Siena, Italy

Visiting Siena is like learning to play the guitar. For the basics, all you need is one afternoon. To become an expert, or at least a good player, a lifetime might just be long enough. Siena is small and intimate (it doesn't take long to cross) and is built almost in a circle around the main square of the Campo. To really get to know it, study its history and appreciate the city as it deserves, could take years. Of course, the modern traveler doesn't have much time. Therefore, visitors need to make a series of choices, and also take into consideration that the outskirts of the city should also be visited and appreciated.

Il Campo is the reverse of Venice, where there is only one piazza and the other squares are referred to as campi. Here, there is one campo, or field and the others are the piazza. Anyone wanting to be fussy, can refer to it as the Piazza del Campo. The Campo slants and has a shell shape with a very simple, central, layout that is more of a decoration than a symbol, in nine sections that represent the Council of Nine that once ruled the city. The square faces the Torre del Mangia, the 14th-century tower and the Palazzo Pubblico, the town hall that is full of interest. Nearby is the Palazzo Piccolomini and the Palazzo Sansedoni as well as the Loggia della Mercanzia.

Behind the Loggia is the true heart of the city, which leads into the Via di Città, Banchi di Sopra and the Banchi di Sotto, which is the center of action. Walking up Via di Città, visitors will reach the extraordinary point from where, in a space of a few meters the Duomo, the Spedale Santa Maria Della Scala, the Palazzo del Magnifico and the Museum dell'Opera Metropolitana can all be seen. Not far from here is the Pinacoteca Nazionale, the National Art Gallery. This is the value of Siena, rich in architecture, art and alternative attractions.

Chianti No one could come here and not dedicate at least one day to the Chianti region, in order to taste wine at its source, in season. The same motives, with even more cultural motivation, will lead visitors southwards, towards Montalcino, westwards and eastwards to Montepulciano. A visit to Pienza should also not be missed and Cetona, a medieval, tranquil village, or Turrita Siena, on the border of Umbria. Pienza The town of Pienza was commissioned by Pio II Piccolomini and designed by Bernardino Rossellino. Corsignano transformed Pienza into an ideal Renaissance city in the middle of the fifteenth century the incarnation of a utopia that stretched beyond architecture. Montepulciano is partly set in the Val di Chiana and partly in Val d'Orcia, and is home to monuments and buildings of renaissance interest. It gives the name to the vineyard that produces the Nobile di Montepulciano, which is an experience in itself.

Chiusi The town of Chiusi is of Etruscan origin, with probable earlier Osco-Umbrina settlements. Its height of power was when the Etruscans dominated Rome. The cathedral and the Etruscan museum should both be visited.

Montalcino Montalcino can be reached by taking the Cassia road. This village was the last to give into Cateau Cambresis and to enter the orbit Cosimo I de Medici. It had even rebuilt the Sienese Republic in exile. Nowadays the Civic Museum and the Diocesano and Archaeological Museums are well worth visiting as are the local wine cellars which produce Brunello di Montalcino, one of the best red wines in existence.

San Gimignano San Gimignano is the city of towers and is found on the road leading to Florence. The turreted horizon must be seen at least once, just to understand what it felt like to live in the dark ages. The cathedral, Civic Museum and art gallery, are all worth visiting.

Siena veritably leaks antiquity from its walls and atmosphere but it is hardly behind the times. That's because it retains its youth and verve, thanks to the university and the constant attraction that the area holds for young people from all over the world. As a result, there is no danger of being bored here at night. During the summer, open-air feasts and festivals are held every weekend, often at the same time, providing party goers with a variety of options on the same evening. In addition, there are masses of places for young people to meet up, such as pubs, bars and discos. The difference is in the size, as there are not infinite, huge places where you can lose yourself in Siena. The largest discos are on the outskirts of the city, but due to the small size of the town, this doesn't mean that they are very far away.

Pubs & Bars The pubs and bars are mostly in the center of town. The osterie, or inns, offer a chance for guests to sample some of the area's great wines. Here you can recapture some of the old flavors of the city, and has become an activity that is being rediscovered by young people. This is not an incentive for heavy drinking, but a way to enjoy a good wine as it should be served—accompanied by a snack. There is also the opportunity to learn about wine making techniques, and how different wines are made using these traditional methods. For anyone who feels like a beer, there are a number of English and Irish-style pubs that are open until late at night—though this is in comparison to other places in Siena, not to bars in other towns such as Rimini, where a closing time of 3a is more likely to be the norm. The Dublin Post is your typical Irish pub, featuring wood interiors, loud music, and lots of Guinness. Music can be heard almost anywhere, and there is live music of all kinds to be found. If you are in the mood for some fast-paced music and dancing, head to Il Barone Rosso, a popular night-spot for students in the university.

Music & Theatre Of course, drinking and dancing aren't the only ways to spend an evening in Siena. There is also a large choice of cultural activities to keep you from idleness. The university organizes an annual "Parole e Musica" (Words and Music) program, which covers dramatic arts and offers good, inexpensive shows. There are also all the traditional entertainments, with eight cinemas and theatres that have excellent seasons throughout the winter, such as the Teatro dei Rinnovati and the Teatro dei Rozzi. There are also classical music concerts in winter, organized by the Accademia Chigiana, which take place in the halls of the Palazzo Chigi Saracini. Students on a budget need not fear, as there are a variety of discounts to be found. Siena has also become known as a jazz center, as it holds a variety of concerts between the end of July and the first week in August and which feature a host of famous names. In addition, Siena has become renowned for the study of jazz theory that takes place here.

The Palio Palio is the summer's biggest event for residents of the city, and is also of great interest to visitors seeking a thrill. The people of the various districts of Siena follow their ritual of strategies, hopes, prayers, dramas, and more-- all to win a horse race. No visit to Siena is complete without this exciting race to cap off the fun.