Soft Footprints
Travel Guides
Soft Footprints Travel Guides
Our Destinations:
Your Inspiration!
Siena sits on three hills in Tuscany as the medieval rival to Florence with Gothic architecture, the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, and the Palio horse race drawing crowds twice yearly. The historic center stays car-free with narrow lanes winding between brick buildings and the cathedral dominating the skyline. The city preserved its medieval character better than most Italian towns surviving centuries without major rebuilding. Two days covers the compact center and lets you soak up the atmosphere. The Palio on July 2 and August 16 transforms the city with neighborhood contrade competing in the chaotic bareback horse race around the campo. Book accommodations months ahead for those dates or avoid completely if you want calm.
Piazza del Campo slopes down in a shell shape as one of Europe’s greatest medieval squares where the Palio horse race runs. The herringbone brick paving divides into nine sections representing the Council of Nine who ruled Siena. People sit on the sloped campo eating lunch or gelato with the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia tower framing the lower end. The tower climbs 102 meters with 400 steps leading to views across Tuscan hills and terracotta roofs. The climb stays narrow and steep but the panorama delivers. Palazzo Pubblico town hall holds the Museo Civico with Simone Martini and Lorenzetti frescoes including the Allegory of Good and Bad Government showing medieval life. The palazzo still functions as city offices. Fonte Gaia fountain sits at the top of the campo with marble panels that are reproductions while originals hide in the museum.
Siena Cathedral sits on the highest point with black and white striped marble exterior and the unfinished nave showing ambitious plans abandoned after plague killed half the population in 1348. The interior floors have incredible marble inlay scenes usually covered by boards to protect them but uncovered August to October. The Piccolomini Library inside has Pinturicchio frescoes covering walls and ceiling in bright colors. You need a ticket combining cathedral, library, baptistry, and museum. The baptistry below the cathedral has bronze font panels by Donatello and Ghiberti. The cathedral museum across displays Duccio’s Maestà altarpiece. San Domenico church on another hill has St Catherine of Siena’s preserved head in a reliquary and frescoes showing her visions.
The 17 contrade neighborhoods each have their own identity, colors, and animal symbols competing fiercely in the Palio. Flags hang from buildings marking territory. Each contrada has a museum and fountain showing pride and history. The rivalry runs deep with alliances and enemies lasting centuries. Via di Città and Via Banchi di Sopra are the main shopping streets with Sienese pastries, wine shops, and boutiques. The Tuscan countryside around Siena has vineyards producing Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino. San Gimignano towers and Montepulciano hilltop town reach easily by bus or car.
Food is pici thick hand-rolled pasta with ragu or garlic sauce, ribollita bread soup, panzanella, wild boar, panforte spiced cake, ricciarelli almond cookies, Chianti wine, pecorino cheese.
Visiting Siena Italy means exploring a UNESCO World Heritage medieval city located 75 kilometers south of Florence in Tuscany’s heart.
I’m a travel-obsessed guy who’s been chasing that perfect moment for more years than I can remember – still buzzing like a kid! One Greek island trip changed everything. Now I share travel secrets most tourists miss through Soft Footprints. Trust me: life-changing places aren’t all on TripAdvisor.
Subscribe to Soft Footprints!Â
Get updates on the latest posts and more from Soft Footprints straight to your inbox.
