Siena is a small but exquisite Italian city. It is one of the lesser Italian tourist attractions, however, it is easily navigable and locals are friendly.
A must see is the Piazza del Campo - the shell-shaped piazza which is the heart of the city. I have spent many hours sitting out there of an evening or lunchtime watching the world go by. Each July and August it is the location of the Palio - the city's horse race. This is quite an event as every contrade (district) in the city has an opportunity to compete against the others and it is a great event in the Sienese calendar. The Palio is quite a colourful affair as there is a parade of the contrade who enter a horse into the competition and is a whole day of ceremony and celebration before the relatively short horse race. The Campo is also where little children in all sort of costumes congregate to through confetti and coriandoli at each other during the month of February for carnevale.
Don't miss out on climbing the Torre di Mangia in the Palazzo Pubblico in order to admire the fantastic views of the Tuscan countryside as well as getting the measure of the city. Be warned - the stairs are quite precarious in places but the effort is worth it when you get to the top.
When you're tired of climbing, the restaurants and cafes around the Campo are a good place to stop and watch the world go by.
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