- Siena's Piazza del Campo and Duomo are unmissable
- The Palio horse race runs on 2 July and 16 August
- The province holds the Val d'Orcia, Montalcino, Montepulciano and San Gimignano
- From Florence, the bus is often quicker than the train
- Airports
- Florence (FLR), Pisa (PSA)
- Best time to go
- April-June and September-October
- Type
- Province
Siena is the great Gothic rival of Florence, a city of steep brick lanes that converge on the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. Its 17 historic districts, the contrade, still compete fiercely, above all in the Palio horse race twice each summer. Few cities in Italy have kept their medieval character so completely.
The province is the Tuscany of postcards: the southern half of Chianti, the cypress-lined Val d'Orcia, the wine towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano, and towered San Gimignano. For the whole region see our Tuscany guide, and for the country our Italy guide.
Things to do
- Piazza del Campo – the sloping central square, overlooked by the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, which you can climb.
- The Palazzo Pubblico – home to the Museo Civico and Ambrogio Lorenzetti's frescoes of Good and Bad Government.
- Siena Cathedral – striped marble, an inlaid floor (fully uncovered for part of the year) and the Piccolomini Library.
- The Val d'Orcia – a UNESCO-listed landscape around Pienza, with the thermal village of Bagno Vignoni.
- Montalcino and Montepulciano – hill towns famous for Brunello and Vino Nobile wines.
- Chianti – Castellina, Radda and Gaiole, with wineries, castles and winding roads.
- Monteriggioni – a tiny walled village with almost complete walls and towers.
- Abbeys – Sant'Antimo near Montalcino and Monte Oliveto Maggiore in the Crete Senesi clay hills.
Where to stay
| Area | Why stay there |
|---|---|
| Siena's historic centre | Evenings in the Campo and walkable sightseeing |
| Chianti | Vineyard stays between Siena and Florence |
| Val d'Orcia | Classic Tuscan landscapes, Pienza and spa towns |
| Montepulciano | A lively hill town close to Umbria |
Getting there
Fly to Florence or Pisa. From Florence, direct buses take roughly 1 hour 15 minutes and arrive closer to the centre than the train, which takes around 1 hour 30 minutes. From Pisa allow roughly 2 hours by car. A car is the easiest way to explore the Val d'Orcia and Chianti, but note the ZTL zones in town centres.
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn bring the best weather and the grape harvest in September and October. The Palio is held on 2 July and 16 August; the city is packed, so book well ahead. Winter is quiet and atmospheric.
Watching the Palio from the centre of the Campo is free, but you need to arrive hours early and you cannot leave until it is over.
Top attractions in Siena
LandmarkColosseum
Rome's great amphitheatre, where up to 50,000 spectators once watched gladiator fights, is the city's most iconic sight.
LandmarkFlorence Duomo
Florence's cathedral, crowned by Brunelleschi's record-breaking dome, is the symbol of the city, with the bell tower…
NatureMount Etna
Europe's tallest active volcano, with lava fields, craters and sweeping views over eastern Sicily.
NaturePath of the Gods
A spectacular cliff-top trail high above the Amalfi Coast, with views over Positano and out to Capri, that is free to…
LandmarkPompeii
The Roman town buried by Vesuvius in AD 79, Pompeii is the most complete ancient city in the world and an unforgettable…
ViewpointSeceda
A grassy ridge above Val Gardena that drops away in a dramatic wall of jagged peaks, reached by cable car from Ortisei.
Siena on the map
Frequently asked questions
When is the Siena Palio?
On 2 July and 16 August each year, with trial races in the days before.
Is Siena better than Florence?
They are very different. Florence has more Renaissance art and museums; Siena is smaller, more medieval and easier to explore on foot.
Is Chianti in Siena or Florence province?
Both. The Chianti area is split between the two provinces, with Castellina, Radda and Gaiole in Siena province.
Written by
Thomas Ski, mountains & expeditions editor
Thomas is happiest above the tree line or below the Antarctic Circle. He writes our ski, mountain and polar expedition guides.
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