The compact city of Siena with its striking central piazza (called Il Campo) is arguably the loveliest small city in all of Italy. In the heart of the Tuscan hills, Siena is easily reached by train and it makes a perfect base for exploring the Tuscan countryside. The nearest large city is Florence, which is about 90 minutes away on trains which generally run hourly during the week but less often at weekends.

Perched on a slight ridge, Siena boasts a dazzling mix of palaces, churches and squares. The city is so picture-perfect that you might wonder if you have stumbled onto a film set. Take time to explore the back lanes, join the evening passeggiata around the Campo and discover how Siena captures the Tuscan spirit.

The station is two kilometres north-west of the town centre. Buses run from the station into town. No high-speed trains serve Siena – a mark of a city that still prides itself on maintaining a slow lifestyle. But there is a good range of regional train services. Rome is just three hours away (with a change of train at Chiusi-Chianciano Terme). You can reach Pisa in 90 minutes with one change at Empoli.

Even closer, the celebrated hilltop village of San Gimignano – much loved by North American visitors to Tuscany – is just down the line from Siena. But note that the railway station serving ‘San Gimi’ is some distance from the town. It is called Poggibonsi-San Gimignano. Buses climb up the hill from that station to San Gimignano.

If you are heading for Siena from beyond Italy's borders, Florence is the natural point to route through, changing there from a high-speed train onto a local service for the short hop on to Siena. Even journeys as long as London to Siena can be completed in a long day.