the square | 5 min | 5 min | 20 min | On foot; no metro | €€€€ |
| Terzo di Città and the Duomo | Cathedral, quiet lanes | Quiet after the day-trippers leave | 5 min | 5 min | 25 min | On foot; taxi to the door is limited | €€€ |
| San Martino and Via Banchi di Sopra | Food and value | Lively early, quiet late | 5 min | 10 min | 20 min | On foot | €€€ |
| Camollia and the Fortezza | Parking, families | Quiet | 10 min | 10 min | 15 min | Bus station; city buses | €€ |
| Fontebranda and San Domenico | Quiet, views | Quiet | 10 min | 5 min | 25 min | On foot; taxi for luggage | €€ |
| Porta Romana and Santa Maria dei Servi | Calm, parking | Quiet | 15 min | 15 min | 30 min | On foot; city buses | €€ |
| The station side | Trains, tight budgets | Quiet; busy near the station | 20 min | 25 min | 5 min | Station; city buses | € |
Walking times run from the middle of each area: the straight line plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. Siena is built on three ridges, so the steep climbs make real times longer on the way back up. Price is our read from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest) until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the neighborhoods are
Around Piazza del Campo, for a first visit
The shell-shaped square, the tower and the town hall at the door, and the busiest, dearest lanes in Siena.
The Campo is the middle of Siena, and the lanes that run into it are the shortest walk to the Torre del Mangia, the Museo Civico, the cathedral and most of the restaurants in town. You can sit on the slope of the square at breakfast and again at dusk, when the day-trippers have gone and the brick turns orange. For one or two nights nowhere saves more time.
It is also the loudest and the dearest part of Siena. Bars and tables stay busy in the evening in summer, so a room on or beside the square can be noisy late. On the Palio dates the Campo is closed to normal life and the streets are full, and rooms here sell out a year ahead. Ask for a room at the back or on an upper floor, and eat two or three lanes away.
Good for
- A first trip of one or two nights
- Seeing the square in the morning and the evening, when it is empty
- Walking everywhere, with no bus or taxi
Think twice if
- You want a quiet street: the lanes near the square are noisy in summer
- You are watching the budget: this is the dearest part of Siena
- You are booking late for the Palio: it will be full
Staying in Around Piazza del Campo: nearby sights, food and getting around
Terzo di Città, around the Duomo
The oldest part of the walled city, with the cathedral, the museum and quiet lanes a five to ten minute walk from the Campo.
Città is the western third of the old town, and the cathedral stands on its high point. Around it are the Opera museum, Santa Maria della Scala and the narrow lanes of Via di Città and Via dei Pellegrini. The streets are mostly pedestrian, the buildings are a mix of palaces and small houses, and the Campo is a few minutes' walk along Via di Città.
It is a good base for couples and anyone who wants old Siena without the noise of the Campo. After the day-trippers leave, the lanes empty and the cathedral glows. Streets run up and down, so some rooms involve steps and a steep walk with luggage. Restaurants here are fewer than near the Campo, but the better ones are a short walk away.
Good for
- Quiet evenings in the oldest part of town
- The cathedral and its museums on your doorstep
- A five to ten minute walk to the Campo
Think twice if
- Steps and hills would be a problem with heavy luggage
- You want dozens of restaurants at the door
- You are booking late for the Palio: rooms are scarce
Staying in Terzo di Città and the Duomo: nearby sights, food and getting around
San Martino, for eating well
The south-east third of the old town, with the shopping streets, small osterie and a ten minute walk back to the Campo.
San Martino lies east and south of the Campo, along Via Banchi di Sopra and Via di San Martino. It is where Sienese people shop and eat, with pastry shops, wine bars and small restaurants in the lanes. Most of the sights are a ten minute walk away, and the Campo is the same distance from the Pinacoteca and the Servi church.
The streets are livelier in the early evening than Città, and quieter at night than the Campo. The lanes are steep in places, and some rooms are above shops or restaurants. It is a good middle choice for a stay that is walkable and central without paying Campo prices.
