Things to do in Siena: the Campo, the cathedral and the Palio
Siena is a medieval hill town of red-brick lanes and one shell-shaped square, small enough to see in a day and better with two. The sights are close together and mostly uphill or down. The one date that changes everything is the Palio, on 2 July and 16 August, when rooms and standing places are taken months ahead.
The short answer
- First trip
- Sit in Piazza del Campo, climb the Torre del Mangia, see the cathedral and its library, then walk the lanes at dusk.
- Where to stay
- Inside the walls near the Campo or the Duomo for a short walk to everything. The full guide is linked below.
- How many days
- One long day covers the main sights. Two nights lets you see them without the day-trip crowds.
- Best time to go
- April to June and September to October. The Palio is on 2 July and 16 August.
- Book ahead
- The Palio weekend, rooms near the Campo, and timed entry to the Torre del Mangia and the cathedral complex.
- From the airport
- Siena has no airport. Use Florence, then a bus of about 75 minutes. From Pisa, a train changing at Empoli takes about 1 hour 45.
Where to stay in Siena, in brief
Around Piazza del Campo
a first visit
The shortest walk to the main sights, and the busiest and dearest part of town. Lanes close to the square are noisy on summer evenings.
Terzo di Città and the Duomo
the cathedral and quieter lanes
The oldest part of the walled city, a few minutes from the Campo. Calm at night once the day-trippers leave.
Camollia and the Fortezza
parking, buses and lower prices
The north side near the Medici fortress and the bus station. Less pretty, and a ten to fifteen minute walk downhill to the Campo.
Outside the walls
a car and a quiet night
Farmhouses and hotels in the hills around Siena. You will need a car or a taxi, and you give up the evening walk.
Things to do in Siena
Piazza del Campo
The shell-shaped brick square where the Palio is run. Sit on the slope with a coffee, or look from the edge at the Palazzo Pubblico.
Torre del Mangia
The tower beside the town hall, with a climb of about 400 steps to a view over the roofs and the hills. Entry is timed and limited, and it can close in bad weather.
a day or two ahead, a week in summer
Palazzo Pubblico and the Museo Civico
The town hall holds Ambrogio Lorenzetti's frescoes of good and bad government, a lesson in what a medieval city thought of itself.
Siena Cathedral and the Piccolomini Library
A black-and-white striped Gothic cathedral with a carved marble floor and a library of painted manuscripts. The floor is uncovered only at certain times of year, so check before you plan around it.
a few days ahead in season
Museo dell'Opera and the Facciatone
The cathedral museum holds Duccio's Maestà. The unfinished nave wall, the Facciatone, gives a view over the town and is less crowded than the tower.
Santa Maria della Scala
A former hospital opposite the cathedral, now a museum of art and archaeology, with a frescoed pilgrims' hall.
Basilica of San Domenico and Fontebranda
A plain brick church with relics of Saint Catherine and a view back to the cathedral. Below it, the Fontebranda fountain is the quiet side of town.
Pinacoteca Nazionale
The best collection of Sienese painting, from Duccio to Beccafumi, in a palace on Via San Pietro. Good when the cathedral queue is long.
Fortezza Medicea and the Enoteca Italiana
A sixteenth-century fortress with park walks on its walls. It is a short stroll from the north side of the old town and quiet in the evening.
A contrada visit
Siena has 17 contrade, the neighborhood districts that race in the Palio. Some museums let you see their flags, trophies and chapel, and the districts hold public feasts in the summer evenings.
ask at the contrada museum or the tourist office
What to book before you go
These sell out. Most of the rest of Siena can be decided on the day.
Every tour and ticket in Siena, and which to pick- A room for the Palio6 to 12 months ahead for 2 July or 16 August
Rooms in and near the walls sell out first, and rates rise sharply. Many visitors stay in Florence or the countryside instead.
- Torre del Mangia and the cathedral complexa few days ahead, a week or more in summer
Both use timed entry with limited numbers, and the tower closes in bad weather, so keep a day free.
