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Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Rapolano Terme
Half a day for the thermal baths and a walk through the old town, or a full day if you add the Etruscan museum in Asciano. Not a base: sleep in Siena or Montepulciano.
Rapolano Terme is a small Tuscan spa town 30 km east of Siena, known for its thermal baths (San Giovanni and Antica Querciolaia), a medieval castle and a compact historic centre. Most visitors come for a soak and a lunch, then move on. The town works as a half-day stop on the way between Siena and the Val d'Orcia.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded, hot), Nov–Feb (some spas close or reduce hours)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–130 excl. bed · High €130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118 · EU-wide emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a bar | €1.20–1.50 |
| Gelato (two scoops) | €3–5 |
| Pizza margherita | €7–10 |
| Glass of house wine | €4–6 |
| Bus 138 Siena–Rapolano one way | €4 |
| Thermal bath entry (half-day) | €20–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FLR · Florence Peretola
- About 1 h 15 min by car; bus to Siena then local train or bus.
- PSA · Pisa Galileo Galilei
- About 1 h 45 min by car; train via Florence or Pisa–Siena bus.
Typical fares
- Bus 138 Siena → Rapolano
- about €4, about 30 min (check)
- Taxi Siena → Rapolano
- €50–70 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable centre. A car is useful for the baths (Terme San Giovanni is 2 km (1.2 mi) from the centre) and for Asciano. Bus 138 connects Rapolano to Siena (check schedule).Walkable centre. A car is useful for the baths (Terme San Giovanni is 1.2 mi (2 km) from the centre) and for Asciano. Bus 138 connects Rapolano to Siena (check schedule).
See and do
Known for
- Terme San Giovanni
- Antica Querciolaia thermal complex
- Rapolano Castle
- Etruscan necropolis and museum in Asciano
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Siena | Bus 138 from Rapolano Terme, about 30 min; or car via SS438 | About 40 min |
| Montepulciano | Car via SS438 and SS146, about 40 min; bus with a change in Siena (check) | About 1 h |
| Asciano | Bus 138 or car, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Chianciano Terme | Car via SS438 and SS146, about 35 min | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Rapolano Terme centre
- A few B&Bs and agriturismi; quiet, walk to the baths.
- Siena
- 30 min away; more choice, nightlife and transport links.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Goodbye | Ciaochow |
| Thank you | GrazieGRAH-tsee-eh |
| How much does it cost? | Quanto costa?KWAN-toh COS-tah |
| Where are the thermal baths? | Dove sono le terme?DOH-veh SOH-noh leh TER-meh |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favoreeel CON-toh per fah-VOH-reh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Terme San Giovanni and Antica Querciolaia have different opening seasons and hours: check each spa's official site before you go.
- The castle interior is not always open to the public; check the comune website.
- Bus 138 runs a limited schedule on Sundays and holidays.
Rapolano Terme is a safe small town. The usual precautions apply: lock your car, don't leave valuables visible. The main risk is the limited bus schedule if you rely on public transport.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rapolano Terme yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Terme San Giovanni
- Antica Querciolaia thermal complex
- Rapolano Castle
- Etruscan necropolis and museum in Asciano
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Rapolano Terme, revision 4607473 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4607473
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/rapolano-terme). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.