Good for
- Eating and drinking within a few minutes' walk
- A central base slightly cheaper than the Campo
- Reaching both the Campo and the Pinacoteca on foot
Think twice if
- Steps and slopes with luggage
- You want to wake up with a view of the cathedral
- Late-opening bars in the lanes would keep you awake
Staying in San Martino and Via Banchi di Sopra: nearby sights, food and getting around
Camollia and the Fortezza, for parking and a park
The north side of town, with the bus station, the Medici fortress, parking and lower prices, and a ten to fifteen minute walk down to the Campo.
Camollia is the northern edge of the walled city, around Via Camollia and the Fortezza Medicea. It has the main bus station and car parks, some of the larger hotels, and the Wednesday market at La Lizza. The walk to the Campo is about ten to fifteen minutes along Via Banchi di Sopra, with a gentle downhill on the way in and an uphill on the way back.
It is the practical end of Siena: easier for cars and coaches, cheaper than the middle, and calmer in the evening. The streets are less pretty and there are fewer restaurants. Good for families, for anyone arriving by bus from Florence, and for a stay of a few nights that includes day trips.
Good for
- Arriving by bus or car and avoiding the steep lanes
- Lower prices for the same walk
- The park on the fortress walls for a quiet evening
Think twice if
- You want the old lanes outside the door
- You want to walk home uphill at night with a suitcase
- You want many restaurants nearby
Staying in Camollia and the Fortezza: nearby sights, food and getting around
Fontebranda and San Domenico, the quiet west side
The slope below the Basilica of San Domenico, with Saint Catherine's house, small fountains and a steep fifteen minute walk to the Campo.
Fontebranda is the western slope of the old town, below the large brick Basilica of San Domenico. It is residential, with the medieval fountain of Fontebranda, the house of Saint Catherine and a few small hotels and guest houses. The views back to the cathedral are some of the best in town.
It is quiet at night and cheaper than the middle, but it is steep. The walk down to the Campo is about fifteen minutes, and the walk back is a real climb. A small area with few shops and restaurants, so you walk or take a taxi for the evening. Good for visitors who like a quiet street and are comfortable with hills.
Good for
- A quiet street and cathedral views
- Lower prices than the Campo
- The basilica and Saint Catherine's house on your doorstep
Think twice if
- The climb back up with luggage or tired legs
- You want restaurants at the door
- You have difficulty with steps and slopes
Staying in Fontebranda and San Domenico: nearby sights, food and getting around
Porta Romana, south of the walls
The southern edge, along Via Roma toward the Servi church, with calm streets, a few larger hotels and a fifteen to twenty minute walk to the Campo.
Porta Romana is the southern gate, and Via Roma runs from it into the old town past the Servi church to the Campo. Around it are quieter streets, some larger hotels, villas and apartments, and a few small restaurants. The Servi church has a good view back to the Torre del Mangia.
It is calm at night and a little cheaper than the center. The walk to the Campo takes fifteen to twenty minutes, uphill on the way in. A good choice for the Palio if you book well ahead and are willing to walk, and for drivers who want an easier approach than the north side.
Good for
- A calm night close to the walls
- Larger hotels and parking options
- A walk in through the Servi church and Via Roma
Think twice if
- You want the Campo within five minutes
- You want evening life at the door
- The uphill walk in would be hard for you
Staying in Porta Romana and Santa Maria dei Servi: nearby sights, food and getting around
The station side, for trains and a tighter budget
Outside the walls to the north-east, with the railway station and the cheapest rooms, and a twenty-five minute walk or a short bus ride to the Campo.
The station is outside the walls, down the hill from the old town, and the streets around it have the least expensive rooms in Siena. Trains to Florence, Chiusi and Empoli leave from here. City buses and the escalators and lifts up the hill take you to the center.
It is functional, not charming. The walk to the Campo is about twenty-five minutes and mostly uphill, so most guests take a bus. Choose it for an early train, a late arrival or a tight budget; not for the best of the old town. Direct buses from Florence are often quicker and drop you nearer the center.
Good for
- A tight budget
- Early trains and late arrivals
- Day trips by train
Think twice if
- You want to walk out into the old lanes
- You will walk back uphill at night
- You are arriving by bus from Florence: the bus station is nearer the center
Staying in The station side: nearby sights, food and getting around
Where not to stay in Siena, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Siena. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A room on the Campo, if you need quiet
Close to everything and loud in the evening in summer. Ask for a room at the back, or stay in a lane two streets away.
