Tuscany Travel Guide: The Secrets of Siena
To experience Tuscany like you never have before, join us on our Tuscany in One Day Sightseeing Tour. This full-day guided excursion will show guests the area’s best sights – including one of our all-time top stops, Siena.
It’s no secret that Tuscany is filled to the brim with fantastic towns just waiting to be discovered by travellers from all over the world – and we’d like to suggest you add Siena to the top of your travel bucket list. Our excursion includes a stop in this fascinating and historical city, where you will participate in a guided walking tour followed by some free time.
Intrigued? Here are the highlights – it’s about time you uncovered Siena’s secrets.
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Visit the Piazza del Campo
This is one of Europe’s most impressive medieval squares. It remains popular to this day – it is considered Siena’s focal point by many – and is one of the top stops on our sightseeing tour. It was built in the mid-twelfth century and was originally a place for merchants to sell their goods and convene with other members of the community. It is shaped like a shell, and the floor’s tiles are divided into nine separate sections. These subdivisions are meant to represent ‘the Nine’, a group who governed the city at the height of its medieval glory and splendour and who commissioned the Campo.
Twice a year, a well-known horse race called the Palio di Siena is held just around the edges of the Piazza del Campo. This event features jockeys riding bareback in circles around the square. The race is three laps and only lasts for about 90 seconds; it’s fast-paced and can be dangerous. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see jockeys thrown from their horses before they ever cross the finish line!
Top Tuscany Travel Guide Tip: This is a great place for people-watching.
Explore the Duomo di Siena
Our tour also includes a visit to the Duomo di Siena, which is just a short walk from the Piazza del Campo. This imposing church is one of the most impressive buildings in the entire city, and is known for having one of Italy’s most interesting facades. It has combined different types of architecture, including elements from classical, Romanesque and French gothic styles. Inside you’ll see works of art from famous creators such as Michelangelo and Donatello, as well as a gorgeous marble mosaic floor.
Top Tuscany Travel Guide Tip: Keep your eyes peeled for the gargoyles on the exterior of the cathedral.
Uncover the Secrets of Siena
After we complete our guided tour, you will have some free time to explore Siena at your own pace. Why not wander through the city’s historic centre? It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, and the Piazza del Campo is smack dab in the middle of it – meaning you’ll already be nearby once the tour concludes.
If you want to feel as though you’ve stepped back in time, slip down one of the streets in this area. Their integrity has been flawlessly preserved over the years and as you stroll you will feel like you’ve entered another world. Let your imagination run wild – maybe you really have stepped into the past.
Top Tuscany Travel Guide Tip: Take advantage of the many cafes, restaurants and shops dotted around by relaxing with a coffee or sweet treat or by picking up some souvenirs for your loved ones back home.
"Terrific Day!"
This was an exceptional day. It was long but simply marvellous. Our Tuscany travel guide, Elisa, was tremendous. She was so entertaining and attentive to the 60 or so folks in our group. For me the highlight was Siena – the town, the Campo and the cathedral. The cathedral was stunning! The marble floors were uncovered this month [September] so we were able to see the 70+ scenes of art... a great day!”
5 stars on TripAdvisor, db7477
From San Gimignano to Pisa, our sightseeing tour is guaranteed to give you a wonderful introduction to the Tuscan region – and Siena is one of our top picks. We’ve given you an introduction to all the secrets that this sensational city holds, but you’ll have to trust us when we say that you need to visit it in person to unravel everything it has to offer its visitors.
Looking for a Tuscany travel guide? Your search is over! If we’ve inspired you to join us as we uncover the secrets of Siena, if you’d like to discover our other wonderful excursions on offer or if you have any questions, please contact our team today. We look forward to chatting with you!
We Are Walkabout Florence
At Walkabout Florence, we make sure that we offer some of the very best tours in the area – which means we only hire the most knowledgeable and personable Tuscany travel guides, we only feature the most entertaining and interesting activities and we only take our guests to the most beautiful and fascinating locations. Whether you want to cook your own traditional Italian meal, get behind the wheel of a vintage car or test your endurance on a day-long hike, we’re sure we’ve got a carefully curated and lovingly handcrafted tour for you. We hope you’ll join us on your next Italian adventure and see for yourself.
