Your stay — Piccolo Hotel Etruria
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The Property — Piccolo Hotel Etruria
This is a small, family-run three-star perched on the edge of Siena's historic centre, just inside the wall at Porta Pispini. The lobby feels like an unshowy 1970s Italian sitting room – tiled floors, a few prints, a reception desk where the owner often sits. The USP is location and value: you can walk to the Piazza del Campo in ten minutes, parking is possible (rare in Siena), and the rooms are clean, simple, and quiet. It suits budget-conscious travellers who want an honest base, not boutique frills.
Chronicles of Siena
Siena was founded as a Roman settlement (Saena Julia) under Emperor Augustus, but its golden age came in the 12th–14th centuries as a wealthy, fiercely independent republic rival to Florence. The architectural core is a unified Gothic masterpiece, built in the characteristic Sienese brick and travertine – the Piazza del Campo, the Palazzo Pubblico and the Duomo all date from this period. The city’s identity today is defined by the Palio, the twice‐yearly bareback horse race that still organises neighbourhood life into 17 contrade, each with its own museum and patron saint.
Best Time to Visit
Full Siena guide →Best months
May and September – warm, sunny days (20–25°C), fewer tourists than midsummer, and the countryside is green before the summer heat bakes it brown.
Peak / festival surge
July and August, especially 2 July and 16 August for the Palio di Siena. The city is mobbed; hotel rates can double. The 4–5 July weekend in 2026 is the immediate aftermath of the first Palio (2 July), so crowds ease slightly but accommodation still commands peak prices.
Budget shoulder season
April, late September and October – prices drop 20–30%, days remain mild (15–22°C), and you get the city without the crush. October has the added bonus of the olive harvest.
Weather & packing
Siena in July is hot (often 32–35°C by day) but evenings can cool sharply due to the hilltop location; after a thunderstorm, a jacket may be needed. Pack one lightweight layer, a sun hat and very comfortable walking shoes – the city is all steep slopes and cobbles.
Live City Briefing — Siena
- The Palio di Siena takes place on 2 July and 16 August 2026 – if you arrive on 4 July, you'll find the city cleaning up and post-race exhibitions in the contrada museums.
- Siena’s new limited-traffic zone (ZTL) enforcement has tightened in 2026; driving into the historic centre without a permit (available only from your hotel) can incur an instant fine, so clarify parking with Piccolo Hotel Etruria before arrival.
- The Orto Botanico behind the Duomo has reopened after a 2025 renovation, with new paths and medieval plant varieties – a cool, quiet escape from July heat.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Piccolo Hotel Etruria, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on floors 3 or 4 at the back of the building, overlooking the internal courtyard. These floors get more natural light than lower ones and are high enough to cut street-level noise from Via delle Donzelle.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the first floor (ground floor) and any room facing directly onto Via delle Donzelle. The street is a narrow, busy pedestrian lane with cafe deliveries and foot traffic from early morning until late evening.
Best views
Rooms at the back offer a tranquil view over the historic rooftops and courtyards of Siena's Terzo di San Martino district. Front-facing rooms give you a direct view of the pedestrian action on Via delle Donzelle, but that comes with noise.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest, as they sit above the bulk of street-level activity and double-glazing benefits start to work better higher up.
🔊 Noise notes
Via delle Donzelle is a narrow pedestrian street connecting to Piazza del Campo. Expect foot traffic, cafe sounds, and delivery carts from around 7am until 11pm. In summer, open windows amplify these sounds. The hotel's position means no major vehicle traffic, but it's no dead quiet.
Insider tips
1. The hotel doesn't have its own parking; use the Parcheggio Santa Caterina (€3/hour, 5-min walk) or the cheaper Parcheggio Il Campo (€1.50/hour, 10-min walk). 2. Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor with a courtyard view when booking – they often honour handwritten requests if you email 48 hours before arrival.
