Our Location: At the Heart of Southern Tuscany

Ours is a “close to everything, away from it all” location: central for Tuscany’s most sought-after wines, landscapes and hill towns, yet wonderfully peaceful for days spent at home. From here you can tour for days and still not see all our favourite local sights — but that’s the point. Being so centrally placed means you can simply be spontaneous.

Where exactly is Siena House?

Siena House sits in the open countryside of the Commune of Torrita di Siena, in the Valdichiana Senese — the south-eastern corner of the Province of Siena. It’s worth being clear on one point, because it surprises people: while we’re in the Province of Siena, we’re not beside Siena city, which is about 46 minutes away. Instead, we’re right among the hill towns of southern Tuscany — Montepulciano is just 18 minutes away, Pienza around 25 — which puts the Val d’Orcia, the Brunello and Vino Nobile wine country, and a dozen beautiful towns within easy, spontaneous reach.

Malvin spent ten years scouring Tuscany and Umbria before choosing this exact spot. The countryside here is stunning, ringed by hilltop towns and hamlets — we can see seven from the house. Nearby towns include Montepulciano, Pienza, Montefollonico, Montisi, Trequanda, Sinalunga, Lucignano and Cortona.

Drive times from Siena House

Distances and approximate driving times to the towns, cities and airports our guests reach most often. (Times are current Google Maps estimates and vary with traffic and season.)

Towns & cities

Airports

It’s a 10-minute drive to the motorway, and the location has been an important stop for north–south travellers for centuries — yet international tourism still hasn’t arrived here in large numbers, which is part of its charm.

A prime base for wine lovers

Our position is especially strategic for wine enthusiasts: we sit at a hub point for five wine-producing zones — Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Orcia, Chianti Classico, and the Syrah of Cortona. We welcome many wine lovers, and have even installed a professional wine refrigerator for the bottles you bring back. For where to go, see our guide to the best wineries in Tuscany, ordered by distance from the house.

Real Tuscan dining, close to home

Here you can still experience the ‘real’ Tuscany: authentic dishes at honest prices, in restaurants full of Italian diners — and all close by. There are five excellent dining options within 2 km of the house.

Scenic beauty and famous film locations

Some of the most photographed and filmed corners of Tuscany lie within easy reach. Gladiator, Quantum of Solace, The English Patient, and series like Master of None, Made in Chelsea and The Medici have all featured the Province of Siena’s towns and countryside — and much of the 2022 Pinocchio was filmed at our ‘home farm’, La Fratta, just minutes away.

How far to plan: itineraries by length of stay

For guests staying 3–4 nights, there’s a wealth to see within a short 25–30 minute drive: hilltop villages, wineries and landmarks — all in our Tuscany Guide. Chianti begins about 20 minutes away and rewards an hour’s drive in. Florence and Orvieto are both feasible day trips at around an hour to ninety minutes, and Umbria — Perugia, and Assisi beyond it — opens up in well under an hour and a half.

For longer stays of 4–5 nights, you might venture further: San Gimignano (beyond Siena), Volterra, or even Pisa and Lucca. But honestly, some of the best exploring is within a half-hour of the house. We don’t encourage long drives every day — in this area the journey is often as enjoyable as the destination, so our best advice is: don’t overplan.

How to get around

Without question, the best way to enjoy the Tuscan countryside is by your own rental car. The roads are mostly quiet, the driving is a pleasure, and nothing beats the spontaneity and independence it gives you. We’re glad to help with parking, journey plans and anything else.

A common question is whether you need a driver for wine tasting. Our advice is to take it slow: build one winery into each day, sip-and-spit rather than drink, and bring a bottle back to enjoy at the house. Tastings here are often led by the winemakers themselves, so there’s plenty of insight — and you’re genuinely not expected to drink the wine at the cellar.

Stay at Siena House

Central, peaceful and perfectly placed for southern Tuscany — it’s why we chose this spot, and why our guests keep coming back. Choose your room to make Siena House your base, explore the area in our Tuscany Guide, or contact us for help planning your trip.