Tuscany Trip: Siena
Siena was a beautiful hour and a half drive away through small villages and towns. We arrived early and I loved the empty old town streets as we made our way to Piazza del Campo to meet our tour guide for the day. We were a few minutes early so I ducked into a small cafe and let the kids each pick something for breakfast. Nola picked a pistachio croissant and absolutely won the best pick prize from me. The croissant had a dollop of sweetened pistachio butter on the top and inside, and it was sprinkled with perfectly roasted pistachio bits. So good and not like anything else I had ever tasted.
Piazza del Campo from above.
Our tour guide met us at the fountain on the Piazza and she was perfect for our day in Siena! I found her on Airbnb Experiences and she was a local archeologist and historian so we really got to know the stories of Siena.
The site of Siena was originally an Etruscan settlement that later became the Roman city of Sena Julia. This colony disappeared, but the new Siena that later developed flourished under the Lombard kings. In the 12th century it became a self-governing commune. The walls and gates enclose a city centre that is composed of narrow, winding streets and old buildings and palaces. It was devastated by outbreaks of the Black Death, which began in 1348, leaving the city today in its perfect medieval state. Tourists come to Siena in large numbers to view the Corsa del Palio, the famous horse races of medieval origin that are held twice annually on the Piazza del Campo.
And the cathedral! Oh the cathedral. I think it is one of my favorites I have ever been to, filled with Michelangelo and Donatello sculptures. The interior marble floors tell the story of gaining earthly knowledge that leads to spiritual knowledge. The outside facade figures include secular philosophers like Plato and Socrates as well as spiritual leaders because the designers wanted to bridge the gap between the secular teachings and the spiritual teachings, showing that they were connected and leading us to God.
Paul
I loved seeing many string players carrying their instruments in cases around the city and learned that there is a very prestigious music school at the university here, founded in the year 1240.
The very important Catholic saint, Catarina, was from Siena so we saw many things about her and her devout life, as well as the relics of her head and thumb. The rest of her remains are buried in Rome.
We stopped in the favorite local bakery to buy the local Sienese treats of Riciarelli and Cantucci — both delicious, same flavors of almond and vanilla but in different forms. Riciarelli is like a cookie that is crispy on the outside and soft inside. Cantucci is like biscotti but unique in the Sienese flavoring.
We ended the day eating really good pizza on the Piazza del Campo in the sunshine. Pizza typically isn’t cut into slices in Italy, so we made an absolute mess between us, but it was really fun, and so delicious.
When I asked the kids what there favorite place was to visit on our tour of Tuscany they all said Siena. It felt more personal with our guide, it was smaller, and not crowded. I would definitely go back again.
