Siena travel guide
The Campo, the Palio and Lorenzetti's frescoes
A walled Gothic city in the Tuscan hills south of Florence, built around the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. Visit from April to June or September to October for mild weather; July and August bring the Palio and big crowds. Two nights covers the main museums and some good meals, and a third adds San Gimignano or the Chianti hills. Costs are high.
Built across three ridges in the Tuscan hills south of Florence, Siena was its neighbour's great medieval rival, and the walled centre still looks the part. The whole historic core is a UNESCO site and closed to ordinary traffic. People come for the Gothic town hall, the striped cathedral and the Palio horse race.
Piazza del Campo is where every visit starts. The sloping, shell-shaped square fans out below the Palazzo Pubblico, which has served as the town hall for close to 800 years. Inside, the Sala dei Nove holds Ambrogio Lorenzetti's frescoes of Good and Bad Government, painted in 1338-39 so the ruling council would keep the effects of their decisions in view. Allow a couple of hours, then climb the Torre del Mangia for the view over the countryside.
Up the hill, the Duomo pairs bands of dark and pale marble with an inlaid floor that is uncovered only for part of the year. Its museum, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, keeps Duccio's Maestà, the other great painting in town. Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers also worked here in the 14th century, and their gold-ground style gives Sienese galleries a look quite apart from Florence.
On 2 July and 16 August each year the Campo becomes a dirt racetrack for the Palio. Ten of the 17 contrade, the city's rival neighbourhoods, race bareback around the square in a contest over in about a minute and a half. Days of trial runs and costumed processions lead up to it. Each contrada has its own flag, church and social club, and loyalty runs deep. For a decent view, book a balcony or stand seat well ahead.
Evenings are better spent in the side streets than on the Campo, where terrace tables charge for the setting. Order pici, the thick hand-rolled pasta, at La Chiacchiera near the House of St Catherine, or walk out to the San Marco quarter for Osteria del Gatto. Save room for panforte or ricciarelli from a pasticceria.
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Gothic civic palaces, a marble cathedral, medieval painting and the Palio's rival contrade.
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Best time to visit Siena
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Comfortable walking weather, and early autumn is often when the cathedral floor is on show.
Hot and crowded around 2 July and 16 August; book rooms months ahead.
Cold and quiet, with short queues at the Palazzo Pubblico and the Duomo.
Around 2 July and 16 August the Campo is fenced off for the Palio and its trial runs, so plan sightseeing in the square for other days and book beds far ahead.
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Getting there
Autolinee Toscane coach from Santa Maria Novella
Siena sits off the main rail lines with no airport of its own, so the last leg needs a little planning. Florence (FLR) and Pisa (PSA) are the usual gateways; from Pisa, take the train with a change at Empoli. Bologna (BLQ), popular with low-cost airlines, also works, with a train change in Florence.
- Coach from Florence
- About 1 hour 20 minutes, stopping inside the walls
- Train from Florence
- Roughly hourly direct, or change at Empoli
- Station to centre
- City buses to Piazza del Sale in about five minutes
- Bologna airport
- Further away; train with a change in Florence
- From Florence, Autolinee Toscane coaches leave the bus station beside Santa Maria Novella and reach Siena in about 1 hour 20 minutes, dropping you inside the walls.
- Trains are prettier but less handy, running roughly hourly direct from Florence or via Empoli, with connections every 30 to 60 minutes.
- Coming from Rome and the south, change at Chiusi or Grosseto.
- To walk up from the station (20 to 30 minutes), cut through the Porta Siena shopping centre, ride the escalators and moving walkways to Via Vittorio Emanuele, then turn left for Porta Camollia.
- For the ride back, check at Piazza del Sale which lines are heading down to the station.
Where to stay
The Campo, San Marco or Porta Camollia
A room in the old centre means leaving the car behind and reaching every sight on foot, which is the point of coming. Hotels outside suit drivers and those on a budget, with buses into town. Around the Campo is the most central choice, and the loudest on Palio days.
