SIS Intercultural Study Abroad staff is always ready to help you for anything and everything while you are with us in Siena. You are always welcome to come talk with us, but we also put together this list of some links that you may find useful in order to make the best out of your experience.
Select “Urbano” for the servizio and then Siena for both territorio and citta
There’s so much to see in Italy! You can organize day trips or longer ones. Here are some important links for traveling from Siena and within Italy.
Trains to anywhere from Siena
– Trenitalia
High-Speed trains from major cities (Firenze, Roma, Milano, Napoli, Bologna)
– Italo Treno
Busses from Siena to nearby towns
– Tiemme
Busses from Siena to major cities in Italy
– Flixbus
Here are some of the beautiful towns surrounding Siena that are ideal for a day trip. Consult this website for bus transportation: Tiemme
Montalcino – Home to the world famous Brunello di Montalcino red wine.
Pienza– Home to some of Italy’s best Pecorino (sheep cheese).
Montepulciano – Famous for the red wine known as Nobile di Montepulciano.
San Gimignano – Also known as the Medieval Manhattan because of its large number of towers.
Small Towns in Chianti Region – The famous wine region to the north of Siena.
Here are some of the major attractions in Tuscany. Great for day trips or overnight visits. There is a lot to see! Consult busses or trains from Siena.
Firenze
Updated activities and events in Firenze
Museums: Gli Uffizzi, L’Accademia, Il Duomo
Restaurants: Italian Tapas, Quattro Leoni, La Giostra, Il Latini, Mercato Centrale
Concerts: Nelson Mandela Forum, FLOG
Pisa
Museums: Torre di Pisa, Palazzo Blu
Restaurants: Numero 11, Al Signor Mimmo, Il Montino,
Other Cities in Tuscany (click for general info)
While it doesn’t get more authentic than the home-cooked meals with your host family, Siena has some wonderful restaurants. The list of excellent restaurants below is comprised of SIS staff favorites and includes a range in price. We haven’t listed the more expensive restaurants in Siena, considering the average student budget.
Trattoria Fonte Giusta
Il Pomodorino (Pizza)
Nonno Mede (Pizza)
La Prosciutteria: crudi e bollicine
Spadaforte (pizza)
Il Bandierino (pizza)
Le Scalette (pizza)
- Aperitivo in Italian refers to an early evening drink served with some light food. There are a lot of great places to try an aperitivo.
Bar Philadelphia
SIS organizes plenty of activities and tours during semester and summer sessions, but you’ll definitely have enough free time to explore your personal interests. Taking more cooking lessons or getting a guide for a wine tour are great ways to make the best of your free time.
Cooking Lessons
Tour Companies
Tuscany Escapes
Private Guides
Mganga Mganghista (Also a partner with SIS for service work with refugees)
Wine is not just a drink that is paired with food in Tuscany. It is an integral part of the local culture and history. SIS will organize at least one wine tasting for every group, but you may want to visit some wineries on your own. Many of these wineries are not easy to get to with public transportation. We would suggest that you contact one of our recommended tour operators or guides to set up a tour.
Wineries near Siena
Felsina
Wine Tasting in Siena
Fortezza (free sport equipment)