FAQ
SHARED DAY TRIPS & EXPERIENCES
Where do I meet the Guide for my Day Trip or Experience?
We offer a range of different tours and activities with different meeting points in Siena, so please check the meeting place and meeting time which will be clearly marked on your voucher.
For tours departing from San Domenico (Piazza San Domenico, Siena) meet your Guide under the large tree in front of the church steps of San Domenico. The exact meeting point for biking and hiking tours departing from Siena’s Train Station (Piazzale Rosselli, Siena) is in front of the pharmacy (next to the station’s main entrance). For other tours, the Guide will be meeting you at the Tuscan Wine School (via Stalloreggi 26, Siena).
What time should I be there?
Aim to be at the designated meeting point about 10 minutes before the tour starting time. If you are driving into Siena, give yourself plenty of extra time particularly on Wednesday as it is market day. Then just a little more to be sure, to find and pay for parking. You can always have a quick coffee while you wait for the tour to start. Catching up to a tour that has already started is often impossible.
I’m driving into Siena from out of town, where is the best place to park?
We recommend parking at the Stadium Parking facilities near the fortress in Siena, since this is very close to our San Domenico meeting point. Information regarding the facilities can be found here and you can follow road signs to STADIO upon arriving into Siena or type Artemio Franchi Stadium into google maps. Because spaces are sparse on Wednesday morning due to the weekly market, we recommend parking at the Santa Caterina parking facilities instead (via Esterna Fontebranda). Please give yourself extra time to reach our San Domenico meeting point.
There are payment parking spaces (blue lines) along some of Siena’s roads where you can leave your car, but make sure to pay at the nearest parcometer for the full duration and to display the ticket inside the front of the car where it is clearly visible. There are also some free parking spaces (white lines) but they may be marked ARU (residents only), may be available for a limited time (2h and you must indicate your arrival time) or may need to be left vacant for street cleaning. These restrictions will be indicated at the start of the road (and not necessarily close to the actual parking space) so we are always reluctant to use a presumed free space, since fines are dearer than payment parking facilities. Never park in spaces marked by yellow lines and never drive into an area marked ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) which require a special permit to access. All of Siena’s payment parking facilities can be consulted here.
What is the best way to cancel my booking?
Please telephone us on +39 3890487652 as soon as you realize that you have to last minute cancel or re-schedule one of our activities.
If you have booked through and online platform you must cancel through the Portals in which the Tour was booked to obtain your refund.
Our cancelation policy provides a full refund for any cancelations that occur 48 hours prior to the start of the activity and no refund for last-minute cancelations and no shows. However, we do our best to find alternative solutions for all our customers, regardless of how or when they booked and how late they cancel.
I have dietary restrictions, will my Day Trip or Experience be able to cater to me?
All the farms are able to offer vegetarian or vegan options provided that they are informed beforehand. Most booking portals enable you to indicate dietary restrictions, but we appreciate a direct notification especially if it is a serious allergy. Gluten-free options are also available if previously requested, but those with Celiac Disease should consider bringing their own food since farms are unable to guarantee the lack of cross-contamination.
Are there discounts available for children or infants?
Unfortunately, we only have a single ticket price for each seat or spot on tour, regardless of the age or condition of who occupies it, so the same price is applied to all persons. We Suggest Private tours for families as they are more adaptable.
Can I bring my small dog?
Even though we love our friends with paws, they would not be allowed to enter many of the public and private facilities that we visit on our tours and experiences and according to Italian law, we cannot transport them safely in our vans (since animals must be secured within transport cages) so unfortunately the answer is no.
Can I request to visit a specific winery or monument?
Shared Tours and Experiences have set itineraries and it’s not always possible to make adjustments or changes, but we welcome special requests and do our best to satisfy them whenever possible.
PRIVATE ITINERARIES, ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES
Can I request to visit a specific winery or monument?
Private itineraries and activities can be customized, so please communicate any preferences or special requests that you may have during the booking process, so that specific locations or venues can that included into the itinerary. The availability and any extra costs that may incur will be confirmed in writing via email. Guides can include specific monuments during guided city visits provided that these are communicated ahead of time. Admission tickets are not included in the price of the service and will need to be paid directly by the customer(s).
Can I decide the level of difficulty and/or the duration of the hike or bike ride?
Any private itinerary or activity can be customized, so the duration and difficulty can be decided on during the booking process. On average we choose accessible itineraries that are easily managed and not overly tiresom. On muscular bikes a good level of athletic preparation is required to navigate the steep slopes, on the other hand difficulty level can be set on E-Bike, so i is suffient to know how to ride a bicycle.
Is it possible to rent regular bikes for the e-bike tours or can I bring my own?
Yes, we can certainly rent a regular bike instead of an assisted e-bike for any of the biking itineraries that we offer. We tend to recommend e-bikes over regular bikes merely because the level of assistance can be adjusted, which is extremely useful towards the end. If you wish to enjoy a regular bike or your own bike, please contact us directly, especially since the changes in elevation and heat here in Tuscany can be factors that make covering the same distance much more strenuous compared to other sites elsewhere.
Where do I meet the Guide for my Private Tour?
Private itineraries include pick up and drop off directly from and to your accommodation, so please communicate your hotel or accommodation address to us during the booking process (or as soon as you have finalized where you will be staying). City tours can be started from designated meeting points or you can arrange to have your Guide pick you up from your hotel or accommodation. The exact meeting point and time for any Private Tour or service can be decided on during the booking process.
Can I change the starting time to my booked Private Tour or Service?
It is possible to change the starting time of any Private Itinerary, Activity, Service or Guided City Service by contacting us directly. The necessary adjustments will be made according to availability.
Is it possible to re-schedule my Private Tour or Service?
It is possible to change the request to have any Private Itinerary, Activity, Service or Guided City Service rescheduled by contacting us directly. Whenever possible the necessary adjustments will be made according to the availability of vehicles and guides or cancelation policy.
We are a group but is it possible to include an activity for only a part of our group?
It is possible to book a Private Itinerary that includes a service (e.g. a guided city tour) for only part of the group members. Any special requests should be communicated during the booking process and we should be notified of any necessary last-minute changes as soon as possible so that adjustments can be made.