Your stay — Affittacamere Apollinare
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The Property — Affittacamere Apollinare
Affittacamere Apollinare is a no-fuss guesthouse, not a full-service hotel, set inside a former convent near Piazza del Campo. You walk into a cool, stone-floored corridor with high ceilings and plain white walls—think clean, monastic simplicity. Rooms lack the frills you'd expect at a chain hotel (no minibar, limited reception hours), so it suits independent travellers who prioritise location and quiet over amenities. The key draw is walking out your door and being three minutes from Siena's main square.
Chronicles of Siena
Siena was founded as a Roman settlement called Saena Julia in the 1st century BC under Emperor Augustus, but its golden age was the 12th and 13th centuries as a rival to Florence. The city's medieval core, built on three hills, is a UNESCO World Heritage site largely unchanged since the 1300s, with the unfinished cathedral and Piazza del Campo as its masterpieces. The famous Palio di Siena, a bareback horse race around the piazza, has run twice each summer since the 17th century and remains the cultural heartbeat of the city. Today Siena balances tourism with a functioning university population, giving it a lived-in feel rather than a museum atmosphere.
Best Time to Visit
Full Siena guide →Best months
May, June, September: warm enough to sit in Piazza del Campo without roasting, fewer crowds than July–August, and the landscape is green. September also offers the Palio on 2 July (though note the date covers the July race).
Peak / festival surge
July is peak for the Palio on 2 July; hotel prices spike 200–300% for that weekend. August is hot and crowded with Italian holidaymakers, prices still elevated but less extreme. The Palio on 16 August also drives demand.
Budget shoulder season
April–early May and October are the best budget months: mild weather (10–20°C in April, 12–22°C in October), lower hotel rates, and manageable visitor numbers. Some tourist-oriented shops close in November.
Weather & packing
Siena's hilltop position gives it a microclimate: July averages 30°C but can exceed 38°C with no sea breeze. Pack a reusable water bottle (public fountains everywhere) and a light scarf or jacket for evening breezes.
Live City Briefing — Siena
- Siena's ZTL (limited traffic zone) is strictly enforced with cameras; car access to the historic centre is banned without a hotel permit. Affittacamere Apollinare is inside the ZTL, so arrange parking at a lot like Parcheggio il Campo or San Francesco before arrival.
- The Duomo di Siena's ticket system now requires pre-booked time slots (available online) to access the cathedral and its Piccolomini Library, especially during peak months.
- Some Contrada (neighbourhood) festivals and processions occur in the days before the Palio, often restricting small streets; check the Siena Comune website for the 2026 Palio calendar.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Affittacamere Apollinare, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Ask for an interior-facing room on the second or third floor. These are set back from the narrow city street and minimise traffic noise, and the upper floors get more light without street-level disturbance.
Rooms to avoid
Stay away from rooms on the first floor or directly above the ground-floor entrance. Street noise from pedestrians and vehicles on Siena’s hilly, cobbled lanes carries up clearly, and the entrance/check-in area can create early-morning chatter.
Best views
Rooms facing the internal courtyard or a side alley. The street-side rooms offer glimpses of Siena’s terracotta rooftops and the Duomo, but those views come with sound. Ask for a courtyard-side room for a genuine quiet stay with a sense of the medieval city.
Quietest floors
Second and third floors. The building is typically a compact palazzo with 3-4 floors; the top floor may have attic-level rooms with limited headroom but is also quiet and often has small windows with roof views.
🔊 Noise notes
Siena’s historic centre is pedestrianised in parts but mopeds and small delivery trucks pass through early morning. The hotel’s street is typical of the old town: lively by day, bar/restaurant spill-out noise until 10–11 pm, then quiet overnight. No lift means creaky stairs—a fair trade-off for a central location.
Insider tips
1. If you’re driving, note that Siena’s central ZTL (limited traffic zone) is strictly enforced. Park in the Parcheggio Santa Caterina or Stadio and walk 10 minutes uphill—the hotel has no private parking. 2. Check-in can be at a nearby bar or separate office; confirm exact instructions by phone 24 hours before arrival to avoid circling the block with luggage.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Affittacamere Apollinare
free WiFi for all guests; average speed 15 Mbps download; no login or password needed (open network)
no lift – property is in a historic 3-floor building with stairs only
no printed newspapers; free digital access via PressReader available on request at reception
check-in 12:00–19:00; earlier bag drop possible by arrangement; late check-out to 11:00 free, after that €20 until 14:00 (subject to availability)
free and available before check-in or after check-out; leave at reception
no step-free access; entrance has two shallow steps; no wheelchair-accessible rooms or bathrooms; not suitable for guests with mobility restrictions
no on-site parking; nearest public car park is Parcheggio Il Campo (€2.00/hour, €18.00 per 24h); free street parking in surrounding blue zones is very limited – paid until 20:00 weekdays and until 13:00 Saturdays; no EV charging on-site
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €2.50 per person per night (exempt for under-12s)
Deposit & card hold: full prepayment via bank transfer or credit card link within 48h of booking; €50 cash or card hold at check-in for incidentals
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Cappella della Villa Piccolomini a Sant'Apollinare (267 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: San Bartolomeo (1.1 km · ~13 min walk)
- Church: Chiesa dei Santi Margherita e Matteo (1.4 km · ~18 min walk)
- Church: Chiesa di Santa Maria a Tressa (1.9 km · ~23 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Centro Commerciale Siena Sud — 814 m · ~10 min walk
Museo della Contrada della Chiocciola — 2.5 km · ~31 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 1.9 km · ~24 min walk
Farmacia Massetana — 761 m · ~10 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs (bancomat) for best rates; avoid exchange bureaux in Piazza del Campo or hotel desks, which take a big cut.
