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DestinationsSiena

Siena.

Where it sits

Chianti, to the north

Siena is the great medieval rival to Florence that lost the war and, in losing, kept its fourteenth-century self almost intact. Where Florence is Renaissance, Siena is Gothic: a city of red-brick palaces, steep lanes and the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo at its heart, one of the finest squares in Europe.

For villa guests it is the perfect city day — close to Chianti to the north, the Crete Senesi to the east and the Val d'Orcia to the south, walkable end to end, and rarely as overwhelmed as Florence. Go for the Campo, the striped Duomo and a slow lunch; go twice if the week allows.

Don’t miss

  • