Colle di Val d'Elsa

Colle di Val d'Elsa is a city in Tuscany.

Understand

The name Colle di Val d'Elsa means "Hill of Elsa Valley". The city is renowned for the production of crystal glassware. This takes part in the lower part of town. The oldest part of the town is the "colle alta", the upper part, with a well-preserved medieval centre.

Get in

Colle di Val d'Elsa is about 20 km northwest of Siena You can reach it by taking a train from Florence or Siena to the nearby station of Poggibonsi and then a bus.

Eat

Splurge

• Ristorante Arnolfo, Via XX Settembre 50 (in the upper part of town), ☏ +39 0577 920549. Open lunch and dinner. Closed Tu and W, late January to early March and the first two weeks of August. Consistently rated one of Italy's best restaurants, Arnolfo draws heavily on local products. A la carte or fixed menu, but don't expect to pay much less than €150 per person. Also has four bedrooms if you are driving and also want to drink. (€200 for a double) 

Sleep

• Hotel Arnolfo, Via F. Campana 8 (in the upper part of town), ☏ +39 0577 922020. Three-star hotel with 32 rooms. Doubles for up to €100. 
• Hotel Villa Belvedere, Loc. Belvedere - Via Senese (on the outskirts of town, close to the Florence-Siena highway). Three-star hotel with 15 rooms in an 18th-century villa. Swimming pool. Also offers a cooking school. 

Go next

Colle di Val d'Esta is surrounded by some fascinating cities. Apart from the major cities in the area of Siena and Florence it is just a short trip by car to the towers of San Gimignano and the alabaster-producing city of Volterra.