Square · UNESCO
Piazza del Campo
Siena, Italy
Siena's shell-shaped medieval square and the stage of the Palio.
City · Italy · Tuscany
Siena
A perfectly preserved medieval city with a shell-shaped square and a ferocious horse race.
about 5 h
For storytellers
Why Siena matters
Siena was Florence's great rival, and it kept its medieval character almost untouched. The centrepiece is Piazza del Campo, a shell-shaped brick square sloping towards a tall tower, where twice every summer the whole city turns out for the Palio, a wild bareback horse race between neighbourhoods. Add a striped marble cathedral and tangled lanes, and you have one of the most atmospheric cities in Tuscany.
Talking points
- Piazza del Campo is shaped like a fan or shell and is where the Palio takes place.
- The city is divided into contrade, neighbourhoods with their own flags, fountains and fierce loyalty.
- The cathedral's striped black and white marble is unmistakable.
- Day trips from Siena reach Chianti vineyards and hill towns.
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What to see in Siena
Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Siena Cathedral
Siena, Italy
A striped black and white marble cathedral with an ornate marble floor.
Festival or event
Palio di Siena
Siena, Italy
Siena's twice-yearly horse race between neighbourhoods.
Tower · UNESCO
Torre del Mangia and Palazzo Pubblico
Siena, Italy
The town hall and its tall tower overlooking the square.
Also nearby
Within about 40 km, closest first.