Siena

About Siena

Siena is a medieval Gothic city in central Tuscany, founded as the Roman town of Saena Iulia under Augustus and later a fierce rival of Florence. Its historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, radiates from the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, where the Palio horse race is run twice each summer, and rises to a striped marble Duomo. For wine travellers, Siena is the gateway to Chianti Classico, whose Sangiovese vineyards spread across the hills toward Florence between the two cities. It is equally well placed for Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to the south, making it the practical hub for southern Tuscany's Sangiovese country. Between cellar days, visitors eat pici with wild-boar ragu and finish with panforte, the city's dense spiced cake, over a glass of Chianti Classico.

Practical details

Wine tourism notes

Siena is the historic capital of its province and the northern gateway to Chianti Classico, whose vineyards run north toward Florence. It also sits within reach of Montalcino (Brunello) and Montepulciano (Vino Nobile), making it the natural hub for touring southern Tuscany's great Sangiovese appellations.

Regional cuisine

Sienese cooking for Sangiovese: pici pasta with garlic or ragu, ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, wild boar, pecorino, and sweets like panforte, ricciarelli and cavallucci.

Canonical attractions

• Piazza del Campo
• Siena Cathedral (Duomo)
• Torre del Mangia
• Palazzo Pubblico
• the Palio di Siena

Editorial notes