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Siena guide to Siena Italy Chianti has its own rustic charm Wine and Winery Guide , Vineyard in the Chianti region when you are in tuscany in the heart of Tuscany visit the Chianti , The Chianti region is nestled between the towns of Siena and Florence. Chianti is a major Italian wine-growing region and is rich in culture, scenery and attractions. It is also known throughout the world for exceptional food. Chianti is a must for a vacation in Italy Surrounded by the splendid Tuscan countryside.

In scenic hill country just 55 kilometres south of Florence this picturesque well-preserved medieval town lies in the right in the middle of the Tuscany wine region. A bitter competitor with Florence for much of its history Siena is a treasure trove of art pageantry and architecture. Inhabited continuously for over a thousand years, Siena flourished in the Late Middle Ages when the merchant oligarchy known as "the Nine" spent vast sums in order to create the most beautiful and impressive city in Tuscany. The many churches, palaces and military fortifications which survive from this period bear witness to the magnificence and sophistication of Sienese civilization. Most interesting are the wonderful black-and-white Gothic Duomo (don’t miss the magnificent Bernini statue of Mary Magdalene hidden away in a niche or the dazzling mosaics on the floor), the Palazzo Pubblico (for its impressive frescoes) and the Torre del Mangia you can climb for a nice view over the city.

Sienna is a wonderful city that is the home of some of the most precious medieval art and architectural treasures. Siena offers a never-ending number of cultural sights and interests for travelers: the unique “Palio of Siena” and wine tasting in the old wine bars, romantic walks along the narrow alleys and excursions outside the city in the Siena Chianti area and in Val’Orcia.

La Dolce Vita in Siena Siena is a city full of fun and life, full of fascinating places to be discovered and to spend pleasant evening with your friends, surrounded by an atmosphere that is both attractive and mysterious. There are many pubs, wine bars, restaurants and open-air coffee shops around the splendid Piazza del Campo, meeting places for the locals, students and tourists. The alleys leading up to the square are full of bars and wine bars that are full of people every evening. One of the oldest meeting places in Siena is the famous Enoteca italiana, located inside the charming Fortezza Medicea, which was built on the wishes of Cosimo De’ Medici in the second half of the 16th century. This place, full of history and tradition, is where you can taste excellent rare wines, and where you can also admire the huge collection of precious labels, kept in the various exhibition rooms for decades

What to see in Siena ? Monuments and places Fascinating historical buildings and charming places:

Palazzo Pubblico This wonderful building was completed at the beginning of the 14th century. The Salone del Mappamondo, the largest room in the palace, entirely filled with frescoes by Simone Martini and the Sala dei Nove, decorated by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, with the “Allegoria del buon governo” and the “Allegoria e gli effetti del cattivo governo”, considered to be the first profane cycle in western art in history, are to be noted.

Archbishop’s Palace This wonderful building stands just a short distance from the Duomo and is home to the splendid panel by Lorenzetti that depicts the “Madonna del Latte”.

The Mangia's Tower (Torre del Mangia) The Torre del Mangia stands alongside the Palazzo Pubblico. It was built in the period 1338-1348 and was called by this name in honor of the nickname given to its first bell-ringer, known as Mangiaguadagni. The top of the tower can be reached by climbing 400 steps. At the top you have a view over the entire city.

Santa Maria della Scala The building Santa Maria della Scala takes up an area of about 350,000 square meters and was originally built as a city hospital, one of the first to be built in Italy. Today, many parts of the building have been recovered thanks to a massive restoration program, and exhibition spaces for Siena and international artists are now available. Inside the building it is possible to see three chapels, the Cappella del Manto, the Cappella della Madonna, the Cappella del Sacro Chiodo and the Church of the Santissima Annunziata.

