Siena: Palio, Art, and Medieval History

When looking for a hotel in Siena, you can start by considering which aspects of the city you’d like to shape your stay: the Palio and its set dates, the medieval cityscape, art collections, or local cuisine. The places and themes below offer concrete starting points, without requiring you to focus on just one.

Palio: two annual dates and three laps around the Campo

The traditional Palio di Siena races take place every year on July 2 and August 16 in the Campo. Ten of Siena’s 17 Contrade take part in the Palio on July 2. Each participating Contrada is assigned by lottery a horse selected from a group of physically suitable horses. The race consists of three laps around the Piazza del Campo.

This means the focus is on two set dates and a clearly defined race format. The participation of ten Contrade applies to the Palio on July 2; the two traditional race dates are July 2 and August 16. The arrangements on event days may vary. So if the Palio is important to your travel plans, consider not only the date but also the arrangements for the event day.

City walls, architecture, and the Via Francigena

The historic center is surrounded by ancient defensive walls, built between the 14th and 16th centuries. Their course follows three hills; the fortifications include bastions, towers, and gates. This makes it possible to explore the city’s history not only through individual buildings but also through the extent and form of its walls.

The Palazzo Pubblico stands in the Campo and is one of the most significant examples of medieval civil Gothic architecture. Siena Cathedral is one of Italy’s most important Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals. For anyone interested in the city’s architectural history, these are two distinct points of reference: the civic Palazzo and the cathedral.

The urban stretch of the Via Francigena also offers a concrete way to explore Siena as a place of pilgrimage. The urban stretch of the Via Francigena is four kilometers long and runs within the city walls from Porta Camollia to Porta Romana. You can consider it as a route in its own right, alongside the Palio, architecture, and museums.

Art collections and the history of water

The Pinacoteca Nazionale houses the most important collection of paintings from the Sienese school. Its chronological range extends from early gold-ground paintings through works of the Renaissance and Mannerism to the 17th century. The visit is complemented by impressive views across the rooftops of Siena. The Museo Civico also preserves and displays works by major representatives of the Sienese school of painting, dating from the 14th to the 19th century. The two collections thus span different periods and offer different perspectives on the city’s painting.

The Museo dell’Acqua explains the history of Siena’s system of bottini, fountains, and structures that brought water into the city. A visit includes the museum, the Fonte di Pescaia, and its associated bottino. Visits are possible by reservation; check the visitor schedule again before your trip. The museum adds another dimension to Siena by introducing the structures and facilities associated with its historic water supply.

Sienese cuisine and craft traditions

Siena’s osterias serve pici: thick, spaghetti-like noodles made from soft wheat flour. Another local specialty is Cinta Senese, used for roasts and ragù as well as traditional sausages and cured meats. These include salami, rigatino, capocollo, prosciutto, and guanciale. If regional cuisine is an important part of your trip, these dishes and products offer a distinct focus alongside the sights.

Sienese craft traditions include working with clay, hand-painted ceramics, restoration, metalworking, and artistic wood decoration. The range therefore extends from materials and production to the preservation and design of objects. Together with the collections, the Palio, and the buildings, these traditions create a varied picture of the city that you can prioritize according to your interests when planning your stay in Siena.

Discover more destinations: San Rocco A Pilli, Il Piano, Le Tolfe, Costalpino, Colle Di Val D'elsa, Badiaccia A Montemuro, Chiusdino, Bibbiano.

For the main travel overview: Siena.