Description

This is the tour to start with on a first visit to Siena: a private walk through the historic centre with a licensed local guide. The length is up to you — from a two-hour introduction to a longer, more detailed visit — and is agreed in advance. The walk begins at the Basilica of San Domenico, with the story of Saint Catherine of Siena, patron saint of Italy and co-patron saint of Europe. It follows Banchi di Sopra, the city's main street, past the medieval palaces of the UNESCO-listed historic centre and the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi, the oldest bank in the world still trading, before reaching the Duomo — a thirteenth-century masterpiece in marble, with its inlaid floor and works by Donatello, Michelangelo, Bernini and Pinturicchio. The tour ends in Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped square where the Palio is run, and where your guide explains the contrade and the tradition behind the race. For families with children, the same walk can be arranged as a Polaroid tour of Siena: children explore the city through an instant camera, turning the visit into a game and discovering Siena's corners, symbols and the animals of the contrade, one photograph at a time.

Highlights