Siena between the Palio, art and urban culture

Siena between the Palio and art

Siena is a city where the Campo, medieval architecture, painting, an urban section of the Via Francigena and a distinctive culinary culture come together for a variety of discoveries. The appeal for you therefore lies in the combination of urban history and tangible experiences: you can view the architectural character of the historic centre, visit museums with clear thematic focuses, put a four-kilometre route within the city walls into context and discover regional dishes.

Fortification walls and Gothic architecture

The historic centre of Siena is surrounded by ancient fortification walls. They were built between the 14th and 16th centuries, follow the contours of three hills and include bastions, towers and gates. The Palazzo Pubblico stands on the Campo and is considered one of the most significant examples of medieval civil Gothic architecture.

Siena Cathedral is one of Italy’s most important Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals. The Museo Civico preserves and displays works by important representatives of the Sienese School of painting from the 14th to the 19th century. Sacred architecture and a history of painting spanning several centuries therefore come together in one place.

Museums with distinctive focuses

The Pinacoteca Nazionale houses the most significant collection of paintings from the Sienese school, ranging from early gold-ground paintings through Renaissance and Mannerist masterpieces to the 17th century. The tour is complemented by impressive views over Siena’s rooftops. Those interested in painting will therefore find both a chronological development and a special perspective on the city here.

The Museo dell'Acqua presents the history of Siena’s system of bottini, fountains and structures that brought water into the city. The visit includes the museum, the Fonte di Pescaia and the associated bottino. This visit is possible by reservation. The combination of the museum and its associated structures makes the subject of water in Siena directly accessible at several locations.

Via Francigena within the city walls

The urban section of the Via Francigena in Siena is a four-kilometre route within the city walls. It runs from Porta Camollia to Porta Romana. As a clearly defined section, it can be incorporated into the planning of a stay in the city and offers another perspective on Siena: the city is shaped not only by squares, palaces and museums, but also by a historic route.

The Palio di Siena on the Campo

The traditional Palio di Siena races take place every year on 2 July and 16 August on the Campo. Ten of Siena’s 17 Contrade take part in the Palio on 2 July. Each participating Contrada is assigned a horse by lot from a selection of physically suitable horses. The Palio race consists of three laps around the Piazza del Campo. The fixed dates and the special procedure make the Campo a place where Siena’s urban tradition is particularly concentrated.

Crafts and cuisine from Siena

Sienese craft traditions include working with clay, hand-painted ceramics, restoration, metalworking and artistic wood decoration. Its distinctive character is also evident in the cuisine: Siena’s osterias serve pici, thick spaghetti-like pasta made from soft-wheat flour. Cinta Senese is used in Siena for roasts, ragù and traditional sausages and cured meats such as salami, rigatino, capocollo, prosciutto and guanciale. In this way, art, crafts and food can be discovered as different facets of the same city.

Other places: San Rocco A Pilli, Il Piano, Le Tolfe, Costalpino

More about the destination

Relevant information for planning your trip:

Siena and the Palio, the horse race in Siena.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Chianciano Terme, Chiusi.

To the overview of the main destination: Siena.