Siena Location Guide

To try and put Siena into words is a challenging task. Designated a heritage site by UNESCO, the historic centre is full of charm, set against the greenery of the surrounding Tuscan hills.

Around every corner is a picture postcard view, an indelible image to take home as a souvenir. There is no easy way to define the atmospheric Piazza del Campo dominated by its magnificent tower, the Torre del Mangia. It is not easy. It's like a step back in time, a corner of Tuscany a million miles away from frenetic modern day lifestyles.

Top Ten Things to See and Do
Sip coffee in the Piazza Del Campo
Climb up the Mangia Tower
Walk around the Piazza Duomo
Shop in the Terzo di Camollia district
Enjoy the art work in the Santa Maria della Scala Museum
Flight the crowds to see the Palio di Siena horse race
Take an excursion around the Chianti hills
Taste the local wines
See the paintings in the Pinacoteca Nazionale
Try 'panforte', a local sweet delicacy

Events in Siena
Summer
The main event of the year is obviously the famous Palio di Siena, the historical horse race that takes place around the Piazza del Campo. Ten jockeys, representing ten of the city's 17 wards compete for their districts’ honour, by racing bareback around the square, in front of a packed crowd. The race takes place twice a year, 2nd July and 15th August.
During the Year
Other events include 'Visionary,' an international video festival that takes place every autumn. For those interested in food and drink, there is a week dedicated to local wine in June and to olive oil in February.

Local Food and Drink
The town of Siena has an important culinary tradition which dates back to its time as a stopping point for pilgrims following the ancient Via Francigena to Rome. Amongst the local products to try without doubt are the delicious cakes and pastries including:
Panforte, a kind of flattened fruitcake usually associated with Christmas. The main ingredients are nuts, sugar, almonds, flour and candied peel.
Ricciarelli, a delicious biscuit made with sugar, almonds and egg whites and shaped into a lozenge shape, said to be reminiscent of a grain of rice. The surface is rough and covered with a sprinkle of sugar.

Spotlight on Siena's Wines
Siena and its surrounding area can legitimately boast of its excellence in wine production. This corner of Tuscany is home to the cultivation of some of the best wines in the world: Chianti, Chianti Colli Senesi, Chianti Classico, Chianti Superiore, Brunello of Montalcino (the first Italian wine to achieve the classification DOCG in 1980), Vino Nobile of Montepulciano and Vernaccia of San Gimignano.

How to get there
By air
Siena is well connected by road and rail to Pisa, Bologna, Rome and Milan International airports, all well served by major and budget airlines including Alitalia, British Airways, Ryanair and Easyjet.
By train
You can reach Siena by rail from Florence and Pisa with a change at Empoli (1.5 to 2 hours), or from Rome with a change at Chiusi (3 hours). The station is just outside the town, but a bus shuttle operates every few minutes directly into the historic centre.
By Car
Take the Autostrada del Sole (A1) motorway that runs between Rome and Milan, exiting at Firenze Certosa where you continue on the Firenze Siena motorway for around 40 minutes.