Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to the Grand Hotel Continental, Siena
Facts in brief
Official star rating 5
Location The hotel is 5-minutes' walk to the Duomo of Siena
Annual opening All year
Closest airport Pisa, Bologna, Florence
Distance from airport The hotel is 1-hour and 45-minutes' drive from Pisa Airport
Closest railway station Siena Ferrovia
Distance from railway station The hotel is about 15-minutes' drive from Siena Ferrovia
Hotel facilities and services
4 Restaurants, Swimming Pools, Wine Cellar, Bar & Brasserie, 24-hour Room Service, Garage Service (€45 a day), Laundry Service, Babysitting, Fitness Centre, Beach, Golf (800m away), 'MiniClub' Kids' Club (Mid-June to early September approximately).
Land sports
Cosmopolitan Golf & Country Club just 800m away.
Out and about nearby
Historic Siena with its Piazza del Campo, Duomo and Palio (1 and 2 July and 15 and 16 August), Southern Tuscany with the rolling hills of the Siena countryside, the Wine regions of Chianti, Montalcino and even Montepulciano, San Gimignano with its towers and turrets, Buonconvento amid the Sienese Clay hills and the city of Florence.
Sports nearby
Riding, Golf, Tennis.
Thanks for organising what was a wonderful holiday. Apart from a delay because of Gatwick fog coming home, everything ran like clockwork and we had a cracking time. I would be happy to recommend Expressions and hope we will have the opportunity to organise another trip with you in the future.Mrs S, October 2024
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Classic double or twin room for 7 nights
From about
£1,315
Holiday Code IE84
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to the Grand Hotel Continental, Siena
The Grand Hotel Continental in Siena has proven to be the answer to our wishes over the years for a 5-star luxury boutique hotel in the breathe-taking historic centre of the town. The Grand Hotel Continental is housed in a 17th Century palazzo designed by the Baroque architect Giovanni Fontana. Situated a few steps from the famous Piazza del Campo and the Duomo and opposite the Rocca Salimbeni, the Grand Hotel Continental combines the historic flavour of the original Renaissance architectural features of this ancient palace and an elegance and refinement entirely appropriate to a contemporary 5 star hotel and its discerning clientele. The Grand Hotel Continental in Siena offers truly luxurious accommodation in its rooms and suites with original frescoes, art and antiques and a superb level of service, from 24-hour room service to a complimentary overnight shoeshine. The hotel bar and brasserie are housed in a delightful winter garden and SaporDivino restaurant serves Tuscan cuisine with a contemporary twist. The wide selection of Italian and international wines are to be found and enjoyed in the hotel's 15th-century cellar. The hotel is perfectly placed for exploring the fascinating city of Siena on foot.
Room descriptions
Grand Hotel Continental in Siena offers 51 rooms (some non-smoking rooms). Each room features private bath or shower and wc, television, internet access, air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe and hairdryer.
Thanks for organising what was a wonderful holiday. Apart from a delay because of Gatwick fog coming home, everything ran like clockwork and we had a cracking time. I would be happy to recommend Expressions and hope we will have the opportunity to organise another trip with you in the future.Mrs S, October 2024
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Classic double or twin room for 7 nights
From about
£1,315
Holiday Code IE84
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to the Grand Hotel Continental, Siena
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Grand Hotel Continental in Tuscany, our clients usually fly to Pisa or Florence airport or arrive by train at Florence Santa Maria Novella railway station. We recommend the use of a hire-car for a stay at this hotel and we would include it in the price of holiday.
Additional information
Minimum stays: 2 nights in low season.
Children: Children under 12 are accommodated for free when sharing a room with 2 adults - terms and conditions apply. Cots and extra beds can be added to Deluxe Double Rooms. A kids' club runs seasonally for children aged 4 to 10.
Other information: Located in the heart of Siena.