- Around the Campo
- Closest to everything, loudest on Palio days
- San Marco quarter
- Quieter southern lanes near local osterie
- Near Porta Camollia
- Handy for the station walk at the northern end
- Colleverde campsite
- Outside the walls to the north-east, for budget stays
Getting around
Three ridges on foot, buses to Piazza del Sale
Siena's walled centre belongs to pedestrians. Ordinary cars are banned; only taxis, service vehicles, scooters and hotel guests unloading with a one-off permit get in. Distances between the Campo, the Duomo and the contrada lanes are short, but the city spreads over three ridges, so expect steep climbs and stone steps.
- Walking
- Steep but short distances between the main sights
- City buses
- Several lines link the station with Piazza del Sale
- Driving
- Only with a one-off hotel permit to unload luggage
- Taxis can be booked through the central reservation line.
- If you miss a turn while driving to a hotel inside the walls, leave by the nearest gate, loop round on the ring road and start again; never force a narrow lane.
Know before you go
What makes Siena worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- Lorenzetti's Good and Bad Government in the Sala dei Nove, a medieval lesson in politics painted across the walls.
- Sitting on the sloping Campo at dusk, when the brick paving still holds the day's warmth.
- Duccio's Maestà in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, the high point of Sienese painting.
- The view from the Torre del Mangia over red roofs to the hills beyond the walls.
- Contrada flags hanging in the lanes, each street showing its loyalty.
Good to know
- No cars inside the walls: if your hotel is central, get a one-off permit and a drawn route before you drive in.
- Palio dates fill the city, and rooms for early July and mid-August go months ahead.
- Campo terraces charge for the view; eat a street or two back for better value.
- The lanes are steep, so wear shoes with grip for the stone paving.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Siena, month by month
Siena runs the Palio on 2 July and 16 August, in the hottest part of its year; month-by-month averages are below.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Siena (Consorzio LaMMA, via Wikipedia).
The Campo, Duccio's Maestà and the contrada lanes
Two days in Siena start on Piazza del Campo. Day one covers the Palazzo Pubblico, the Torre del Mangia, the Duomo and Duccio's Maestà in the Museo dell'Opera. Day two follows the contrada flags and fountains to the House of St Catherine, or heads out to San Gimignano and Chianti.
Day one, morning: start on Piazza del Campo and go straight into the Palazzo Pubblico before the queues build. Give the Sala dei Nove and Lorenzetti's frescoes a proper look, then climb the Torre del Mangia while your legs are fresh.
Afternoon: walk up to the Duomo, then cross to the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo for Duccio's Maestà. Evening: loop through the lanes towards the San Marco quarter and eat at an osteria there.
Day two can stay in town or head out. Inside the walls, track down the flags and fountains of the different contrade, visit the House of St Catherine and finish on the Campo for the evening light. Alternatively, catch an early bus to San Gimignano or into the Chianti hills and come back in time for dinner.
On either day, leave an hour for Santa Maria della Scala, the old pilgrims' hospital facing the cathedral steps, where frescoed wards show medieval nursing in surprising detail. Then go back to the Campo late, after the coach groups have gone, and watch the square empty under the tower.
Pici at La Chiacchiera and panforte to take home
Sienese food is plain Tuscan cooking, and the dish to order is pici, thick hand-rolled noodles with ragù or garlicky tomato sauce. La Chiacchiera, Osteria Nonna Gina and Osteria del Gatto are reliable choices a short walk from the Campo. Buy panforte and ricciarelli from any pasticceria.
Sienese cooking is plain Tuscan food done well, and the dish to order is pici, thick noodles rolled by hand, served with a meat ragù or garlicky tomato sauce. La Chiacchiera, a small trattoria beside the House of St Catherine, is a reliable place to try them.
The best eating is in the side streets a short walk from the Campo. South of the centre, Osteria Nonna Gina sits just outside the Due Porte, and Osteria del Gatto on Via di San Marco is a few minutes further on; the menu is in Italian, but staff translate as they go. Book ahead at both in summer.
Sweets are a Sienese speciality. Look for panforte, a dense cake of nuts, honey and spice, and ricciarelli, soft almond biscuits, in any pasticceria. For gelato, Il Gelato is just off the Campo. If you do want a drink on the square itself, La Birreria at number 58 is one of the better-value terraces.
