With sprawling views of the country side, beautiful cathedrals, winding streets around every corner, and world championship winning gelato, Siena is a must go for any person traveling around Italy.
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Santa Caterina is a beautiful sprawling basilica located in Siena dedicated to Saint Catherine of Siena. The basilica is built upon Saint Catherine’s direct birthplace, bringing the church a religious significance many churches lack. Saint Catherine herself is one of the two Patron Saints of Italy, because of this, and it being her home, the basilica has preserved her head in wax at a shrine in the church. Mass is still provided in the church, however, religious or not, this is a site you do not want to miss.
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This is one of the magnificent paintings which sprawl out along the walls of the basilica. Each of the paintings depict significant religious events and stories which are exquisitely portrayed. This painting depicts the death of Saint Catherine. Cameras and phones are not allowed past a certain point in the church, so this is a sneak peak of what awaits you.
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As you weave your way through the streets and districts of Siena you will come across many sculptures and memorials of Siena’s proudest sons and daughters. One such sculpture is of Sallustio Bandini. Born in 1677, Sallustio was an archdeacon and a notable economist. He was an early advocate of free trade in the region and donated three thousand documents to the University of Siena to be made available to the public at the time of his death. The statue was completed by Titi Sarrocchi in 1880.
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The streets of Siena are beautiful and provide many uncontestable views, but be prepared to get a workout in. The topography of the surrounding area forced Siena to be built on a series of hills. Due to this, if you are not walking up a street, you will be walking down the street. Many of the steepest streets almost appear to be slides made from brick. If you can tough out the walking, you will be rewarded incredible architecture and sprawling views.
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This is an example of one of the many fantastic views one will find wandering the streets in Siena. Despite the short distances between buildings, the city still has sprawling greenery where ever the buildings or roads are not. The large building in this photograph is Saint Catherine’s Basilica.
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The Duomo di Siena, or The Cathedral of Siena, is probably the grandest of the religious sites located in Siena. The Cathedral itself is dedicated to the Virgin Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Black and white marble stripes and columns cover the interior and the exterior of the cathedral, representing the black and white horses of the city’s mythological founders, Aschuis and Senius.
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Upon closer inspection of the Cathedral of Siena’s external architecture, we can see the magnificent definition of the various animals carved into the stone. While appearing relatively small, the carvings of men and animals are all roughly the size of the average man. The various districts of Siena are a vital part of the area’s culture and the districts are represented by animals. Many district’s animals are clearly visible including the ram, the unicorn, the eagle, and the she-wolf.
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After touring the streets of Siena and visiting the various districts and religious sites; the town of San Gimignano is a short drive away. While the views of the city are spectacular, the views from San Gimignano truly the best in all of Siena. The town itself is completely wrapped in a medieval stone wall, giving it the appearance of an archaic stronghold. Being a hill town, the homes and shops of the city are tightly woven and stacked on top of each other, providing a unique and surreal view of the ancient Italian architecture of the region.
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The close proximity of the houses and shops of San Gimignano squeeze the roads, giving them the appearance of tunnels. Winding through the tight corridors of the city to find spots in the wall to view the surrounding landscape is an adventure in of itself. Walking through the streets will make you feel as though you are a child wandering through a place house, but its enormous and made of stone. There are few places with architecture like this anywhere.
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After spending the day wandering up and down the roads of Siena to visit all its majestic historical sites and immersing yourself with the unique culture of the area, there is nothing better to do than treat yourself to a classic, cooling, and refreshing Italian desert. Gelato. Now you could get gelato anywhere in Italy and be somewhat satisfied by it, but the gelato at Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano is special. Why is it special? Because it has been the World Gelato Champion four years in a row! Tourists wait in line for great lengths of time just to get a small cone of the gelato. They all say it was
worth every minute of the wait.
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The spender of Italy is vast, and no single place can truly capture the wonderful culture and history of the country. However, there are individual pieces which the whole cannot exist without. Siena is one such place. While not an exact replica of Italian culture, cuisine, or customs, it highlights the significance of the individual regions of Italy, and how they work together to create a beautiful mosaic of peoples and places. Ultimately Siena is a fantastic day trip for those who cannot stay longer, and a magical stay for those who can. This list of fun places in Siena only scratches the surface, the rest are waiting for you to go out and experience for yourself.
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