- 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 — Piccolo Hotel Etruria
free Wi-Fi throughout, typical speed ~15 Mbps download, no login required (just accept terms)
small lift connects ground floor to upper floors; does not serve the basement breakfast room (one flight of stairs)
no digital newsstand; a few complimentary Italian newspapers in the lobby (Corriere della Sera, La Nazione)
check-in from 14:00; early bag drop allowed from 10:00; check-out by 11:00; late check-out until 14:00 costs €30 (subject to availability)
free on day of check-in and check-out; no lockers
no step-free access at main entrance (two steps down); no wheelchair-accessible rooms; no adapted bathroom
no on-site parking; nearest public car park is Parcheggio Il Campo (€25 per night, 24-hour, 5-minute walk); no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €5 per person per night for the first 7 nights, children under 12 exempt
Deposit & card hold: no advance deposit required; a €50 incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: San Giovanni Battista (80 m · ~1 min walk)
- Church: San Pietro alle Scale (159 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata (193 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Altare di San Gaetano (208 m · ~3 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Galleria PortaSiena — 2.2 km · ~28 min walk
Prato di Sant'Agostino — 262 m · ~3 min walk
Palazzo Chigi Piccolomini alla Postierla — 40 m · ~1 min walk
Teatro del Costone — 367 m · ~5 min walk
Parco Maria Montessori — 450 m · ~6 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 41 m · ~1 min walk
Farmacia Liserani — 16 m · ~1 min walk
Carrefour Express — 27 m · ~1 min walk
Terminal Bus Siena La Lizza — 968 m · ~12 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 Piccolo Hotel Etruria
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 41 m · ~1 min walk — pharmacy · Farmacia Liserani — 16 m · ~1 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.
About Siena
Wikipedia ↗
Siena ( see-EN-ə, Italian: [ˈsjɛːna, ˈsjeːna] ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; Latin: Saena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, in Central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. With a population of 52,991, it is the 12th-largest city in the region as of 2025. The city is historically l...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
Request a room on floors 3 or 4 at the back of the building, overlooking the internal courtyard. These floors get more natural light than lower ones and are high enough to cut street-level noise from Via delle Donzelle.
Which rooms should I avoid at Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
Avoid rooms on the first floor (ground floor) and any room facing directly onto Via delle Donzelle. The street is a narrow, busy pedestrian lane with cafe deliveries and foot traffic from early morning until late evening.
Is Piccolo Hotel Etruria noisy?
Via delle Donzelle is a narrow pedestrian street connecting to Piazza del Campo. Expect foot traffic, cafe sounds, and delivery carts from around 7am until 11pm. In summer, open windows amplify these sounds. The hotel's position means no major vehicle traffic, but it's no dead quiet.
Which rooms have the best views at Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
Rooms at the back offer a tranquil view over the historic rooftops and courtyards of Siena's Terzo di San Martino district. Front-facing rooms give you a direct view of the pedestrian action on Via delle Donzelle, but that comes with noise.
What are insider tips for staying at Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
1. The hotel doesn't have its own parking; use the Parcheggio Santa Caterina (€3/hour, 5-min walk) or the cheaper Parcheggio Il Campo (€1.50/hour, 10-min walk). 2. Request a room on the 3rd or 4th floor with a courtyard view when booking – they often honour handwritten requests if you email 48 hours before arrival.
What time is check-in at Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
Check-in at Piccolo Hotel Etruria is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Piccolo Hotel Etruria have Wi-Fi?
free Wi-Fi throughout, typical speed ~15 Mbps download, no login required (just accept terms)
Is there a city or tourist tax at Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
€5 per person per night for the first 7 nights, children under 12 exempt
Where can I eat cheaply near Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
Pizza al taglio or a panino from a takeaway: €5–8.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Piccolo Hotel Etruria?
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, sunny days (20–25°C), fewer tourists than midsummer, and the countryside is green before the summer heat bakes it brown.
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.