Siena

Siena is a medieval city in Tuscany, 70 km (43 mi) south of Florence. It is probably best known for a colourful horse race, Il Palio, conducted twice each year in the summer. As a walled hill city, Siena's centro storico is extremely picturesque, and from high towers, you can see the beautiful countryside that still largely surrounds the city. With a few notable exceptions (including the pretty yellow colour of the sunflowers that are cultivated for oil for export), the Sienese countryside looks almost the same as it did in Medieval paintings.

History
Siena was an Etruscan city in ancient times, but the era that is most evident in its architecture and remains a constant presence in the city's character is the Middle Ages. Siena was a proud, wealthy, and warlike independent city-state during the Middle Ages and held off its rival Florence in several battles before finally going down to defeat. Medieval Sienese art (painting, sculpture, architecture, etc.) is unique and of great historical importance. Some of the most famous of the artists who lived and worked in Siena are the painters Duccio, Simone Martini, and Ambrogio and Pietro Lorenzetti and the sculptor Jacopo della Quercia.

Sienese people are fiercely proud of their city and their neighborhood (contrada). Each contrada has its own flag, emblem, contrada parish church and contrada house, which functions as a kind of neighborhood social club. The Palio, described below, is all about neighborhood pride and rivalry, and also constitutes the unbroken continuation of a Medieval tradition associated with religion, pageantry, trash-talking, bragging, and occasional violence. It is taken very seriously and is in no way a put-on for tourists; in fact, you are likely to feel less welcomed during the Palio than at any other time, and there isn't the slightest doubt that Siena would run the Palio with great enthusiasm regardless of whether any visitors ever showed up.

That said, this is a city which depends and flourishes on tourism. Siena was a very poor little city for a few hundred years after its defeat, which is the main reason why its lovely Medieval buildings were never torn down and replaced with modern structures. In the 19th century tourists started coming. Nowadays, it is a requirement that new buildings within the city walls be built to maintain the city's character and beauty, with the result that the streets are lined with many neo-Gothic buildings that blend in with the genuinely Gothic ones.

Siena today
The Sienese countryside is part of the Chianti region, and therefore, it is easy to find good local wines in Sienese shops and to accompany your meals in ristoranti and trattorie. Sienese cuisine is delicious, and though some eateries are definitely better than others, it is difficult to find truly bad food in this city. In addition to being known internationally as a medieval city that's a great draw for tourists, Siena is known nationally as a university town, and there are also places for foreign visitors to stay for a few weeks and study Italian or other subjects.

By plane
Most travellers arriving by plane will land at  near Florence or   near Pisa.

Buses of the Sena line connect Siena with the   (twice daily, 2½ hours) near Bologna, a favorite with the discount carriers. There is also a bus link to Pisa International Airport.

By train
From the north, trains go about hourly directly from Florence to Siena, and otherwise it is possible to take any train that stops in Empoli and find train connections from Empoli to Siena every 30–60 minutes. The ticket from Florence SMN costs €10.20 (October 2023). From the south, including Rome, direct connections to Siena depart from Chiusi or from Grosseto.

Siena's is approximately 2 km from the city's historical centre — a five-minute bus ride — and buses leave regularly from Piazza del Sale. Buses #3, 8, 10, 17 and 77 leave from the station to Piazza del Sale and bus #17 departs from Piazza del Sale for the train station.

You can also walk to the centre in about 20–30 minutes: exit the train station and go through the Porta Siena shopping centre (which is open 08:00-21:00), go up the escalators at the far end to Level 2, and continue up the moving sidewalks and escalators to Via Vittorio Emanuele; turn left and walk about 500 m to the Porta Camollia city gate, and follow the road into the city.

By bus
By far the easiest way to get to Siena from Florence (though the train journey is much more picturesque) is to take the Tiemme SpA bus (depart from a small underground bus depot across the street, to the west of Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence). After 1 hr 20 min it will eventually drop you off at Piazza Garibaldi which is located well within the walls of the city, allowing for an easy walk to any of the city's attractions. For the return journey, buses depart from Piazza Gramsci. The cost is €8.40 (May 2019).

Connections are also available from Rome (3 hr), Perugia (1 hr 20 min) and various other cities.

