Siena, Italy

Assisi to Siena

Siena is located only 127km from Assisi we were in for another short travel day which was perfect for exploring Siena on our arrival.

It is only 1.5hr drive south of Florence so many people visit Siena on a day trip from Florence.  However, by staying one night here, we could enjoy Siena once all the day-trippers leave.

Montepulciano

We had time to stop off at the ancient hilltop town of Montepulciano.

Being the wine lovers we are, this town was screaming at us to pay it a visit and hey, we were now in Tuscany territory so would have been rude not to.

Paddock art and the wine country that is Tuscany

We did some reading before arriving and knew that the town was a no-go zone for vehicles (unless you have a permit, resident or worker).  We found Parking Lot No8 which was recommended and walked up the hill towards this medieval city.

The city is full of elegant Renaissance palaces, ancient churches and lovely piazzas.  We got a vast panoramic view over Tuscany.

We were visiting mid-week which was the best time as the town has received great attention following the filming of the vampire saga Twilight sequel New Moon.  There has been a notable increase in weekend visitors.

We spent a rather depressing hour visiting the local Torture Museum.  Goodness, I had no idea how ruthless and barbaric the torture was back centuries ago.

Montepulciano is best known internationally, however, for its Vino Nobile wine.  It is considered one of the top Tuscan wines in the world, made with grapes coming from vineyards surrounding the village.

I just had to try some world famous Nobile

Not wanting to pass up an opportunity I purchased a couple of bottles to save for a special occasion.  This, of course, had to be accompanied by a tasting or two to ensure I got the right one! Two bottles cost me €15/$26NZ.

Siena

We continued on with our short trip to the city of Siena.

Siena is another lovely medieval city and we had read that it was worth visiting for a wander around its lanes and alleys.

Its main attraction is its central piazza known as Il Campo.  It is known worldwide for the famous Palio run here.  This is a horse race run around the piazza two times every summer and was first run in the 17th century.  Siena and the Palio are featured in the James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace.

Taking pride of place in the centre of Siena is the dominating Duomo Cathedral.  This structure was built over the top of an ancient Roman Temple back in 1179.  It showcases the talents of many great medieval and Renaissance architects and artists – including Michaelangelo.  Inside is a display of a very intricate floor which is laid with 56 panels depicting historical and biblical scenes.  This floor has been worked on by about 40 artists over some 200 years from the 14th century onwards.

 Once again, we followed Rick Steves Audio Guide and this directed us to all the highlights of the city and its history.

Like most cities and towns in Italy, it is packed full of churches, Basilica, museums, palaces and other religious buildings.  We had heard that eventually, one does get a ‘bit over’ all of these.  Although each one has its own characteristic features, it can start to become a bit tedious.  We prefer to still wander the popular locations but more for soaking up the atmosphere and just people watching.  We don’t go into every attraction, every church or every palace.

Accommodation

We called into Hotel Italia and booked in for a night’s stay.  It was perfectly located just outside the city walls and included free parking, which is really important to note.  Always ensure you don’t drive into a ZTL zone and that you don’t have to walk km’s to your accommodation from the closest parking lot.  It cost us €80/$142NZ (including breakfast).

Click on the link below to see our highlights of Montepulciano and Siena.