Is it the best preserved medieval town in Italy? You decide! Siena is the perfect counterpart to Florence. Largely enclosed by ancient
walls and with a Gothic cathedral which dates from the 12th Century, this is a city which invites you to explore each square and narrow street.
Start at the Piazza del Campo, where the spectacular Palio horse race is held on July 2 and August 16. Age-old rivalries are rekindled as bareback jockeys from Siena’s 17 districts contest the race, and there are hundreds of bars and restaurants.
Try ribollita, a vegetable soup or a wild boar stew. Best-known of Siena’s desserts is panforte, a calorific bomb usually made from nougat. Florence is easily reached by train, and the Chianti countryside is waiting to be discovered if you hire a car.
Make the most of your time in Siena
Small group walking tour of Siena including the Duomo
From £34 per person
Let your professional guide unveil the Old Town of Siena and its awe-inspiring masterpieces. Discover the Old Town of Siena as the guide leads you through the history of the most significant buildings of the area such as the Rocca Salimbeni which currently houses the oldest bank internationally, the Monte dei Paschi. The tour’s highlight is definitely one of the most awe-inspiring cathedrals in all of Italy, the Siena Duomo, (Siena Cathedral), which is known locally as the Il Duomo. Your tour guide will personally take you through this spectacular cathedral where you will experience the masterworks of Donatello, Michelangelo and Bernini. Appreciate the superb Gothic architecture, meander through nave colonnades with Renaissance statues of rulers and popes, and admire the one-of-a-kind bell tower which is striped in black and white.
Half day guided hike to Monteriggioni
From £52 per person
Hiking in Tuscany is a memorable event due to its illustrious history, the evident congruency between man and nature, and concealed monuments which tell of a past that is still startlingly relevant today. Bask in rays of Tuscan sunlight and glow in the morning atmosphere of the outdoors and the past. Satiate your thoughts with tranquillity away from the humdrum of congested city life and let your professional tour guide lead you on a lovely hike right along the historic pilgrim route of the Via Francigena which was first mapped by the Archbishop “Sigeric the Serious” of Canterbury. You will walk from Siena to Monteriggioni, enjoying the blended magnificence of Tuscany’s rich medieval history present in its conserved hamlets, ruins, castles and its natural pastoral beauty. Once arrived at Monteriggioni, you will
experience an expert- led tasting of the region’s own organic wines before bidding farewell to your tour guide. Use the free time to discover the town and its neighbouring areas at your leisure. We will present you with a Siena- bound train ticket. The trains depart every hour on the hour and you can leave at a time which is most convenient for you.
Small group tour to San Galgano
From £80 per person
This tour is indeed a tour which will suit everyone, from those who adore Tuscany’s diverse landscapes and its remarkable works of art, to its illustrious history and legendary tales. During our journey we retrace the footsteps of the feudal pilgrims in a charming medieval hamlet that has stayed the same despite the hundreds of years that have passed. It is here that we will sample the region’s produceand local wine while appreciating the vistas that this region has to offer. After our tranquil initial stop, we carry on to the stunning Cistercian priory of San Galgano, with its Gothic-styled architecture. It is one of the gems of the region with an atmosphere that permeates its lingering ancient mysteries. Presently, the San Galgano Priory does not have a roof. The roof is the sky, and the grass is its floor. This lends itself to the
mystical and wondrous feeling that surrounds the abbey. After experiencing the rich history of the priory, we take a short 800 metre hike through the woods and enter the Montesiepi Hermitage which was erected in 1185. This hermitage is where Saint Galgano came to rest after departing from the ordinary way of living. He is buried here next to the Sword in the Stone which remains one of the most captivating and enigmatic ruins of this area.