By car
From the north, take the Chiantigiana from Florence (SS 222 – 72 km) that elegantly crosses the hills of Chianti or the highway (SS 2 superstrada Siena/Firenze - 68 km). From the south, Siena can be reached by taking the Autostrada from Rome (A1 Roma-Firenze, exit Valdichiana), and turning right on state highway #326 (Bettolle-Siena - 240 km). Relatively cheap parking can be found near the Fortezza Medicea, northwest of the city stadium, and around it.

By car
The centre of Siena is accessible only on foot. Cars (other than taxis, police, etc.) are strictly prohibited; motorcycles and scooters are OK, though.

Patrons of the central hotels are allowed to drive up and unload the luggage (and then get out), but only by obtaining one-time permission slips from the hotel front desk beforehand (also have them draw the route for you on a map and follow it to the letter. If you miss a turn, it may be wiser to head out the nearest gate, get on the circumferential road just outside the walls, return to the starting point and try again). Have this pass handy if stopped by police while driving within the walls, or, in a pinch, at least a confirmation of your reservation. Don't rush your turns, and swing wide like a truck, as you would be sometimes required to fit between two stone walls into an opening just slightly wider than your vehicle. For more information, contact "Siena Parcheggi" tel. 0577-228711.

To call or reserve a taxi, telephone the Central Reservation Office at 0577-49222.

Siena may be the only city in Mediterranean Europe where parking is not a massive headache, though charges have increased dramatically in the past few years and you can expect to pay €40 or more per day for the more convenient spots. The huge parking lots around the Fortezza and the adjacent football stadium are no longer free, but on the other hand, you can now count on finding a space there almost anytime; there is free parking further out, with minibus service, from Due Ponti and Coroncina (beyond Porta Romana).

By bus
Google maps shows the location of all bus stops within the city. If you zoom in and click the bus symbol on the map, you will get a list of bus routes serving that stop. There are several small buses (Pollicino) run by the TRA-IN company that cover some streets located in the centre and several bus lines to and from the outskirts of town. Bus tickets cost €1.50 per fare (as of May 2019) when bought at kiosks/tabacchi but are more expensive when bought from the driver.

The website for Siena Mobilità has bus schedules (orari) for routes within Siena.

On foot
Siena is a city (a small city, yes, but it isn't like one of the tiny hill towns) and the attractions away from the Campo/Duomo area are spread out on three steep hills, so walking is a necessity. You will understand why Italians can eat so much and not get fat, when you see old women carrying groceries up a long street with a 30-degree incline. If you are tired, check to see if you can get to your destination by walking along a ridge, rather than going in a straight line down a hill and back up.

See
Siena's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Piazza del Campo
This unique shell-shaped piazza is the centre of the city, and twice a year functions as the racetrack for the Palio (see "Do" below). It is beautiful and striking in itself and also lined by some of the most famous and beautiful Gothic buildings in town.



Secondary sights
These "secondary sights" are still quite interesting; it's just that the major sights in Siena are so outstanding that visitors in a rush may want to concentrate on them. If you have more time, walk all around town and see these sights, too.

Piazze and palazzi



 * This piazza features a 19th-century statue of a locally famous economist and author named Sallustio Bandini, but more so, a set of harmoniously ordered buildings at right angles, forming 3 sides of a rectangle, with the fourth side open.
 * The Palazzo Salimbeni, built in 1472, is the world headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the major banking corporation which has a hand in much of the economic and cultural life of the city. The building is well worth looking at from the outside. Inside, there are interesting documents showing the history of banking, plus a collection of paintings and other artwork, but you would have to request permission in advance if you'd like to have a chance to view them.
 * Immediately to your right while facing the Palazzo Salimbeni is the glorious Palazzo Spannocchi (built in 1473), with its row of fantastic carvings of the heads of Roman emperors in stone near the roof.
 * The Palazzo Santucci, to your left when facing the Palazzo Salimbeni, was built in the 16th century.

Piazza Tolomei
This piazza, a widening of the Banchi di Sopra, features a statue of the Lupa Senese (Sienese She-Wolf), a symbol adopted from Rome, suspended in the air as if on a stone pole.



Events

 * Classical concerts during the summer at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and at various locations in the city during the Chigiana International Festival.
 * Classical concerts during the summer at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and at various locations in the city during the Chigiana International Festival.

