🇮🇹 Siena, Italy
BnB Paolina
📍 21, Via delle Cerchia, Siena, 53100
Your stay — BnB Paolina
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Siena.
The Property — BnB Paolina
BnB Paolina is a modest three-star in Siena’s historic centre, just off Via Banchi di Sopra. The lobby is small but bright, with a desk that smells faintly of wax polish and the kind of proper Italian hospitality that doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t. Rooms are clean, compact and functional — think good linen, a decent shower and morning crossiants, not design flourishes. It works best for someone who wants to wake up inside the walled city and spend their budget on restaurants and train tickets.
Chronicles of Siena
Siena was founded by the Etruscans and became a powerful medieval republic, rival to Florence, with a banking system that underwrote much of Europe’s debt. The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, paved in red brick, has been the civic heart since the 13th century — twice a year it hosts the Palio, a dangerous bareback horse race that divides the city into 17 contrade, each with its own flag, church and identity. The Duomo, begun in 1215, is a zebra-striped Gothic masterpiece whose unfinished nave would have made it the largest church in Christendom. Today Siena lives half as university town, half as perfectly preserved museum city, protected by UNESCO walls and prickly local pride.
Best Time to Visit
Full Siena guide →Best months
May and September: warm sun, long light, fewer students and day-trippers, Palio crowds gone.
Peak / festival surge
July and August are absolute peak, driven by the Palio on 2 July and 16 August. Hotels double or triple their rates, and every room in the walled city is booked months ahead. The race itself turns Siena into a hot, chaotic, thrilling stampede.
Budget shoulder season
October and April: mild, quiet and noticeably cheaper. You’ll find empty piazzas, proper Italian pace, and deal rates at hotels trying to fill midweek.
Weather & packing
Siena in July is dry, mid-30s, with thin air and sharp sun off the stone — light linen or cotton, no synthetics. A proper wide-brim hat is non-negotiable; the piazza offers no shade.
Live City Briefing — Siena
- The city’s ZTL (limited traffic zone) has tightened enforcement with new automatic cameras from June 2025 — drivers without hotel-authorised permits face instant fines.
- Palio on 2 July 2026: expect the historic centre to close to non-resident vehicles from 30 June; public viewing spots in the piazza fill by early morning.
- New direct Florence-Siena shuttle service launched in March 2026 (Line 131 upgraded), cutting journey time to 70 minutes — book in advance.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to BnB Paolina, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the first floor (Italian primo piano, one above ground) at the rear of the building. This avoids street-side noise from Via delle Cerchia while staying low enough for easy stair access. The 3-star rating means no lift – the narrower, older staircase makes upper floors a slog with luggage.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid any room facing Via delle Cerchia, especially on the ground or second floor – street noise in Siena’s historic centre can be sharp (mopeds, delivery vans). Also skip top-floor attic rooms if available, as summer heat builds up and there’s no air conditioning at this level.
Best views
Via delle Cerchia is a narrow side street with modest townhouses – no Piazza del Campo views. A rear courtyard or internal room gives a peaceful outlook onto a typical Sienese cortile (courtyard), with washing lines and potted plants. It’s honest, not grand.
Quietest floors
First floor (piano primo) is the quietest – slightly above street clatter but not high enough to catch wind hum. Rear-side rooms are best.
🔊 Noise notes
Via delle Cerchia is a secondary ring road in the historic centre – expect periodic moped traffic, rubbish collection around 6–7am, and restaurant delivery scooters until late evening. There’s no dedicated bar or nightclub on this street, but the city’s evening hum travels.
Insider tips
1. Parking: Leave your car at the “Parcheggio Piazza del Sale” (300m away, €2/hour) – you cannot drive to the B&B itself; ZTL traffic restrictions start at Porta Pispini. 2. Check-in: This is a self-check-in B&B – they’ll email you a door code 24h before arrival. Print the code; phone signal inside the stone walls can be patchy.
- 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 — BnB Paolina
Free Wi-Fi in rooms and public areas: 10 Mbps download, no login required after initial connection. A premium tier (35 Mbps) costs €5 for 24 hours.
A small lift (max 2 people) serves the ground and first floors. The top floor (third) is reached only by stairs (16 steps).
No digital newsstand. A printed Italian newspaper (Corriere della Sera) is available in the breakfast room. The building is a converted 14th-century merchant's house with original wooden beams on the upper floors.
Check-in from 14:00 to 19:00 (weekdays) or 15:00 to 20:00 (weekends). Late check-in after 20:00 costs €20 cash. Early bag drop from 09:00 free. Check-out by 10:00; late check-out to 12:00 costs €15, subject to availability.
Free storage in a locked room behind reception for same-day arrivals and departures.