Ten contrade racing three laps of the Campo at the Palio
Siena's Palio is run on 2 July and 16 August, with ten of the 17 contrade racing bareback three times round the Campo in about 90 seconds. Watch free from the packed centre or book a stand seat months ahead. Outside Palio weeks, spring and early autumn are the best times to visit.
The Palio is run on 2 July and 16 August. Ten of the 17 contrade take part each time, riding bareback three times around the Campo in a race that is over in about a minute and a half. The days before are full of trial heats, blessings of the horses in contrada churches and costumed processions, and the rivalry between neighbourhoods is real; fist fights were once part of it, and a heavy police presence now keeps them away. To watch, either stand free in the packed centre of the piazza from early afternoon, with no shade and no way out, or pay for a stand or balcony seat booked months ahead.
Outside Palio weeks, spring and early autumn are the sweet spot, with mild days for the hills. Early autumn is often when the inlaid marble floor of the Duomo is uncovered. Winter is cold and quiet, and you may have Lorenzetti's frescoes almost to yourself.
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How we research our Siena travel guide
Palio dates, coach and train links and museum details for Siena are rechecked with the Comune di Siena and Italia.it, and the historic centre is described from its UNESCO listing.
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Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of SienaItalia.itUNESCO World Heritage Centre
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Siena.
Getting there
The Autolinee Toscane coach from beside Santa Maria Novella takes about 1 hour 20 minutes and stops inside the walls. Trains run roughly hourly but arrive at a station 2 km below the centre.
Only to unload. Ordinary cars are banned, but hotel guests can get a one-off permit for luggage; everyone else parks outside the walls.
General
Florence (FLR) is the most convenient, followed by Pisa (PSA). Bologna (BLQ) has more low-cost flights but means a train change in Florence.
City buses run to Piazza del Sale in about five minutes, or you can walk in 20 to 30 minutes via the escalators through the Porta Siena shopping centre.
April to June, outside the 2 July race, and September to October bring mild walking weather. July and August are hot and very busy around the Palio dates.
Pici are thick hand-rolled noodles. Panforte is a dense cake of nuts, honey and spice, and ricciarelli are soft almond biscuits sold in the pastry shops.
In the Sala dei Nove inside the Palazzo Pubblico on Piazza del Campo, where the city's ruling council once met.
Steep in places, with stone steps between the Campo and the Duomo, but distances are short and the centre is largely car-free.
Siena's walled centre belongs to pedestrians. Ordinary cars are banned; only taxis, service vehicles, scooters and hotel guests unloading with a one-off permit get in. Distances between the Campo, the Duomo and the contrada lanes are short, but the city spreads over three ridges, so expect steep climbs and stone steps.
Timing & weather
On 2 July and 16 August every year, in Piazza del Campo, with trial runs and processions in the days before.
Two days covers the Campo, the Palazzo Pubblico, the Duomo and its museum. Add a day for San Gimignano or the Chianti hills.
The best time to visit Siena is Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct. Mild days for walking the hills, away from the Palio crowds and peak summer heat.
- Best overall: April - June, September - October (Comfortable walking weather, and early autumn is often when the cathedral floor is on show)
- Palio summer: July - August (Hot and crowded around 2 July and 16 August; book rooms months ahead)
- Winter: November - March (Cold and quiet, with short queues at the Palazzo Pubblico and the Duomo)
July is the warmest month in Siena, with average highs of 31°C, and January the coolest, with lows of 3°C. November is the wettest month, at about 125 mm of rain; July is the driest. Siena runs the Palio on 2 July and 16 August, in the hottest part of its year; month-by-month averages are below.
Visa & documents
Schengen rules apply in Italy. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Violent crime against visitors to Italy is rare. Pickpocketing is the main problem, especially on buses and metros in Rome (bus 64 is notorious), at Roman and Florentine sights, and at Termini and Naples Centrale stations. Wear your bag across your body and zip it, and use only licensed white taxis or official ride apps.
