Location: Siena
Top Things to do in Siena
Top 10 Sights & Landmarks in Siena, Tuscany
This Tuscan hill town will transport you back to the Middle Ages. Siena's grand cathedral, built in the 1200s, has treasured artworks and marvelous marble floors. The Piazza del Campo, the main town square, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's also home to the Palio, perhaps the most infamous horserace in the world. No goofy hats and mint juleps here—this is a medieval tradition involving bareback riders racing on cobblestones (so as you might imagine, it's quite dangerous). Siena is an easy daytrip by train from Florence, just 43 miles away.
Restaurants in Siena
1. Piazza del Campo
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14,045 reviews
Siena's main square is the site of the famous Palio horse races that take place in July and August.
Reviewed By Y7972VAmichaelh
The vast bustling Piazza del Campo in Siena is famous for the Palio horse races which attract thousands of visitors each year and must be a truly awesome spectacle. This is a most interesting city to explore for the spiders-web of streets that circumnavigate the Piazza lead to quite unexpected places, shops, churches and beautiful vistas. A photographers dream where sunlight and shadow enhances the beauty of the architecture at all times throughout the day. Siena is a must, and don’t cut your visit short for there’s much to see and do.
2. Duomo di Siena
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 11,597 reviews
The magnificent complex of the Cathedral of Siena, its Duomo, houses a series of some of the most important monuments of the European artistic panorama. With its more than one million visitors every year, the Cathedral without a doubt represents the fulcrum of the entire complex, while other significant elements include the Crypt, the Baptistery and the Museo dell'Opera, all part of the impressive mass formed by the "Duomo Vecchio" (Old Cathedral), and the "Duomo Nuovo" (New Cathedral). Visitors will travel along a memorable itinerary to the discovery of self and the truth of faith through culture and art, the result of more than a millennium of Western history.
Reviewed By Iowares - Des Moines, United States
We walked over to the ticket office to get the tickets for the Duomo, museum, Baptistry and Crypt, and we were blown away with our tour guides! We have seen all the major churches and Cathedrals in Italy, and many of the lesser-knowns, too, and nothing comes anywhere close to this one! Each has it's own unique style, but this one was the most memorable for me! The interior tour was brilliantly executed and our tour guides made us feel like private guests getting a unique inside tour! I could go back every day and see something new! They cover different parts of the floor at different times, so one would need to go at different times to see it all.
3. Scuola di Cucina di Lella
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 182 reviews
4. Centro Storico di Siena
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,424 reviews
Reviewed By asiyahnoemik - Pula, Croatia
A fantastic city that left us speechless. The historic center of the splendid Tuscan city is a treasure trove. Thanks to its urban and architectural characteristics, the historic center of Siena is a testimony of man's creative genius, and concretely expresses the artistic and aesthetic human capacity. Furthermore, the original example of figurative civilization, in architecture, painting, sculpture and urban planning, has determined an important cultural influence not only in the territory of the Republic of Siena, but also in Italy and Europe, in particular between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries . This is why Siena is one of the most excellent examples of an Italian medieval and Renaissance city. And above all, this is why she entered, with good reason, to be part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is, in fact, the era when numerous artists had the opportunity to express their art here and the city was adorned with wonderful monuments, such as the Duomo, the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia. Piazza del Campo is the same where the famous Palio takes place. Full of restaurants and bars, it is famous for its characteristic trapezoidal shape, downhill towards the center, where the Gaia spring is found, a copy of the fifteenth-century work by Jacopo della Quercia. All around the square stand out the monumental buildings including Palazzo Sansedoni and Palazzo Pubblico. The height of the Torre del Mangia, which dates back to the forties of the fourteenth century of 102 meters, is equal to that of the bell tower of the Cathedral to symbolize the balance achieved between divine and earthly power. At the foot of the tower stands the Piazza Chapel, a marble tabernacle with splendid sculptures inserted in the Gothic niches. Even in addition to Piazza del Campo, however, it is a riot of art and architecture with the succession of churches, including San Domenico, San Francesco and Santa Maria dei Servi, and, of course, the spectacular Duomo, one of the greatest examples of Roman style Italian Gothic. Built around the 12th century, it has a Latin cross structure, a dome, a bell tower and its facade is all in white marble with red Siena and green alternations. Its interior houses precious works by Bernini, Donatello, Michelangelo and Pinturicchio.
5. Torre del Mangia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,951 reviews
The tower, more than 290 feet high, was constructed in 1325 by Minuccio and Francesco di Rinaldo, and has the Chapel of the Piazza at its base..
