Tuscany to Discover
SIENA
Province of the central Tuscany, Siena is placed among the valleys of the rivers Arbia and Merse and it is surrounded by the hills of the Chianti, by the Montagnola and by the Crete Senesi. Thanks to its originality from the medieval and urbanistic historic point of views, the historic centre has been declared by the UNESCO a world heritage site.
Siena rises in the Etruscan period, as many archaeological finds witness, but history wants the city to be founded as a Roman colony at the time of the Emperor Augusto and then developed as a trade and lines of communication centre.
The tour of Siena remains in the heart of each tourist. Historic centre, monuments, works of art: the city offers countless testimonies of ancient but still real and very noticeable life.
The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo is known all over the world, thanks to the Palio that takes place twice a year and is broadcasted on every continent. Piazza del Campo is overlooked by many important buildings and monuments, such as the Town Hall, Torre del Mangia and Fonte Gaia.
The Town Hall, built approximately between 1297 and 1310 by the Governo dei Nove of the Republic of Siena, was built using red brick and white marble and nowadays it contains the Civic Museum, rich in masterpieces of Sienese artists, such as Simone Martini and Ambrogio Lorenzetti.
Torre del Mangia, built between 1325 and 1348, is close to the Town Hall and it is one of the highest old towers in Italy. From the top you can enjoy a wonderful view of the city and the Sienese countryside. According to the legend, in its foundations lucky coins are buried to drive out "thunder and storm". The name comes from its first keeper, Giovanni di Duccio, who loved a lot food and who spent all his possessions on the pleasures of the table: he was called the "mangiaguadagni" ("gain-eater").
On the opposite side of the square there is Fonte Gaia, a splendid monument of Jacopo della Quercia dating back to 1346.
The Cathedral of Siena – the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta - is one of the most important Italian churches in Romanesque-Gothic style. Work done by the collaboration of many artists of the time, both simultaneously and at different times, it is characterized by great decorative wealth, mainly sculptural, made of white, red marble of Siena and serpentine of Prato. The splendour of the inner aisles of the Cathedral leaves you incredulous for the magnificence and richness of the works, starting from the wonderful marble floor depicting 56 scenes and then continuing with fascinating masterpieces, such as the Pulpit by Nicola Pisano or the Piccolomini Library with Pinturicchio’s frescoes. 
It is hard to judge which the most interesting museum in Siena is. The most famous are Museo dell'Opera del Duomo and Pinacoteca Nazionale: both of them contain unique and one-off masterpieces of history of art. Other beautiful museums are: Accademia dei Fisiocritici, Museo Opera Metropolitana, Museo Bologna Buonsignori, Battistero di San Giovanni and Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala.
The visit of Siena is extremely pleasant. The centre and the particular arrangement of the city inspire warmth and charm in the visitor, who is constantly absorbed in art and history. Typical shops, speciality foods, warmth and elegance complete the visit of Siena: one of the most beautiful cities in the world, to live and to remember.
Read more about Siena here
Events in Siena here
Photo Source: Wikipedia