SIENA, ITALY

Siena, like many ancient Italian cities, lives up to the title luogo a misura d'uomo or "a place made for people". This is partly due to its compact size, which allows visitors to stroll leisurely about the city, and also due to the quantity and quality of the services that the town offers. There are good urban transport facilities here, as well as a large number of garages. Private cars have limited access inside the city walls, both because of the restricted amount of space and the complex street layout, and this allows drivers to leave their cars at the gates of the city while they enjoy themselves in the center. Even the banking services, such as the currency conversion services and general tourist assistance are top quality. It would be difficult to get away with anything less than great service here, as after all, this is the home of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest banking establishment, founded in 1472.

The hotels and the restaurants here are extremely welcoming and still maintain the original spirit of the city. This helps to promote a wonderful sense of camaraderie... more