Reviewed By asiyahnoemik - Pula, Croatia
Torre del Mangia can be seen from almost all parts of the city. The civic symbol of Siena, it stands out in the Piazza del Campo next to the Palazzo Pubblico. Arriving at the main square, Piazza del Campo, we can immediately admire the beautiful tower and the palace next to it. The atmosphere in this beautiful square is beautiful. The reason for this is all the beauty of Torre del Mangia with all its buildings, palaces, fountains, restaurants and bars. At one point, I feel like the time has stopped and I am back in the Middle Ages. The construction of the tower was begun by the brothers Francesco and Muccio di Rinaldo in 1325 and completed around 1348. The tower was built to be exactly the same height as the Siena Cathedral as a sign that the church and the state had equal amounts of power. The tower is in red brick until the crown, while the upper part in travertine is the work of the Sienese sculptor Agostino di Giovanni, following the design by Lippo Memmi. In 1666, after several attempts of fusion, a large bell was put in, and the Sienese called it the “Campanone”, also called “Sunto” because it was dedicated to the Madonna dell'Assunta. The bell plays a notable role in the celebrations of the Palio. It owes its curious name of Torre del Mangia to the fact that the Municipality entrusted, from 1347 to 1360, to bellringer to be Giovanni di Balduccio to ring from the tower, nicknamed “Mangiaguadagni” (eat-the-profits), for his spendthrift tendency, idleness or gluttony. It was later replaced by an automaton, which, in memory of his first bellringer, was called Mangia. The remains of this automaton are now kept inside the Cortile del Podestà. At the base of the tower is the Cappella di Piazza (Square Chapel), built in 1352 as a thanks for the end of the terrible plague of 1348.
6. Basilica di San Clemente in Santa Maria dei Servi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 176 reviews
The Renaissance interior of this Basilica is beautiful, but some of its chilling displays of dead religious notables may give you nightmares, including a shrouded skeleton with a wax head and a mummified body.
Reviewed By tinaNtravel - San Jose, United States
I was surprised that for quite some time I was the only person in this huge Basilica. The church has huge vaulted ceilings large columns and paintings. The inside dome is pretty as is the altar. The interesting part of this Basilica are the remains of two saints: Francesco Patrizi and Gioacchino Piccolomini. Even without these relics the Basilica is worth a visit. Outside the entrance to the Basilica is a park area with benches where you can have a peaceful picnic lunch and let kids run around.
7. Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 626 reviews
This museum complex, which houses the National Archaeological Museum of Siena, began as a pilgrims' hostel and orphanage, then served as a hospital from the 10th century to modern day.
Reviewed By westy54 - Sydney, Australia
The former hospital and hospice that occupied this site and which has now been transformed into a huge museum complex commenced operating before the 12th century. The Santa Maria della Scala organisation provided a large number of services to the people including taking in abandoned babies and children, serving meals to the poor, treating the sick and caring for pilgrims who often received free food and lodgings. The Via Francigena, the main pilgramage road to Rome, passed through Siena and near the hospital which is located directly opposite the Duomo. The hospital complex was greatly expanded over the course of the many centuries following its establishment and it became part of the University during the 18th century. The hospital though ceased operating in the second half of the 20th century and, following a period of substantial renovation and refurbishment, the hospital opened as a museum in 1995. Those renovations and refurbishments are still ongoing. The complex encompasses three levels, has its own internal covered roadway, its own 13th century church, the magnificently frescoed and ornately decorated marble and gold plated Chiesa di Santissima Annunziata, a separate Archaeological museum with a vast array of Etruscan and Roman urns, pottery, statues etc, a museum dedicated to children (not a must see), cavernous beautifully frescoed Pilgrim halls that used to be used to house the pilgrims and the sick plus much more. Down another flight of stairs and there are several large rooms, including the former granary, that house the original marble statues from the Fonte Gaia by Jacopo della Quercia as well as a treasury that holds precious relics and reliquary. There is also the Oratorio di Santa Caterina della Notte where it is said that Saint Catherine of Siena, who worked in the hospital, passed her nights in prayer. There are beautiful frescoes and paintings in many of the halls and chambers. There was also a visiting temporary art exhibition during our visit that had some lovely paintings. There are a lot of steps but we did notice one lift so I would say that it may be wheelchair friendly. Cost of entry was EUR 9-00 per adult but there are a number of combination tickets for entry to here plus the Duomo or for entry to here plus the Torre del Mangia and the Museo Civico which is the combination that we purchased for EUR 20-00 per person. This complex has something new and interesting at the end of each corridor and tunnel and whilst it is a bit of a labyrinth, it is not that difficult to navigate although I would allow a good two hours to see most of it. Well worth the time.
