Best 2 Days in Siena on a Budget
UPDATED 2/3/22
If you’re using my How to Spend 2 Weeks in Italy and planned your 3 Days in Rome, now you’re ready to find out how to spend 2 days in Siena on a budget as a single traveler full of historic sites, Tuscany countryside, and Montalcino wine tasting.
2022 Italy Pandemic Travel Tips from My 2021 Italy Travel
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- Siena Solo Travel Planning Resources
- Siena on a Budget (or Not)
- Siena Solo Travel Packing Essentials
- Getting Around Siena
- Where to Stay in Siena
- Siena Attraction Musts
- Other Siena Attractions
- Siena Events Calendar
- Siena Dining
- Montalcino Day Trip
- 2 Days in Siena on a Budget Itinerary
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Siena on a Budget (or Not)
Yes, 2 days in Siena on a budget as a solo traveler is doable. To help provide more Siena budget options, peruse my Guide to Budget European Accommodations for additional accommodation-planning.
Let me state here that when I say “budget”, I mean your daily travel expenses could total approximately €100. It’s up to you on where you wish to budget (accommodations, excursions, etc.), and how far in advance you book. Some attractions can be seen without a tour, which will save you money, of course.
The following Siena travel guide and itinerary can work for anyone, budget or not. The key factors that can push you out of the “budget” range is your choice in Siena accommodations and the types of attraction tours you choose. Some attractions can be seen without a paid tour, give you much fun on little money.
Ok, now let’s get you to an amazing 2 days in Siena on a budget.
Siena Solo Travel Packing Essentials
Prices in this post reflective at time of writing.
Getting Around Siena
From Rome or other Italy locations, it is more than likely you will arrive at the Siena Piazza Gramsci station. From there you can take other trains or regional or local buses.
The Siena historical center can really be done on foot, but if you’re staying within my recommended area (see map below), you’ll want to take a shuttle or bus to/from the Siena train station.
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Where to Stay in Siena
Siena is a small city on a hill so some of the city is on a higher elevation than Siena city center and Il Campo (lower elevation).
Ideally, if you don’t want to haul your luggage up and down hills, you may want to stay within a 5-minute walk to the Pannilunghi bus stop from which you can catch a 5-minute bus ride back to the Siena train/bus station and have a 15-minute walk down to the Il Campo (Piazza del Campo).
For ease of arriving and departing Siena and walking around for the best Siena sights, I recommend staying within the circle on the map:
Siena Hotels
Siena has hotel, hostel and other accommodation types across all budget types within the Siena map. Going in the off season, or booking well in advance, will get you the best Siena prices.
Consider booking at a property that either is eco-friendly or sustainably rated, or at least employs these methods into their business.
For location, price, amenities (including no pre-payment and free-cancellation), and customer reviews and ratings, my Siena budget hotel recommendation for over 50 single travel is Villa di STR. It is in a fabulous location, with a great breakfast and staff, and includes all of the lovely amenities you could need. It even employs some eco-friendly business practices.
Better yet, it could be booked for less than €100/night, depending on time of year and how far in advance you book.
Siena Budget Tip
There are Siena hostels that could start from around €20/night, depending on what amenities and location you want. Note, these are usually a bed in a dorm room. Private rooms in hostels can cost the same, if not more, than a budget hotel.
For the same conditions, plus employing eco-friendly and/or sustainable operations, here are my Siena hotel recommendations for over 50 single travel (i.e., where I would stay), “budget” and higher:
Siena Attraction Musts
Siena, which some consider being in the “heart of Tuscany”, is known for the Palio, a bi-annual horse race, that has been held since the 17th century. It is also known for its medieval cityscape, art, museums, and cuisine.
If you have never been to the Siena City Centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site itself, the following are attractions that would a shame to miss.
You can easily do most sights in a day since Siena is fairly small and it is not really necessary to purchase attraction tickets in advance, unless you are visiting during a special event. Some of these are free attractions in Siena.
