A Tuscan Holiday in Siena, Italy

All photos on this page are by the author, sockii, unless provided by Amazon.

Siena is a hill town in Tuscany, first settled by the Etruscans, with earliest documentation mentioning the location in AD 70. Legend purports that Siena was founded by Senius, the son of Remus, who was the brother of Romulus, after whom Rome was named. As such, many statues and artwork of a she-wolf nursing the young twins Romulus and Remus can be found around Siena, much like in Rome. Siena did not prosper under Roman rule due to its isolation and lack of roads and nearby trade routes. However, after the Lombards invaded and took control of the city, it began to thrive as an important route to Rome. Siena continued to prosper as a city-state into the 12th century, becoming a major center of money lending and also an important player in the wool trade.

Indeed, in the 13th century Siena was even seen as more powerful than nearby Florence. On September 4, 1260. the Sienese Ghibellines, supported by the forces of King Manfred of Sicily, defeated the Florentine Guelphs in the Battle of Montaperti. Siena’s incredible Duomo was completed in the early 13th century, but the Sienese were not satisfied with its magnificence, making plans to expand it further to become the largest cathedral in the world. But then money ran out and in 1348 the Black Death decimated the city, leading some to propose that God was punishing the population of Siena for their greed and egoism.

Siena is easily reached by frequent bus and train service. Trenitalia regularly serves Siena from Florence, with near hourly service most of the day. The ticket cost is quite reasonable (6.30 Euro) and the trip takes less than 2 hours. These are only basic second class trains, however, so you may have a bit of hustling and shuffling to do with your luggage.

Reserving tickets in advance on-line is possible through the Trenitalia website, but not always easy to navigate for those who don’t read Italian – nor for those with a non-Italian credit card. Automated ticket machines are located in the Siena train station but as of my visit they accept Euro cash only (not credit cards). I would recommend buying your ticket at a ticket counter, however, if you are connecting through to other cities in Italy on your journey. The ticket agents are helpful in recommending the best connections depending on seat availability (and likelihood of making connections, if one train perhaps is running late!)

Siena may be a small city, but it is rich with beautiful art, architecture and historic sites. These are the ones you will not want to miss when visiting Siena, if you have more than a day or two to explore them all.

• Pinacoteca Nazionale

  The Pinacoteca Nazionale contains an extensive collection of Sienese art from the 13th through 16th centuries. Located in the 14th century Palazzo Buonsignori, the Pinacoteca features noteworthy art by Duccio di Buoninsegna and Simone Martini.

• Santa Maria Della Scala

  One of Europe's oldest hospital complexes, Santa Maria Della Scala is a fascinating site to visit not just for its historic importance but its collection of art and archeological finds. See remaining frescoes and changing exhibits of contemporary and and classical art.

• The Basicilca of San Domenico

  One of the most noteworthy churches in Siena, San Domenico is noteworthy for its important relics and art related to Saint Catherine, whose house is located nearby. One of the two patron saints of Italy, Saint Catherine is much beloved by the people of Siena.

Siena’s main roads are lined with small shops and workshops aimed mostly at separating the tourist from his or her Euros.

Ceramics are big business in Siena, and you will find many shops filled with beautiful bowls, plates, cookware, tiles and other decorative items for your home. Look for one selling uniquely Sienese designs (such as the symbols and colors of Siena’s Contrade) and where you can see an artist actually at work in the studio.

There are of course many other shops in Siena, selling everything from fine Italian leather to unique perfumes and delicious food products, spices and wines. We found a wonderful artist creating miniature frescoes, painted in the traditional tempera style, and had to take home one of her artworks for ourselves! (We bought the Virgin Mary shown here to the right).

Most shops in Siena can easily arrange for shipping goods home, a must if you are tempted by any large ceramics or works of art. Bring cash and you might be able to negotiate a better price as well. Most of all, take some time wandering the smaller streets and alleys, where you might find unique craftsmen at work, happy to welcome you in to visit their studio. It will give you a taste of Siena’s culture and history most tourists will never experience.