Walk
Climb the "Torre del Mangia", the tall bell tower overlooking the Piazza del Campo. There is an entrance fee (€8), and only 25 people are let in at a time, so there may be a wait. Not for the faint of heart or claustrophobic, it's about a 300-step hike and you are obliged to leave bags and purses in a locker at the ticket desk inside the tower itself. The panoramic view is exhilarating and well worth the climb. (Excellent though different views of the city are also available from the 'Panoramio' by the cathedral, entry to which is purchased as part of the cathedral museum ticket. If you will be in Siena for a while, the two views are different enough to warrant seeing both.)

By all means, walk on the Banchi di Sopra and Via di Città above the Campo, but also in any other part of the centro storico. There are loads of beautiful buildings, big and small, delightful little piazette, fountains and contrada churches, and many views. Local life in the evening typically revolves around the passeggio, the nightly walk through town, which often includes some gelato, macedonia di frutta con gelato, or/and drinks at one end or the other. So do as the locals do and enjoy a walk through this beautiful city.

Tourist information is located in the Piazza del Campo.

Tours
Take a tour of an Etruscan tomb, visit a winery for a wine tasting, sample regional food, and visit a local village. There are many such tours available.

Buy
Siena is large enough still to have items made in the local area, stemming from its history of craftmanship, so you will find some items not readily available anywhere else. Fine paper, neckties, fabrics, embroidery/tapestry, glazed terracotta, gold jewelry, and of course local food and wine are some of the distinctive items produced locally.

There is a great shop on Via di Cittả with leather luggage, purses, bags, etc.

A huge market is held every Wednesday around the Fortezza Mediceana from about 07:00 to about 14:00.

Siena has popular stores such as Furla, United Colors of Benetton, Upim and Intimissimi.

Due to the city's status as a major tourist attraction there are plenty of newsagents selling international papers and magazines. A good example is the shop opposite the church on Via San Marco in the Snail Contrada, which has a friendly and helpful multilingual owner, who also runs an internet access point.



Learn
The wonderful Siena Jazz Music School is housed in the old fortress.

Siena is also well known for its Italian language schools and several prestigious universities.



Eat

 * Excellent gelato can be found just off the Campo at gelateria "Il Gelato". Ask for Romaney.
 * For something more substantial, "La Chiacchiera" next to the House of St Catherine is an excellent source of typical Tuscan cuisine; the pici (thick, homemade noodles) are superb.

Sienese specialties include:


 * Panforte - a unique kind of dense cake, made of honey, flour, almonds, candied fruits, a secret blend of spices, etc. Tipo Margherita is the classic, but several other types are made. Panforte is commercially manufactured only in Siena and neighboring Monteriggioni, its loyal ally in Medieval wars with Florence. The most famous brand of panforte is Sapori. You can buy panforte most cheaply in local supermarkets, but don't miss a trip to Nannini on Banchi di Sopra (see above), a pleasant caffé where you can buy not only their panforte by weight but also many other types of unusual pastries and so forth.
 * Ricciarelli - small almond paste cakes.

Drink


Also, in the fortress is the excellent Enoteca Italiana, a wine bar and shop located in the fortress' vaults. The Enoteca Italiana stocks an extensive selection of wines produced throughout Italy.

Additionally, since Siena is in the Chianti country, you can buy bottles of good Chianti wines at any market that sells food and wine.

Camping

 * Alternatively, you could camp at
 * Alternatively, you could camp at

Splurge

 * Il Boschetto - 4 km from Siena, 9-room villa with pool, private garden, large living room with open fireplace, satellite-TV and video, 5 large bedrooms.
 * Il Boschetto - 4 km from Siena, 9-room villa with pool, private garden, large living room with open fireplace, satellite-TV and video, 5 large bedrooms.

Go next
There are many bus and train connections from Siena to other interesting places in Tuscany. Consider the following for day trips: the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore in Chiusure, and the towns of San Gimignano, Pienza, Arezzo, Montepulciano, Montalcino, Lucignano, Monteriggioni, and Pisa. Florence is another obvious place to visit. And of course, there is the Chianti country that virtually surrounds Siena and is known worldwide for its wine.

Further afield, there are bus and train connections to Rome and various locations in Umbria.

In addition, there are hot springs in Tuscany, which are popular with Italians and indeed have been enjoyed for thousands of years:

Spas

 * Chianciano Terme
 * Bagni San Filippo
 * Rapolano Terme
 * Montepulciano Terme