Accommodation and eating in southern Tuscany & central Umbria

So much to enjoy is this beautiful part of the world. A good nights sleep, surrounded by quiet beauty is
most important, after the rigors of big cities like Rome and Florence! 


Siena is not exactly a small town but compared to Florence it feels just perfect! The Park Hotel Siena
(www.charminghotels.it/) is an excellent place to stay. There is space to park the hire car, have
a swim and eat at their restaurant. In town itself, and I will write here that Siena is not known for its fine
restaurants, little Osteria da Trombicche - Via delle Terme, 66 I like very much. For excellent take 
away or eat in at a bench, the Gastronomia Rosticceria - Via delle Terme, 18 is a great find.

Can I squeeze in here Fattoria la Loggia - Via Collina, 40 located closer to Florence at Montefiridolfi. In
many ways this is your classic Tuscan borgo accommodation. Beautiful of course and drips with history.
Have a look at (www.fattorialaloggia.com) Heading along the SS2 you pass wonderful villages like 
Montalcino and Pienza. At San Quirico d'Orcia, the Trattoria Al Vecchio Forno 
(www.invaldorcia.it/vecchioforno) will leave you well satisfied. Further on at Bagno Vignoni my good friend 
Nico has recreated Osteria del Leone (www.illeone.com) and it is a fine place to dwell over good food 
and excellent wine! At the atmospheric Medieval village of Monticchiello you will discover La Porta - Via 
del Piano 3 (tel/fax: 0578755163). Many an hour I've spent at this place; many good hours. A visit to 
Montepulciano must surely take you to Ristorante Antico Caffe Poliziano 
(www.ec-net.it/site/caffepoliziano). To stay a couple of nights you might consider Albergo San Biagio 
(www.albergosanbiagio.it), but for a longer stay my friend Nico Pannevis will create a special Tuscan 
holiday for you at Sant'Antonio begging the question, "how can I leave?" (www.santantonio.it) 

Wonderful accommodations abound in Tuscany and Umbria. Some more sites for you to check out are:
Abitare La Storia (www.abitarelastoria.it), Il Falconiere - say hello to Riccardo & Silvia Baracchi for me, 
(www.ilfalconiere.com), Locanda del Molino (www.locandadelmolino.com). In Orvieto L'Hotel Palazzo 
Piccolomini (www.hotelpiccolomini.it) is very tempting. Of course I would put you in La Casetta for a 
weeks holiday, and you would love it!

Another site that offers a variety of small, and very comfortable accommodation in a variety of locations in 
Italy is Pregiohotel (www.pregiohotel.com) In closing this page I want to write a few words about a
most wonderful place to eat. It rates in my favourite top three restaurants in Italy along with Osteria Vini
e Vecchi (already mentioned previously) in Florence, and Antiche Carampane in Venice. 

I've discovered the wine estate of Maria Caterina Dei - a fine wine maker who is producing a drop of
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (www.cantinedei.com) that you should know about!

Here is a useful link to Montepulciano (www.montepulciano.com) and just down the road this link
(www.comune.chianciano-terme.siena.it/pages/asp_eng/home.asp) will help you get the most out
of a visit to Chianciano Terme and all this village has to offer a visitor.

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