Siena

Background

Siena stands on hills in Tuscany, south of Florence. The fan-shaped Piazza del Campo unfolds in front of the Palazzo Pubblico, and the soaring Torre del Mangia, the frescoes inside the town hall and Siena Cathedral form the core of the old town. In the 13th and 14th centuries Siena was a major banking centre, and its rivalry with Florence intensified through the 14th and 15th centuries. Painters of the Sienese school, such as Duccio, Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers, influenced Italian painting. The Palio horse race is held in the Piazza del Campo every year on 2 July and 16 August, a neighbourhood tradition that has lasted for centuries.

Local customs

• Climb the Torre del Mangia for a view over the city's red roofs
• enter the cathedral to see its black-and-white marble façade and inlaid marble floor
• find a café in the Piazza del Campo and watch the fan-shaped paving converge on the town hall.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• The old town has many slopes and stone-paved streets, so flat shoes are recommended. Accommodation is tight during the Palio, so arrange it in advance. The price of the cathedral combined ticket is subject to official information.
• From Florence, a train or bus takes a little over an hour. The old town core is explored mainly on foot, and vehicles do not enter the central streets. Spring and autumn are best for strolling
• around 2 July and 16 August the Palio takes place, when the atmosphere is at its liveliest and the city at its most crowded
• winter is quiet and good for museums and churches.