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
Thanks for organising what was a wonderful holiday. Apart from a delay because of Gatwick fog coming home, everything ran like clockwork and we had a cracking time. I would be happy to recommend Expressions and hope we will have the opportunity to organise another trip with you in the future.Mrs S, October 2024
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Classic double or twin room for 7 nights
From about
£1,315
Holiday Code IE84
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to the Grand Hotel Continental, Siena
About Tuscany
An Expressions tailor-made holiday in Tuscany allows you to appreciate its classical landscape of rolling hills and vineyards dotted with olive and cypress trees, its misty green-grey mountains that are never too far distant, and hill-top towns of rich brown and gold stone houses. This combines with the beauty of the works of art contained in the towns and villages throughout Tuscany to create an inspirational union of the spirit and the senses. There is an intrinsic comfort in the supposed contrast between the delicacy of a Botticelli and the heartiness of Ribollita soup, yet both are typical of this fascinating region. As birthplace of the Renaissance, the impact of Tuscan and particularly Florentine traditions and culture on European heritage is fundamental to our way of life. In addition to the obvious attractions of the scenery of Chianti and the art cities of Florence and Siena, there are the less well-known regions south of Siena with its moon-like landscape of hills, the patchwork vineyards of Montalcino, the coastal marshlands of the Maremma, the spas of Montecatini and Saturnia, the islands of Elba and Giglio, and the Casentino with the source of the Arno and abundant mushroom crops. Wherever you travel on holiday in Tuscany, you will be inspired by the beauty of your surroundings and the way of life, which is quintessentially that of Italy too.
Highlights of Tuscany
Famous vineyards producing wines of Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Alabaster is produced in Volterra. Gold and silver are worked in Florence and the Ponte Vecchio is lined with jewellery shops. Marbled paper and stationery is a speciality of Florence. Ceramics and hand-painted majolica from raw terracotta from Impruneta to the glazed pottery of Siena are to be found throughout Tuscany. Lucca has traditionally produced silk and hand-woven fabrics. Leather goods including shoes, handbags and belts are to be found from market stalls to designer shops such as Gucci and Ferragamo. Interesting markets include the Mercato dell' Antiquariato which sells furniture from antiques to bric-a-brac in Arezzo on the first weekend of every month, in Pisa on the second weekend and in Lucca on the third weekend. The 'wild' Maremma is known for its long-horned white cattle and cowboys (butteri) and natural springs including Saturnia.
Cultural highlights of Tuscany
As birthplace of the Renaissance, Tuscany contains a wealth of treasures: Giotto`s Campanile and Brunelleschi`s Dome in Florence, the Tombs of Galileo and Michelangelo in Florence`s Santa Croce, Botticelli`s `Birth of Venus` and `Primavera` and the portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino by Piero della Francesca in the Uffizi, Michelangelo`s `David` in the Accademia, the architecture of the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, `The Tuscan Maremma` painting by Giovanni Fattori in the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the Piazza del Campo in Siena, `The Legend of the Cross` frescoes by Piero della Francesco in Arezzo, `The Creation` fresco by Bartolo di Fredi in the Collegiata in San Gimignano, Romanesque church of the Collegiata in San Quirico d`Orcia, 14th Century Fortezza of Montalcino, Renaissance masterpiece of the church of Madonna di San Biagio at Montepulciano, the abbey-church of Sant`Antimo, mediaeval Lucignano and the towers of San Gimignano, the Etruscan Museum in Cortona.
Festivals in Tuscany
Many of Tuscany`s festivals resound with the flamboyance of the Renaissance and keep Tuscans and visitors alike in touch with the region`s rich history. Others are linked to Tuscany`s hearty traditions of eating and drinking. The most famous is Siena`s Palio which takes place on 2 July and 16 August each year. Others include the Sagra del Tordo (Festival of the Thrush) in Montalcino on the last Sunday in October when there is an archery contest and charcoal-grilled thrush are a delicacy. In Florence, Calcio in Costume (a football match played in mediaeval costume) takes place in June. Pisa has the Giocco del Ponte (Game of the Bridge), a mock battle in Renaissance dress also held in June. Viareggio celebrates Carnival on Shrove Tuesday with a huge display of flamboyant floats. In May and August Massa Marittima holds the Falcon Contest.
Gastronomy in Tuscany
Simple country food is at the heart of Tuscan cooking. Regional dishes include Bruschetta (bread or ciabatta toasted and rubbed with garlic, olive oil and salt), Ribollita (bean, cabbage and bread soup), Pasta with hare or wild boar sauce, Porcini mushroom and truffle dishes, Bistecca all Fiorentina (thick cut of sirloin and fillet beef), Cantucci (almond and honey biscuits) served dipped in Vin Santo, Panforte (chocolate, nut and spice cake). Pecorino cheese made from sheep's milk. Local wines include the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano and the Bianco di Pitigliano. Famous reds include Chanti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Vin Santo made from semi-crushed grapes left for several months is an excellent dessert wine.