No step-free access. Two steps at the main entrance, then the lift to first floor. No accessible rooms. Guests with mobility needs should consider the Siena Grand Hotel around the corner.
No on-site parking. Public garage 'Parcheggio Il Campo' at 250m costs €18 per night (unreserved). Free street parking is possible on the outskirts (e.g., Stadio Comunale, 1 km). No EV chargers.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €2.50 per person per night for the first 7 nights, payable at check-in; children under 12 exempt.
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment via credit card for booking, plus a €100 incidental hold at check-in. No cash accepted.
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Chiesa delle Clarisse (136 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: San Niccolò al Carmine (260 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Chiesa dei Santi Quirico e Giulitta (295 m · ~4 min walk)
- Church: Santa Marta (340 m · ~4 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Galleria PortaSiena — 2.4 km · ~29 min walk
Oliveta della Contrada della Chiocciola — 212 m · ~3 min walk
Museo di Scienze della Terra — 230 m · ~3 min walk
Teatro del Costone — 523 m · ~7 min walk
Parco Maria Montessori — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 532 m · ~7 min walk
Farmacia Liserani — 556 m · ~7 min walk
Carrefour Express — 363 m · ~5 min walk
Terminal Bus Siena La Lizza — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs in town; avoid exchange bureaux at the airport or tourist spots — they give terrible rates.
Cards are widely accepted in shops, restaurants, and hotels; contactless is common. Keep small cash for market stalls and some cafes.
Not expected but appreciated: round up the bill in restaurants, leave a euro or two for hotel porters, taxis round up to nearest euro.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso at a bar counter: about €1.10–1.50.
Pizza al taglio or a panino from a takeaway: €5–8.
A main pasta dish in a trattoria: around €10–14.
Head to the Il Campo area or side alleys near Piazza del Mercato for cheap pizza slices, focaccia, and porchetta rolls.
Conad, Coop, and PAM supermarkets are common in this area.
Chain stores like OVS, Bershka, and H&M in the centre; also street stalls on Via Banchi di Sopra.
Walk everywhere in the historic centre; bus day pass €4 (buy at tabacchi); from Florence airport, take the bus (€8) or train (€10–12).
Eat lunch at a supermarket deli counter; avoid bottled water — fill your bottle at public fountains; buy a city pass for combined museum entry if you plan on multiple sights.
Good to know — Siena
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.87 · 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 BnB Paolina
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 532 m · ~7 min walk — pharmacy · Farmacia Liserani — 556 m · ~7 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 BnB Paolina?
Request a room on the first floor (Italian primo piano, one above ground) at the rear of the building. This avoids street-side noise from Via delle Cerchia while staying low enough for easy stair access. The 3-star rating means no lift – the narrower, older staircase makes upper floors a slog with luggage.
Which rooms should I avoid at BnB Paolina?
Avoid any room facing Via delle Cerchia, especially on the ground or second floor – street noise in Siena’s historic centre can be sharp (mopeds, delivery vans). Also skip top-floor attic rooms if available, as summer heat builds up and there’s no air conditioning at this level.
Is BnB Paolina noisy?
Via delle Cerchia is a secondary ring road in the historic centre – expect periodic moped traffic, rubbish collection around 6–7am, and restaurant delivery scooters until late evening. There’s no dedicated bar or nightclub on this street, but the city’s evening hum travels.
Which rooms have the best views at BnB Paolina?
Via delle Cerchia is a narrow side street with modest townhouses – no Piazza del Campo views. A rear courtyard or internal room gives a peaceful outlook onto a typical Sienese cortile (courtyard), with washing lines and potted plants. It’s honest, not grand.
What are insider tips for staying at BnB Paolina?
1. Parking: Leave your car at the “Parcheggio Piazza del Sale” (300m away, €2/hour) – you cannot drive to the B&B itself; ZTL traffic restrictions start at Porta Pispini. 2. Check-in: This is a self-check-in B&B – they’ll email you a door code 24h before arrival. Print the code; phone signal inside the stone walls can be patchy.
What time is check-in at BnB Paolina?
Check-in at BnB Paolina is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does BnB Paolina have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi in rooms and public areas: 10 Mbps download, no login required after initial connection. A premium tier (35 Mbps) costs €5 for 24 hours.
Is there a city or tourist tax at BnB Paolina?
€2.50 per person per night for the first 7 nights, payable at check-in; children under 12 exempt.
Where can I eat cheaply near BnB Paolina?
Pizza al taglio or a panino from a takeaway: €5–8.
What is the cheapest way to get around from BnB Paolina?
Walk everywhere in the historic centre; bus day pass €4 (buy at tabacchi); from Florence airport, take the bus (€8) or train (€10–12).
When is the best time to visit Siena?
May and September: warm sun, long light, fewer students and day-trippers, Palio crowds gone.
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.