A Guide to Siena

Siena is arguably the next most famous town in Tuscany after Florence. It is the gothic counterpoint to Florence with a maze of narrow streets, towers and elegant houses. The Piazza del Campo is a wonderful urban space and is renowned for the Palio horse race which dominates the square for two days of the year in its fierce contest between the seventeen contrada which divides the town. The city was the first in Italy to be closed to traffic making it particularly peaceful to explore on foot.

The medieval cathedral is especially impressive with its zebra striped architecture. Siena has long held its reputation for maintaining the gothic and Byzantine traditions and can be viewed in the collection of museums across Seina. Sites of cultural interest include: the Duomo, the baptistery, the Museo del Opera del duomo, Pinacoteca Nazionale, Palazzo Pubblico, Museo Archeologico, San Domenico, and San Francesco.