Tuscan Excursion Part 3: Exploring Siena
Staying in Pienza gave us a base for exploring the surrounding Tuscan towns and cities. Siena had caught my attention while researching places to stay, and I wanted to see it for myself. We visited on one of the hottest days of the summer, knowing it was supposed to cool down later in the day.
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Exploring Siena
As a medieval architecture buff, I was excited to explore Siena, one of Italy’s best-preserved medieval cities. Its compact historic center makes it easy to wander between landmarks, with plenty of details to hold your attention along the way.
Things to Do:
Explore Piazza del Campo
Siena’s central Piazza, considered its heart, is known as the Piazza del Campo (Campo Square) and houses many of the cities most well-known landmarks. It is also host to the Palio, a famous horse race (we missed it by a week) normally held in the piazza on 2 July and 16 August. Check the official programme when planning a visit. The race has been ongoing since the 17th century and is very popular with locales as it’s ingrained in their culture. Have you ever seen Quantum of Solace? If you haven’t you should because A. it’s James Bond and B. The Palio can be seen in the movie.
You’d also be pressed to take a look at the Palazzo Pubblico and its striking tower called Torre del Mangia. As Siena’s most popular landmark, it stands out to me even more for its lovely Gothic-influenced medieval architecture and can be admired from below or up above (if you feel like putting in some leg work). The tower was built in the 14th century was designed to be taller than the tower in Florence purposely.
There’s also the Civic Museum in the palazzo that houses some of the best Sienese paintings.
Venturing outside of the Piazza del Campo and exploring the streets of old Siena is a must to really capture the vibe of this Tuscan hill town.
Siena’s medieval streets with the Basilica of San Domenico looming in the background.
If you love medieval architecture, make time for the Duomo di Siena. I was in awe when I saw it. The sheer scale of the cathedral is extraordinary, yet even its smallest details seem to have received painstaking attention. There’s an intricacy and precision to the Gothic craftsmanship that deserves a closer look. I found the tiny details just as impressive as the immense structure they belonged to. Black and white are symbolically the colors of Siena, which is based on the horses of the city’s founders. This is depicted on the interior and exterior of the Duomo with its white and black marble stripes.
The Duomo di Siena.
Where to Eat:
With only a few hours in Siena, we chose Bar Il Palio for a meal in the piazza. Its position made it a great spot to relax and people-watch. There was plenty to choose from on the drinks menu, but the Aperol spritzes kept us happy and helped us cool down in the heat. The staff were welcoming, and I’d recommend both the carbonara and the chunky salad.
Exploring in the summer heat gave us another good reason to stop for gelato. GROM was hard to miss, with its large windows and the queue outside. The gelato was absolutely worth the wait. I’d recommend the Crema di Grom, salted caramel, and tiramisu. To die for.
List of Additional Places to Eat in Siena
Where to Stay:
Since Pienza was our home base, and this was a day trip, we did not stay here, but Siena could absolutely serve as a great base for exploring much of Tuscany. There’s lots to see and do and lots of culture to take in. See below for a list of Siena accommodations.
