Genial

Great spot to use as a base to take in the area around Siena

We loved this region and we enjoying visiting the beautiful city of Sienna. So much to see and do. A clean, beautiful town and the locals should be proud. The surrounding country side is so pretty and I could pack up and move to this beautiful part of Italy. It is an area that should be visited. The local food produce is delicious and we enjoyed visiting the cafes in Sienna. We relied on buses as we did not have a car. I believe a car is essential.

La Grotta is a fantastic site with large grounds including vineyard and olive groves. There are lots of lawned areas with outdoor seating and a good sized pool. A barbecue is also available. It is situated about 5 miles from Siena. There is a bus to Siena running about hourly - cheap - but you have to buy tickets in advance. My first taste of Italian self-catering. The appartment had rustic charm, but was basic by British/French self-catering standards. The toilet/shower was accessed through one of the two bedrooms. No easy chairs at all so when it got dark/cold outside you had to sit on a wooden bench or your bed !! Owner was very helpful with local advice on places to visit. He even went to get us bus tickets when we were stranded due to a car hire problem. Auto Europa let us down badly (not booked through Expedia !!) and we had to go by bus to Firenze for a replacement car only to find that they didn't have one. A good place to relax by the pool/in the grounds but a good centre for visiting Siena and Tuscan hill-top towns. Owner provides breakfast (5 Euro) and an evening Tuscan meal (18 Euro) but we did not use this service.