Siena Experience

The Palio - Siena

Advantages: Amazing medieval horse race
Disadvantages: Felt like I was in the way of the locals

The Palio has to be witnessed when you visit Siena, so always try and visit either on the 2nd of July or the 16th of August. I've no idea why they run this race twice in a year. It's an amazing horserace held in the Piazza del Campo in the heart of the medieval city. The horses are blessed inside the town's churches in the morning and then as people leave the churches the festivities begin. Around 12ish, all the younger members of the city's contrada's ...
...middle of the square. 50,000 people fit in the centre so it's a good idea to get into this square as soon as you can to guarantee a good spot, unless you're lucky enough to get hold of a view from the balcony of a hotel in the square. During the afternoon the sounds of drums can be heard in the old medieval streets as each contrada's procession snakes through the town, with their horse. Eventually they all line up near the entrance to the square ...

MisterCheese 12.06.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Siena (Italy)

Sunburnt in SIENA

Advantages: Stunning
Disadvantages: Missed the Palio - steep climb to old town

Siena is probably most famous for the Palio - the psychotic, twice-yearly dash around Il Campo, the heart of this ancient, walled city. I'm sure most people are familiar with the carnival atmosphere generated during this frenetic, hell-for-leather race around the cobbles, but unfortunately the timing of our visit didn't coincide with the medieval equivalent of Whacky Races on sulph. Never mind. The old town of Siena is built on and around three ...
...and consists of a herringbone Siena brick pattern which is divided by white marble lines forming nine sections - these represents the city's medieval ruling body, the Council of Nine. Apparently, the design (especially the slope) of Il Campo is all very deliberate and is down the the city's water system. There are a large number of restaurants and cafes lining the upper, curved part of the piazza, and some souvenir stalls dotted around, but these ...

proxam 29.08.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Siena (Italy)

Stunning Sienna!

Advantages: Breathtakingly beautiful with quirky charm!
Disadvantages: Accomodation, can be difficult if arriving last minute.

I travelled across Italy for 4 weeks in summer 2002 and had no intention of going to Sienna until me being the nosey person that I am eavesdropped on people chatting on the train. After which we immediatedly changed trains and arrived in Sienna very late in the afternoon. After the initial difficulty of finding the right bus to the town centre from the train station, we went the wrong way and ended up in a housing estate! - beware on Sundays some ...
...meaning some bustops are not used on certain days, if you're lucky a very kind Italian lady will gesture to you that you are waiting for the bus on the wrong side of the road. Finally reaching the town, my friend and I were gobsmacked for want of a better word at its beauty. A fantastic medieaval city of many meandering streets that glow a fantastic red due to the building materials. All except the duomo that is. A cathedral that can only be desribed ...

SimonJB 19.02.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Siena (Italy)

Siena, Italy's Jewel in the Crown.

Advantages: jFantastic Ambiance, Medieval City with Modern Feeling. Food and wine are excellent.
Disadvantages: None at all.

...why the magical city of Siena is not on any of the tours offered by Travel Agents. Not that I am personally disappointed, for the very selfish reason that I was able to enjoy this Italian delight in comparative isolation from everything that smacks of "Holidays Abroad". Just 35 miles south of Florence, Siena is a jewel of medieval splendour. It invites the visitor to stroll through narrow Gothic streets, lined with palaces and patrician mansions, ...
...the medieval administrative organisation of Siena with its 17 parishes or Contrade, beginning with a procession in costume and followed by, what is possibly the most dangerous and spectacular, horse race, around the Piazza. The Palio is a standard or banner which bears the effigy of the Virgin Mary and is awarded to the winner. Each rider represents one of the Contrade "families", of Siena and there is fierce competition to win the Palio for the ...

Scorpio2 17.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Siena (Italy)

Siena - La città piú bella del mondo

Advantages: Best city to be at
Disadvantages: None

I lost my heart in Siena (several times and in different meanings (Luigi and Giulia should know)) ;-) And so I have to go back there as often as I can trying to find it. I found so many friends in Siena and I consider some of them my best friends (hi to Luigi, Stefano, Michele and Michele, Pippo, Giulia, Paola (un bacione), and many more). But enough about that. I recommend to go to Siena in autumn, and to stay on the countryside. In the hunting ...
...a last time. If you go there, pretend not to be a tourist. Wear long trousers and a shirt, don't walk around the town like you walk on the beach and you will see that Senese people become very open-hearted. Go to Siena once, and you will always come back! ...

Gazzilloro 30.03.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Siena (Italy)