A Quick Guide To Siena

Siena is a compact city with a few main sights, so it’s easy to see in a day. Siena is the largest of the hill towns in Tuscany. The medieval history is so well preserved.

We spent an afternoon here. We parked the car at the bottom of the hill, in a paid car park called Parking San Francesco Siena. If you drive into the city centre you will be fined 120€. A short walk from the car park are the escalators which took us up to the city.

Our first stop was Piazza del Campo (main square), known as one of Europe’s greatest medieval squares. Two times a year a horse race (Palio di Siena) is held around the perimeter of the square. The historic centre has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 

One building that dominates the square is Torre del Mangia. This tower is the third tallest tower in Italy. You will be rewarded with magnificent views after climbing up 300 stairs.

We walked through the beautiful alleyways to the impressive Duomo di Siena. The interior and exterior are constructed from white, greenish-black, and red marble. The finest Italian artists of that era (12th-14th century) completed the works including the remarkable 35 statues of prophets and patriarchs. We walked from Piazza del Duomo down the right side of the Cathedral and discovered an amazing archway and marble staircase. The staircase led us down to more breathtaking architecture.

Also on Piazza del Duomo, you will find Biblioteca Piccolomini and Museo dell’Opera e Panorama. The library has vibrant frescoes that date back 500 years. You can get a spectacular view of the Duomo from the Panorama dal Facciatone. The Baptistery is also worth a visit in the Museum.

Before leaving we purchased lots of quality Tuscan food and wine to take back to Germany including cheese, pasta, truffle oil, and biscotti.