The Botanic Gardens The Botanic Gardens date back to 1588, when the “Giardino dei Semplici” was set up, near to the Santa Maria della Scala hospital. This was the start of the city’s first Botanic Gardens, where doctors and scientists of that time could study the therapeutic properties of many officinal plants. Starting from the second half of the 18th century, several plants from all over the world were added to the garden, which was then turned into the “University Botanic Gardens”. Today the area dedicated to the garden is more than three times that of the initial garden, and holds thousands of exotic and non-exotic plants.

Piazza del Campo This is one of Italy’s most famous squares, and probably the one with the most original shape. Piazza del Campo stands on the site that was once an ancient Roman forum, opposite Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia. The area was initially intended for a city market place and only began to take on the dignity required of a true square in 1288. From 1327 to 1349, paving work was carried out in the square, using special red bricks. The square, more commonly known as “il Campo” locally, is surrounded by Medieval buildings, open-air coffee shops, restaurants and trattorias, and in August it is the location of the famous Palio.

• The Piazza del Campo, the unique shell shaped piazza at the centre of the city, and twice a year the racetrack for the Palio (q.v.).

• The Palazzo Pubblico, Siena's City Hall for almost 800 years, contains (amongst many other things) the famous frescos on good and bad government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and access to the Torre di Mangia, from whose top you can view a beautiful panorama of the Sienese countryside.

• The Duomo, Siena's magnificent black and white Italian Romanesque cathedral including the Libreria Piccolomini, Baptistery (separate entrance and charge), and an attached Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (separate entrance and charge) [2] (website only in Italian) which includes the famous Maestà by Duccio. After you've seen all the art, you can also treat yourself to a beautiful panorama from Il Facciatone in the museum.

• The Pinacoteca, full of Sienese painting from the city's Medieval heyday.

• The Palazzo Salimbeni, built in 1472, is the world headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the major banking corporation which has a hand in much of the economic and cultural life of the city. The building itself is well worth looking at from the outside. Inside, there are interesting documents showing the history of banking, plus a collection of paintings and other artwork, but you would have to request permission in advance if you'd like to have a chance to view them.

Getting in Siena By plane Most travellers arriving by plane will land at airports in Florence or Pisa. Siena's Ampugnano airport is located 9 km from the city. At the moment, connections from Olbia, Vienna and Munich are available. For additional information tel               0577-392226       . A shuttle service connection is currently available between the airport and Piazza Gramsci TRA-IN (tel.               0577-204224       ).

Getting in Siena By car From the north, take the Chiantigiana from Florence (SS 222 - 72 km) that elegantly crosses the hills of Chianti or the highway (SS 2 superstrada Siena/Firenze - 68 km). From the south, Siena can be reached by taking the Autoway from Rome (A1 Roma-Firenze, exit Valdichiana), turning right on state highway #326 (Bettolle-Siena - 240 km).

Getting in Siena By trai From the north, some trains go directly from Florence to Siena, and otherwise it is possible to take any train that stops in Empoli and find train connections from Empoli to Siena every 30-60 minutes. From the south, direct connections to Siena depart from Chiusi or from Grosseto. The train station in Siena is located approximately 2 km from Siena's historical centre, a five minute bus ride - buses leave regularly from Piazza del Sale. Buses numbers 3, 8, 10, 17, 77 leave from the station to Piazza del Sale and bus #17 departs from Piazza del Sale for the train station. If you don't mind walking uphill, you can also walk to the centre in about 20-30 minutes; exit the train station, turn left, walk past the bus park and then uphill, bearing right at the traffic circle, staying on the road called Viale Giuseppe Manzini. When this road sharply bends to the right, follow the curve around where the road will become Via Garibaldi, which will take you into the city.

Getting in Siena By bus By far the easiest way to get to Siena from Florence (though the train journey is much more picturesque). Take the SITA bus (located across the street from Santa Maria Novella train station). After 1hr 20 minutes it will eventually drop you off at Piazza Garibaldi which is located well within the walls of the city, allowing for an easy walk to any of the city's attractions. Connections are also available from Rome (3 hours) and various other cities

BEST TRAVEL GUIDE OF SIENA TUSCANY

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