Siena, Chianti & western hill towns: places & planning

Brolio is a castle-and-vineyard outing in Chianti, outside Siena. Gardens, collections and guided experiences have different arrangements; consult the current Ricasoli calendar rather than the old source opening note.

Make Siena’s cathedral a focused visit within a walk through the historic centre. Check the particular spaces included in your admission and the current access schedule.

Guardastelle is a wine estate near San Gimignano. Arrange the tasting or meal in advance and plan a non-drinking driver or transfer; a stay at the estate is a separate booking.

San Gimignano’s towers and lanes reward a slower town visit. Use parking outside the historic core, and choose between the town and Volterra when arriving from the Ligurian coast.

Keep Piazza del Campo and Siena’s historic streets together as a city visit. Walk in from your parking or arrival point and leave room for the cathedral rather than continuing immediately to several distant towns.

Volterra is a hill-town outing west of Siena with Etruscan and later history. It adds a separate approach to a coast-to-countryside transfer; choose it instead of treating it as a compulsory stop before San Gimignano.