... and the one place to stay is Hotel Santa Caterina.
We have just returned home (US) after a five-day visit
to Florence and a five-day visit to Siena. This itinerary
was ideal for us -- we walked long hours all day, every
day, in Florence to master jet lag, visit as many
churches and museums as we could manage, and make
multiple climbs up the steep hill to the park overlooking
all of Florence.
We planned to take it slower in Siena, though there are
plenty of magnificent sights in the town and vicinity. This
was to be the "vacation" phase of our vacation. Internet
research and many positive comments by past guests
led us to the Hotel Santa Caterina, and we were
delighted by our experience there.
First it is important to note that we are avid walkers and
crave quiet at night. We never minded walking for 10 to
15 minutes to reach the center of the Old City and we
basked in the quiet of Santa Caterina's location just
outside the Porta Romana (gate into the Old City).
How count I count the charms of the Santa Caterina?
(1) Extraordinarily sharp, kind, helpful, and attentive
staff on duty at the desk to help us in every conceivable
way. (2) Lovely lounge where it was possible to take
coffee, tea, or drinks throughout the day and evening.
(3) An outdoor patio opening onto an awe-inspiring
panorama of the Tuscan countryside. (4) A beautiful,
spacious dining room for breakfast attended by angelic
wait staff (take your breakfast out onto the patio and
eat with the view and fresh air). (5) A great breakfast
for all tastes. (6) Charming, clean rooms with great
room service.
We were fortunate to book an apartment (there are
several) immediately behind the hotel (two bedrooms,
two bathrooms, living/dining room and foyer, but no
kitchenette). Our living room windows opened onto the
breath-taking panorama of the Tuscan countryside --
that alone made us feel we had reached the pinnacle of
our vacation.
The Siena Duomo is riveting and gorgeous. It is great
fun and quite a learning experience to visit the Florence
and Siena Duomos back-to-back.
Our finest two days in Siena? The hotel staff helped us
arrange for a cab ride out to a low-traffic dirt road about
8 kms from "Viagliaalia." We spent a half day walking
the road in quiet, surrounded by picturebook vistas, to
arrive in "Viagliaalia" ready for a noonday meal. There
is a restaurant in that small town (2 restaurants, 1 bar --
you figure out the right one, not hard) that served the
best meal we had in all of Tuscany.
The other peak experience was staying at the Santa
Caterina one afternoon, sitting at the table on our
apartment patio, reading and listening to birds. Santa
Caterina is idylic. I write this from my heart.
David and Susan
|
