Siena

The city of the Palio

Siena, the city of the Palio, is an essential stop on any trip to Tuscany. This wonderful medieval city is located in the heart of Tuscany, immersed in a truly remarkable landscape, and is the capital of a province extending from Chianti to the Val d’Orcia where you can admire some of the most typical and beautiful panoramas of the region. Around Siena there are also some of the most beautiful villages in the region such as San Gimignano, Pienza and Buonconvento.

A World Heritage Site since 1995, the city has preserved its features and its architectural heritage in an extraordinary way which dates back largely to the 13th and 14th centuries when the Republic of Siena was at war with Florence for supremacy over the region. According to legend, Siena was founded by Senio, son of Remus and grandson of Romulus founder of Rome, while documents speak of the foundation, in the Augustan era, of a Roman colony called Saenia Iulia. In any case, the foundation of the city is linked to the history of Rome, and this explains why Siena has in the Lupa, which recalls the Roman one, one of its symbols.

When it comes to Siena it is really impossible not to mention the Palio. The Palio di Siena is a very heartfelt event in the city that transcends the simple race with horses. Siena lives the Palio all year round and the rivalry between the contrade that vie for the victory is very heated. The Palio takes place twice a year, on July 2nd and August 16th, in the magnificent setting of Piazza del Campo, the heart of the historic center of Siena.

Here you can admire a series of historic buildings including the Palazzo Pubblico with the majestic Torre del Mangia and the Museo Civico, the Cappella di Piazza and the Fonte Gaia which is located on the opposite side of the square. Several streets branch off from Piazza del Campo leading to the other monuments of the city such as Palazzo Chigi, the Duomo, the Baptistery, the Loggia della Mercanzia, Fontebranda, Palazzo Piccolomini, the Logge del Papa and the Basilica di San Francesco.