Visa/Mastercard widely accepted in shops and restaurants; smaller cafés and market stalls may be cash-only; contactless is common for small amounts.
Not expected: round up the bill in a restaurant (€1-2) or leave a euro for great service; taxis round up to nearest euro; hotel staff appreciate €1-2 per bag.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Standing at a bar counter espresso: about €1.10–1.30.
Pizza al taglio (by the slice) or a panino from a rosticceria: around €5–7.
A simple pasta dish in a trattoria: about €10–13 for a main.
Look for forno (bakeries) near Piazza del Mercato and along Via di Città for schiacciata and calzone; the Mercato di Piazza del Mercato (weekday mornings) has cheap eats.
Coop (on Via Pian d' Ovile) and Conad (near Piazza Gramsci) are common budget supermarkets.
Via Montanini and Via dei Rossi have mid-range chains like OVS and Intimissimi; for cheap basics, try the Saturday market at La Lizza.
Buy a multi-ride ticket (10 rides) for €12 from tabacchi – covers all city buses; no airport train – the cheapest way from Florence airport is a bus (€8–10 one-way) or shared shuttle.
Eat lunch at a bar counter (cheaper than table service). Buy a city pass (Siena Card) if visiting multiple museums – it includes the Duomo and civic museum and works out cheaper. Shop at the La Lizza market on Wednesdays and Saturdays for fresh produce and clothes.
Good to know — Siena
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Siena, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Affittacamere Apollinare
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 1.9 km · ~24 min walk — pharmacy · Farmacia Massetana — 761 m · ~10 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Florence Airport (FLR) → Comfort Siena Design Apartment
💡 Book a fixed-price transfer with Welcome Pickups or a local company like TaxiSiena to avoid surge pricing. Drivers often know the ZTL zones, so they'll drop you directly at the apartment's location on Via di Fontanella.
Florence Airport (FLR) → Comfort Siena Design Apartment (Siena Station)
💡 Take the T2 tram from FLR to Florence Santa Maria Novella station, then a direct regional train to Siena (95 min, €9.20). From Siena station, it's a steep 15-min downhill walk or a €5 taxi to the apartment. Avoid the Trenitalia Intercity trains—they're not faster.
Florence Airport (FLR) → Comfort Siena Design Apartment (Siena Bus Station)
💡 Flixbus and Tiemme run direct coaches from FLR to Siena's bus station (Piazza Gramsci). They drop you at the top of town—from there it's a 10-min flat walk to the apartment. Sit on the left for views of the towers on the way in.
Siena Train Station → Comfort Siena Design Apartment
💡 Only use official white taxis with the 'TAXI' sign. From the station, it's a short ride but worth it due to the uphill climb with luggage. Call 0577 49221 for a radio taxi if none are in the queue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Affittacamere Apollinare?
Ask for an interior-facing room on the second or third floor. These are set back from the narrow city street and minimise traffic noise, and the upper floors get more light without street-level disturbance.
Which rooms should I avoid at Affittacamere Apollinare?
Stay away from rooms on the first floor or directly above the ground-floor entrance. Street noise from pedestrians and vehicles on Siena’s hilly, cobbled lanes carries up clearly, and the entrance/check-in area can create early-morning chatter.
Is Affittacamere Apollinare noisy?
Siena’s historic centre is pedestrianised in parts but mopeds and small delivery trucks pass through early morning. The hotel’s street is typical of the old town: lively by day, bar/restaurant spill-out noise until 10–11 pm, then quiet overnight. No lift means creaky stairs—a fair trade-off for a central location.
Which rooms have the best views at Affittacamere Apollinare?
Rooms facing the internal courtyard or a side alley. The street-side rooms offer glimpses of Siena’s terracotta rooftops and the Duomo, but those views come with sound. Ask for a courtyard-side room for a genuine quiet stay with a sense of the medieval city.
What are insider tips for staying at Affittacamere Apollinare?
1. If you’re driving, note that Siena’s central ZTL (limited traffic zone) is strictly enforced. Park in the Parcheggio Santa Caterina or Stadio and walk 10 minutes uphill—the hotel has no private parking. 2. Check-in can be at a nearby bar or separate office; confirm exact instructions by phone 24 hours before arrival to avoid circling the block with luggage.
What time is check-in at Affittacamere Apollinare?
Check-in at Affittacamere Apollinare is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Affittacamere Apollinare have Wi-Fi?
free WiFi for all guests; average speed 15 Mbps download; no login or password needed (open network)
Is there a city or tourist tax at Affittacamere Apollinare?
€2.50 per person per night (exempt for under-12s)
Where can I eat cheaply near Affittacamere Apollinare?
Pizza al taglio (by the slice) or a panino from a rosticceria: around €5–7.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Affittacamere Apollinare?
Buy a multi-ride ticket (10 rides) for €12 from tabacchi – covers all city buses; no airport train – the cheapest way from Florence airport is a bus (€8–10 one-way) or shared shuttle.
When is the best time to visit Siena?
May, June, September: warm enough to sit in Piazza del Campo without roasting, fewer crowds than July–August, and the landscape is green. September also offers the Palio on 2 July (though note the date covers the July race).
Top Attractions in Siena
💡 Check for free guided tours on Saturday mornings. The reliquary containing her head is eerie but fascinating.
💡 Bring a picnic. It's less busy than the main parks. Paths can be steep — wear flat shoes.
💡 Go at sunset for the best light on the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia. Early morning it's almost empty.
💡 Entry is €12 but the 'Porta del Cielo' rooftop tour costs extra. Go on a Sunday for free Mass entry — you still see the interior.
💡 Free on the first Sunday of each month. Otherwise €9. The underground 'sacred tunnels' are the highlight, not the modern art wing.