Siena from above – sights and travel tips

I rush through the alleys of Florence. Our train leaves in 20 minutes and I have little time to squeeze past the leisurely strolling tourists to reach the All’ Antico Vinaio in time. Sure, I could also buy the panini at the train station. But Tiana assured me that the Antico Vinaio sells the best paninis in town. “Two with prosciutto and everything else that goes with it,” I order from the puzzled salesman. There has probably never been a tourist in front of him who has visited his shop breathing heavily and under time pressure.

With a minute’s spare I reach the train with which we continue into Tuscany. Today’s destination is the wonderful Castel Monastero, where we will indulge in sweet idleness for two days. But before that, let’s take a quick look around Siena. It would be a shame to simply ignore one of the most beautiful small towns in Tuscany and since 1995 also a Unesco World Heritage Site. Thanks to Panini, we reach Siena freshly strengthened.

Take the escalator to the old town

Siena surprises us after just a few minutes. I knew that the station was located just outside the historic core. What I didn’t know was that vis-à-vis the train station a covered escalator leads up to the old town and you are already rewarded with a great view of the Tuscan landscape at the top. After a short walk, we pass through the archway of the city wall and leave the Italian hustle and bustle behind us. Sure, there is also a lot going on in Siena, but compared to Florence it is almost leisurely here.

A thousand faces of Siena

We have exactly two hours to see Siena. Of course, that’s not enough to take in all the facets and winding streets of the 17 Contrade (the districts that compete against each other in the famous horse race – Palio di Siena). I’m now used to visiting cities in a hurry, but you should actually take a little more time for Siena. After we have temporarily stored our luggage at the bus station in Piazza Antonio Gramsci (in the underpass), we take a leisurely stroll through Via Montanini.

Ice Cream, Ice Cream Baby

But the stroll is deceptive – secretly we march purposefully to our first destination. If you have two hours at your disposal, you have to set priorities. So: bring on the ice cream! We had informed ourselves in advance with the Siena expert Mela and after about 15 minutes we were already licking the most delicious gelati from the Kopa Kabana.

Schiefer Platz in Siena – Piazza del Campo

After the cravings have been satisfied, we can devote ourselves to the architectural features. Even with the quickie variant, a visit to the central square, the Piazza del Campo, should not be missed. Lined with restaurants and cafés, the piazza forms the heart of the medieval city centre. On the slightly inclined (which I find very strange in terms of urban planning) and trapezoidal square, the already mentioned horse races also take place. It’s hard to imagine horses galloping around here… I want to have a look at this fun at some point.

100 m Weitsicht – Torre del Mangia

We still have about an hour left and we use it to take a look at Siena from above. To do this, we climb the narrow, steep steps in the Torre del Mangia. The tower, which is over 80 m high, is part of the Palazzo Pubblico and also borders Piazza del Campo. In my opinion, the climb is a worthwhile adventure.

Sacred megalomania in Siena

Last but not least, we make a detour to the Duomo of Siena. The impressive structure made of white and black marble is located at one of the highest points in the city. We marvel at the church from the outside, but refrain from visiting the inside, as a rather expensive (unfortunately I don’t remember exactly how expensive) ticket would have to be purchased. We prefer to use the rest of the time for a reasonably leisurely walk back to Piazza Antonio Gramsci. Even if it was only two hours for the time being – the stopover was definitely worth it!