Car hire Siena

Introduction

Siena is located in the heart of Tuscany and is world famous for its beautiful medieval architecture. Two highlights are the gothic cathedral Duomo di Siena and the San Galgano Abbey with a grass floor and no roof or windows. The heart of the city is the Piazza del Campo, with the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia. In July and August this square is scene of the historic spectacle of the Palio horse race.

Population

Siena has a population of 55,000.

Location

Siena is situated in a hilly region in central Tuscany. North of the city are the Chianti hills (Monte del Chianti) with the highest point of Monte Amiata (1738 m). There is another ridge to the west of the city (Colline Metallifere), while the long Chiana Valley (Val di Chiana) is on the east side.

Economy

Tourism is Siena's most important source of income. However, there is some industry: Novartis has a large pharmaceutical factory there and there are some companies that are specialized in biotechnology. Traditionally, there are clothing factories.

Airports

Siena has a small airport at nine kilometers southwest of the center. Siena Ampugnano Airport is easily accessible by rental car: from the ring road take exit Siena Ovest and after that take SP73bis to the airport.

Most people arrive at the airports in Florence (via A1, east of Siena) or Pisa (via highway A12 west of Siena).

Public Transport

The center of Siena is a pedestrian zone. There are no buses either, except for some minibuses to and from the parking facilities. However, there are excellent bus connections to other locations in Tuscany and to the seaside resorts Follonica and Castiglione della Pescaia.

Traffic and Parking

The best place to park your rental car is at the bottom of the town (follow the signs Terminal Bus Turistici). Other options are: Il Campo (Via Fontanella 11), il Duomo (Via Garibaldi 1), La Stazione (Piazzale Fratelli Rosselli), San Francesco (Via Baldassarre Petruzzi), and Stadio Fortezza (La Lizza). A rental car is perfect for exploring Tuscany.

Hotels

Although there are some accommodations in the city itself, most people stay in hotels or summer houses in the area. There is ample supply, from simple guesthouses to luxury resorts. At only three kilometers from the city, there is a large campsite, Siena Colleverde. As Siena is a very popular attraction, we recommend you to book your accommodation well in advance.

External Sources

For more information about Siena we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Siena
• Official website Siena (Italian)
• Tourist Information Siena (multilingual)