WALKING TOUR SIENA
Walk around Siena to feel like in medieval times.
- Historical interest 100%
- Fun 80%
- Activity Level 100%
The Siena tour is offered as a half day tour.
Our Siena tour in Tuscany starts from the heart of the city: Piazza del Campo. This spectacular shell-shaped square houses twice a year the famous “Palio di Siena”, a unique horse racing which is believed to date back to the 17th century. During this event, taking place in the months of July and August, the city is divided in the famous “contrada”. 10 contrada compete in the race with a horse assigned by drawing....
Tourists have the opportunity to attend the Palio straight from the balcony of one of the apartments facing on Piazza del Campo. In this way you can dive in the mood of this medieval and extraordinary event!
The city of Siena, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1995, is a medieval gem placed upon 3 hills, just an hour by car from Florence. According to the legend, the origin of the city dates back to Senius (Remus’son and Romulus’nephew) and, therefore, the name Siena comes from him. The history, on the other side, reveals that Siena was a small Etruscan village, which was later conquered by the Romans.
Back in Medieval times, Siena became a stopover of the Via Francigena (the route that led pilgrims from United Kingdom or France to Rome) and, consequently, Siena increased its economic power and turned into a direct competitor of the city of Florence, to ultimately be absorbed by the latter.
Located on Piazza del Campo, the Palazzo Pubblico, is the town hall of the city. It was built at the end of the 13th century in Gothic style and its base is made of travertine while the upper part is realized by red bricks. The colors of these red bricks also give Piazza del Campo its unique athmosfere.
The Palazzo is characterized by the Torre del Mangia, one of Italy’s highest and ancient towers. It was built between 1338 and 1348 and it is composed by 300 steps. Usually the bell on the tower is played automatically, but if you happen to visit Siena during the Palio, you can listen to the bell played manually!
Moving through Siena’s narrow streets, it is possible to buy local handcraft products as well as gastronomic products like the cantucci, the typical Tuscan biscuits usually accompanied by the Vinsanto, another specialty of Tuscany.
Among the monuments that everyone should see when visiting Siena, the Duomo is a must-see palace built in Romanesque-Gothic style. Its floor is covered by esoteric symbols and portrays religious stories. On the left nave of the Duomo, is located the Libreria Piccolomini which houses many frescoes made by Raffaello and in the pulpit one can admire biblical scenes. The Duomo houses the
Close to the Duomo, it is possible to wonder at the museum of Santa Maria della Scala, one of Europe’s most ancient hospital, later converted into a museum.
Enjoy our tour of Siena if you want to discover the real Tuscan medieval times!
Highlights and what's included
- Accessible: Visit Accessible website
- Duration: Half Day
- Places of interest: SIENA
- Exclusivity: All our tours are PRIVATE, not sharing with other guests
- Languages: All languages available on request
Contact for information
