The capital of Tuscan wealth and power

Siena was a prosperous and important medieval town that suffered a serious decline, bad news in those days but good news for modern visitors. The city is in some ways frozen in time, with some exceptionally well preserved medieval attributes. The town is divided into terzi, or thirds, and within each of these there are a number of the districts known as contrade. Come here during one of the many town festivals to really understand the culture and history of this great city.

Each district of the town has its own animal emblem (a caterpillar, a giraffe, a goose etc.) and its own strong identity. The rivalries are played out in the annual festival of the Palio, when the well-conserved medieval streets and piazzas host breakneck horse races in early July and again in mid-August. Also worth visiting are the the surrounding areas, with magnificent landscapes of some of the most famous vine fields in the world. Fans of food, wine, and Tuscany in general will not be disappointed.