Siena is one of the glories of Italy and Tuscany. Many prefer it to Florence as the amazing cityscape can be enjoyed without queuing for crowded museums. There are few better sights in the world than Il Campo in the city centre and site of the legendary Palio, the bare-backed horse race that’s run twice each year.
The sloping Campo has been the focus of city life since its construction started in 1347. The Palazzo Pubblico takes up much of the south side, with its massive bell tower, the Torre del Mangia, 320 feet high, and named after a glutton, or mangia, who was its first watchman! The Palazzo is still the city’s town hall but it also contains the Museo Civico while the bell tower can be climbed with magnificent views of the city and nearby countryside.
The cathedral, or Duomo, is a delight, completed in 1215 and a blend of Romanesque and Gothic. It’s just as impressive inside with artists painting a series of 56 panels over two hundred years from 1349. Opposite the cathedral is the stunning Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala which was the city’s hospital for 800 years. Today it is an arts and culture centre. The rest of the Cathedral square includes the Archbishop’s palace and the Palazzo del Magnifico, built for the Medici.
Wandering the streets of Siena is rewarding. It is a relatively small city and there is fierce local pride in each neighbourhood, often with flagwaving and drumming ceremonies, particularly before the Palio races, each year on 2nd July and 15th August. Rooms in Siena are near impossible to find at these times. Despite the race taking around a minute, the build-up and the atmosphere throughout the city makes this one of the great historical and sporting events in the world.
Siena is a fine centre for touring Central Tuscany, with the multi-towered San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, a tiny fortress village, and Volterra all worth seeking out. The countryside of the Chianti area is as attractive as anywhere in the world and the villages - and the wines - throughout the region are a delight.
The nearest airports to Siena are Pisa, served by many budget airlines, and the more limited services to Florence. Trains will often require a transfer at Empoli or Florence so many visitors use cars, although driving in the old parts of Siena is not to be advised. There is a good, inexpensive local bus service.