- A room for the Palio, booked late
Rooms in and near the walls sell out up to a year ahead on 2 July and 16 August, and rates rise sharply. Book as soon as the dates are fixed, or stay in Florence or the countryside.
- A hotel on a steep lane, with heavy luggage
Pretty on the map, hard with a suitcase. Check whether the hotel has a lift or a drop-off point before you book.
- A 'Siena' farmhouse with no car
Beautiful, and a taxi or a car away from the town. Stay in the walls unless you have a car.
- Driving into the old town
Most of the historic center is a restricted traffic zone, and cameras fine cars that enter without a permit. Park outside the zone and ask your hotel where.
Which neighborhood suits you
First time in Siena
Around the Campo for a night or two; Città and the Duomo if you want quieter lanes.
Couples
Città or Fontebranda, for views and quiet lanes.
Families with children
Camollia and the Fortezza, for parking and a park, close to the center.
A tight budget
The station side or Camollia, both outside the best lanes.
Eating well on foot
San Martino, among the osterie and pastry shops.
The Palio
Around the Campo booked a year ahead, or Porta Romana and walk in.
A quiet stay
Driving
Camollia or Porta Romana, near the car parks at the edge of the restricted zone.
Before you book a room in Siena
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Siena makes a good stay.
- The city taxSiena charges a tourist tax per person per night. For 2026 the rate is €1.50 in low season and €3 in high season at hotels up to four stars, B&Bs and holiday rentals. Five-star hotels with a room price over €200 pay €3 in low season and €5 in high. High season runs from 1 March to 31 October. Hostels and campsites pay less, and some guests are exempt. The hotel asks for the tax at check-out, on top of the booking-site price.
- From FlorenceSiena has no airport. From Florence, a direct bus takes about 75 minutes and arrives near the old town. The train takes longer, usually with a change, and the station is outside the walls. A taxi or transfer is simpler with luggage.
- From Pisa airportThere is no direct train. The usual route is a train to Siena changing at Empoli, about 1 hour 45 from Pisa Centrale. Use the PisaMover to reach Pisa Centrale, which takes about 8 minutes.
- The PalioThe Palio races are on 2 July and 16 August, with trial races in the days before. Rooms in and near the walls sell out up to a year ahead, and rates rise. Book as soon as you know the dates, or stay in Florence or the countryside.
- Hills and stairsSiena is built on three ridges. Many hotels are in old palazzi with small lifts or none. Check the floor, the lift and the nearest road access before you book.
- DrivingMost of the historic center is a restricted traffic zone. Your hotel can tell you where to park, and whether it can register your plate if you need to drive in.
Where to stay in Siena: questions people ask
What is the best area to stay in Siena for a first visit?
Around Piazza del Campo or in Città near the Duomo. The Torre del Mangia, the cathedral and most of the restaurants are within ten minutes on foot. Expect to pay more and to hear some noise in summer.
Is it better to stay in Siena or in Florence?
Stay in Siena if you want the town after the day-trippers leave. It is calmer, smaller and easier to walk. Florence has more rooms and more trains, but Siena is worth a night.
Where should I stay for the Palio?
Near the Campo if you can book a year ahead, or in Porta Romana and walk in. Rooms in and near the walls sell out well before 2 July and 16 August, so many people stay in Florence or the countryside.
Is it worth staying outside the walls?
Only with a car. Farmhouses and hotels in the hills are quiet and cheaper, but you need to drive or take a taxi into town and back at night.
Is the station a good place to stay?
It has the cheapest rooms and the trains. The walk to the Campo is about twenty-five minutes and mostly uphill, so you will use a bus. Stay there for an early train or a tight budget.
How many nights do you need in Siena?
One night is enough for the Campo, the tower and the cathedral, and two lets you add San Domenico, the Pinacoteca and an evening walk. Add a night for Chianti or Val d'Orcia.
How do I get from Florence airport to Siena?
Take the tram or bus into Florence, then a direct bus to Siena, about 75 minutes. A taxi or transfer is simpler with luggage. From Pisa, the train changes at Empoli and takes about 1 hour 45.
How much is the city tax in Siena?
In 2026, €1.50 per person per night in low season and €3 in high season at hotels up to four stars, B&Bs and rentals. Five-star hotels over €200 a room charge €3 and €5. It is paid at the hotel.
