Fun and Brilliance in Siena, Tuscany

Siena is considered as the medieval city in Tuscany. The beautiful city is widely-known for its brilliant architecture and horse racing. 

Some people say that the best way to travel around Siena is to stay longer. The longer your stay, the nicer the explorations are. 

Your first stop to Siena should be Palazzo Pubblico. This is Siena’s Town Hall where you can see the overview of Sienede countryside. The outside structure of the hall boasts its Medieval Architecture influenced by Gothic style. One of the must-explores inside are the good and bad frescoes. If you take closer looks at these frescoes, you notice that the Allegory of Good Government is made to personify the Justice of a woman while the Allegory of Bad Government depicted a falling city in crime and violence.

The Piazza del Campo is also one of those attractive squares in the city where you will feel you are like in an extraordinary shell-shaped piazza and ready to tour the symbolic emblems of Palazzop Pubblico, Torre del Mangia and Palazzi Signorili.

Then, every devotee should pay a visit to the house and give thanks to St. Catherine. She’s the patron saint of Italy. Proceeding to Duomo, the Italian Romanesque Cathedral, sounds a nice decision. Here, you can see the Pastorini’s Last Supper glass-stained window, the hexagonal-shaped dome and the unique moldings of the Nave.  

Horse Racing

Of course, your visit to Siena is definitely incomplete without coming to Palio di Siena--- the venue for horse racing competition for twice a year (2nd of July and 16th of August). Horse racing is truly a special festival in Siena. Horses have ornaments in their head while racing and there are also banners (Contrade) sell to the public as souvenirs.  

The horse race in July is called Palio di Provenzano. During this time, you can watch ten horses take part in the race. 

The second race, which is known as Palio dell’Assunta, is celebrated after the Feast of their Assumption. At seven in the evening, an explosive echoes are shot on air signaling the start of the event. The nine horses are arranged in order while the rincorsa or the tenth horse waits outside the track. You may be upset with the happenings as the riders are allowed to whip their horses and other competitors of their reach. 

Apart from horse racing, other special events in Siena are Summer Classical Concerts at Academia Musicale Chigiana, Siena Jazz Festival and market exhibitions.

Dining & Hotels

Various restaurants and bakeries are in Siena. You will enjoy the wine services at Osteria Sotto le Fonti. Eating the excellent pastries at Nannini and almond paste cakes at Ricciarelli are a wow. If you are on look with commercially-specialties such as cake, honey, almonds, flour and spices, you should visit Panforte. 

Hotels and apartments are all over to give you the best form of comfort of your stay. If you are on a tight budget, stay at Piccolo Hotel II Palio or Casa Gigliola. Tuscan Villa Burraia and Montestigliano are just two of convenient mid-range hotels around the city. But if you want to experience the full delight of your visit to Siena, your destination should in splurge luxurious hotels such as Borgo Scopeto Relais and Campo Regio Relais, which is just situated in the historical center of Siena.