Free Guide of Tuscany - Siena

Siena is situated in Tuscany, around 70 kilometres south of Florence. It stands on three knolls located in the centre of a vast hilly area between the Arbia and Elsa rivers.
Siena is a unique example of a Medieval city: Piazza del Campo, the contrade, or neighborhoods, which surround it and all of the architecture are of such historic and artistic importance that the city was put on the World Heritage List by UNESCO. Tourist will find that the city is full of enchanted corners and alleyways which seem embedded in the past.  These charms, in addition to the polite and cordial nature of the Sienese and the excellent cuisine of the area, make Siena a must-visit Tuscan destination.
Almost any period of the year is suitable for visiting Siena. If winter is the season of culture, with many events – such as exhibits and theatre – organised by local institutions, summer is dominated by the Palio horse race, which is held on July 2 and August 16.
Historic arch-enemy of Florence and trading city par excellence, Siena still has the same appearance it had at the time of its greatest splendour in the 13th and 14th centuries. Narrow streets wind around Piazza del Campo, the city centre, with its peculiar shell form and brick pavement. Slightly sloping towards the Gothic Palazzo Pubblico (now home to the Museo Civico, which contains some of the best works of the Sienese school of painting), the square is flanked by Medieval buildings and their towers and battlements, with the 102 metre high Torre del Mangia standing out and offering a wonderful view. In the centre of the piazza stands Fonte Gaia, a reproduction of a 15th century work in marble by Jacopo della Quercia; the original is housed in the Museo Civico. The first banks opened for business in nearby Via dei Banchi. This street is also the origin of the word “bankrupt” (bancarotta in Italian meaning broken bank): Siena's banks were actually smashed when business was bad. Palazzo Piccolimini has an exhibit of a series of painting on wood panels depicting scenes of everyday life, created to protect the ledgers on the shelves. The Loggia della Mercanzia, where bankers and merchants negotiated, also tells the story of a rich and active city.
The Duomo, which dominates the square of the same name, is a true masterpiece of Gothic Romanesque architecture, with its elaborate façade, impressive dome and 13th-century bell tower in black and white stripes, like the side of the building. The Duomo is in the city’s “terzo”, the oldest part of Siena. Its interior houses a vault decorated in blue dotted with stars, and a long series of masterpieces, including a 13th-century pulpit by Nicola Pisano, the Libreria Piccolomini frescoed by Pinturicchio (1502-1509) and a marble floor divided into 56 squares with religious and secular scenes. Opposite the Duomo stands Spedale di Santa Maria della Scala (home to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale), while next to it sits the Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana with works from the Duomo, including the famous Maestà by Duccio di Buoninsegna, a masterpiece of Sienese painting created at the beginning of the 14th century, and the Madonna con Bambino, a round bas-relief by Donatello. Other masterpieces are on display in the Pinacoteca Nazionale, housed in Palazzo Buonsignori, which is full of works from the Sienese school and other Tuscan artwork in general.
Useful information
Almost all of the historical centre is closed to private cars. Tourists heading to hotels are allowed through if they have a reservation or pass. Thus, cars need to be left in the convenient and numerous paid car parks around the city which are connected to the centre by shuttle bus. It is important to note that in high season it is often difficult to find parking in the streets closest to the centre, like the ring road, or near the city gates.

Special Events
The real essence of the city and the Sienese spirit is the Palio delle Contrade, which is raced every year on July 2 and August 16 in Piazza del Campo, and dates back to the Middle Ages. Twice a year the Sienese set aside business and compete with each other on horseback to win the Palio, a silk cloth which bestows prestige and fame on the winning contrada. The contrade still follow this custom of joining forces to combat their historic enemies, and on the days of the Palio, the Piazza del Campo is filled to bursting with people and cries of joy and despair. Thanks to the raw way in which it's experienced by Siena's entire population, this is a show which has no equal in the world, just as much today as in the past.

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