- Il Campo (Piazza del Campo) – some consider it the best square in Italy
- Torre de Mangia (Tower of Mangia) – has 330 steps to the top for an amazing view of the city
- Piazza dei Salimbeni
- Duomo di Siena
- Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
- Piazza del Duomo
If you decide to see the Duomo and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, consider getting the OPASI Pass that covers both entries and is valid for three days.
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Other Siena Attractions
Here are other fabulous attractions to see that you can see during your stroll through Siena (the Baptistry also covered under the OPASI Pass).
- Pinacoteca Nazionale
- Civic Museum of Siena
- Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry of San Giovanni)
- Santa Maria della Scala Museum
- Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala
Siena Events Calendar
If it helps in planning what you would like to see, here is a list of annual events held in Siena and annual events held in the Tuscany region.
Siena Dining
If you want pricier fare, try the over-priced Piazza del Campo restaurants. Otherwise, hit the back streets instead, as the locals do. If you need some help, here are some helpful Siena dining links:
Montalcino Day Trip
Wine Tasting in Montalcino
I can understand if you are enjoying Siena and want to just sleep in and hang out and have a lazy day your second day – that is up to you.
However, if you are a wine buff, please know you are only an hour away from Montalcino, one of the three “heart of Tuscany” towns. If like wine as much as I do, I highly suggest a day trip to Montalcino.
Montalcino is known for its Brunello and, boy, you don’t want to miss it.
There are many wine tasting excursions leaving from Siena that you can arrange, such as this small group Brunello wine tasting Montalcino trip. If you are on a budget, however, and still want to experience local Brunello tasting, save money on tour and take the bus to Montalcino yourself for 10 Euros roundtrip.
When you first arrive in Siena, pop into the bus station, which adjoins the train station, and ask for a local bus schedule for the next day to Montalcino, or just check the bus schedules in advance.
There are several daily buses, but I recommend sleeping in, having a lazy breakfast, and then by 10am head to the station to catch the 10:50am #114 bus to Montalcino Staz.Di Servi. You’ll arrive at the town of Montalcino, which sits high up on a hill, by 12pm – a great time for more food before the wine drinking, I mean tasting, begins.
Take a stroll through Montalcino. It’s easy to navigate and hard to get lost. Here is a fantastic guide to self-guided wine tasting in Montalcino, that includes the town’s wine bars to taste in and restaurants.
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The town also holds some nice stores to pop into for shopping and scenic views for some great picture snapping. Don’t forget to visit the Enotecca la Fortezza, which is in the town’s medieval fortress. They do have a wonderful selection of wines to taste and the staff is very friendly.
In fact, all wine bars I visited were very welcoming, and the staff love to tell you about their Brunello wines. You can arrange them to ship the wine home for you so you can share with your family and friends. I shipped a case home.
Brunello’s are known for their longevity so they will keep for a while before peaking.
When your lazy Montalcino day is over, catch the 6:20pm bus and you’re back to Siena by 7:23pm in time for dinner and an early night so you’re fresh for the next day’s traveling.
2 Days in Siena on a Budget Itinerary
Depending on how much you want to see (and spend) is completely up to you. Siena has plenty of options, as I have outlined above.
That said, here is my recommended Siena itinerary that shows what a single traveler over 50 can see and do in 2 days in Siena on a budget (with Montalcino), at approximately €100 a day, if you book well in advance, avoid high tourist season, and choose the right tour or entry tickets for the top Siena attractions to meet your tastes and budget.
Here is one such Siena budget itinerary:
Day 1 Siena
- Il Campo (Piazza del Campo) for exploring and shopping
- Piazza dei Salimbeni
- Tower of Mangia
- Siena Duomo (with OPASI Pass)
- Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo (included with OPASI Pass)
- Hotel
Day 2 – Self-Guided Montalcino Wine Tasting
- Round trip bus
- Three wine tastings
- Hotel
Alternatively, if you wish to spend your second day in Siena without Montalcino:
Day 2 – Siena
- Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala
- Pinacoteca Nazionale
- Siena Civic Museum
- Baptistry of San Giovanni (included with OPASI Pass)
- Hotel
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