Based on personal experience, here are a few tips I have for first-time visitors to the beautiful city of Siena.

• Pack comfortable shoes! Siena is a walking city - taxis are generally only available for hotel pick-up and drop-off, and bus service limited to taking passengers to locations outside of the ancient parts of the city. Many roads are steep and sidewalks uneven. So be prepared to spend your time exploring Siena on foot.

• Enjoy the early morning and late evening serenity. Siena is largely visited by day-tripping tourists from more popular destinations such as Florence. Streets may swarm with tourists from 11am onward, but by 5-6pm they are already on their buses out of the city. That makes the early morning and later evening times the best for quiet exploration, or experiencing the city with predominantly residents only.

• Hit top attractions, especially the City Tower and Unfinished Wall, either in the early morning or just before closing. Only limited numbers of visitors are allowed at a time to climb the narrow stairways to see the panoramic vistas from the bell tower and unfinished Duomo wall. To avoid wasting time in long lines and large crowds, go to these sites just at opening time, or later in the evening (many sites are open until 6:30 - 7:30pm at night; check schedules, however, as some are seasonal.)

• Shop around before buying anything! In Siena you can find beautiful handmade crafts, in particular wonderful, colorful ceramics. But don't impulse buy; check out the different possibilities available, and be sure the store authenticates that all crafts are indeed made in Siena.

Foodies will find much to delight in when visiting Siena. Sienese food is largely Tuscan in style, with an emphasis on pork and game meat such as rabbit. In my experience, restaurants in Siena tend to be less touristy (at least if you dine in the evenings) and also less expensive than Florence - although there are some locations where one can truly splurge.

You may find my "Dining Out in Italy" guide helpful in selecting a good restaurant in Siena, as well as knowing what best to order.For day time meals, it is best to enjoy Siena with light bites as you explore. Although many hotels in Siena offer breakfast buffet service, step outside and up to one of Siena's many cafes and bars for a cappuccino and sweet pastry, as the Italians do. Enjoy a hot panini sandwich for lunch out on the Campo, then cool off with a cup of gelato as you walk. Later in the day, pause for an aperitif - around 5 or 6 pm, most bars will offer free snacks and mini sandwiches to go with your drink, to keep you satisfied until a later suppertime. You will also find many places in Siena to buy unique food products to take home such as unusual pasta shapes, olive oils, chocolate, cured meats, cheeses and spices.

The Palio di Siena is easily the biggest event held annually - in fact, held twice a year - in Siena, Italy. On July 2 and August 16, every year, bareback riders representing 10 of Siena's 17 Contrade race three times around the city's Piazza del Campo. Although the race typically only lasts about 90 seconds, the frenzy surrounding the Palio takes over Siena throughout the entire summer.

Every Sunday leading up to the race, one of the chosen Contrade celebrates by rallying around the city, dressed in traditional colors and garb, following thunderous drums, and displaying (and throwing!) flags in front of the headquarters of rival Contrade. Indeed, one of the best ways to go on a grand tour of Siena is to follow a Contrada flag-and-drum corp around the city on a chosen Sunday, pausing for leisurely drinks and snacks along the way. It's never hard to find them again - just listen for the sounds of drums echoing through Siena's narrow streets and alleys.

If you're planning a trip to Siena, Italy in the near future, these on-line resources will help you further plan your vacation.

• Siena Vacations, Tourism and Siena, Italy Travel Reviews

  TripAdvisor's section devoted to Siena is quite useful to those looking for the best attractions, restaurants, hotels and deals. Read the opinions of other travelers and see plenty of real-life photographs.

• Siena Online

  An extensive tourism guide to the city of Siena.

• Terre di Siena

  The official tourism site for Siena, Italy.

• World Guide to Siena

  Another comprehensive site detailed the best things to do and places to go in Siena, Italy.

• About Siena

  A non-commercial website devoted to providing a detailed tourist guide to Siena.