- A seat for the Paliomonths ahead, through official sellers
Stands and balconies on the Campo are sold in advance. The center of the square is free to stand in but fills from early afternoon.
What to skip in Siena
- Restaurants facing the Campo
You pay for the square, not the cooking. Walk five minutes into the lanes of San Martino or Città for a better table.
- A day trip that gives you two hours in the town
Siena is at its calmest in the early morning and the evening. Stay a night if you can, or leave the Florence bus tour for another town.
- The Palio itself, if you dislike crowds
The race lasts about 90 seconds and the Campo is packed for hours beforehand. Come on a trial-race day instead, or any other date.
Best time to visit Siena
April to June and September to October are the best months, with warm days, long light and fewer people than midsummer. Late September and October are also good for food, with the wild boar and mushroom season starting.
July and August are hot and busy, and the Palio on 2 July and 16 August fills the town. Winter is cold, with fog and some closed restaurants, but the Campo is empty and the museums are easy. The Christmas market in the Campo runs in December.
- From Florence Airport or PisaSiena has no airport. From Florence, take the airport tram or bus to the Santa Maria Novella area, then a direct bus to Siena, about 75 minutes. From Pisa, the train changes at Empoli and takes about 1 hour 45. A taxi or transfer is simpler with luggage.
- On footThe old town is small but hilly, with steep steps off the Campo. Allow 15 to 20 minutes from end to end, and wear shoes with grip.
- Trains and busesThe station is outside the walls on the north-east side, with a city bus or a long uphill walk into the center. Direct buses from Florence arrive nearer the old town and are often quicker than the train.
- By carMost of the historic center is a restricted traffic zone. Park in one of the car parks at the edge, such as near the Fortezza, and walk in.
Siena in two days
- Day 1
The Campo and the Torre del Mangia early, the Museo Civico, then the cathedral complex in the afternoon. Dinner in San Martino.
- Day 2
San Domenico and Fontebranda in the morning, the Pinacoteca, then the Fortezza at sunset. Or take a day trip into Chianti or Val d'Orcia.
Day trips from Siena
- San GimignanoThe town of medieval towers, about an hour by bus via Poggibonsi. Busy by mid-morning, so go early or late.
- MonteriggioniA small walled village a short drive or bus ride north of Siena, with a ring of intact towers. Quick to see and quiet.
- ChiantiThe wine hills between Siena and Florence. Go with a driver or a tour, as the bus links are sparse and the estates are far apart.
- Val d'OrciaPienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano, an hour or more by car. Better with your own car or a guided day than by public transport.
Siena: questions people ask
How many days do you need in Siena?
One day covers the Campo, the tower, the cathedral and a museum. Two days is better, because the town is calmer in the early morning and the evening, after the coaches leave.
Is Siena worth visiting?
Yes, if you like medieval towns and painting. The Campo and the cathedral are among the best in Italy, and Siena is much less crowded than Florence outside midsummer.
Where should I stay in Siena?
Inside the walls near the Campo or the Duomo for a short walk to the sights. Outside the walls only if you have a car. The full guide to where to stay in Siena compares the areas.
When is the Palio in Siena?
On 2 July and 16 August each year, with trial races on the days before. Rooms sell out months ahead, and the race itself lasts about 90 seconds.
Do I need to book the Torre del Mangia?
Entry is timed and numbers are limited, so book a day or two ahead, and a week or more in summer. It can close in rain or high wind, so keep a spare day.
How do I get from Florence to Siena?
A direct bus takes about 75 minutes and arrives near the old town. The train takes longer, usually with a change, and the station is outside the walls.
Is Siena walkable?
Yes, but hilly. The old town is small and mostly pedestrian, with steep lanes and steps between the Campo and the districts around it.
What is the best month to visit Siena?
May, June and late September. The weather is good, and the town is quieter than on the Palio dates or in high summer.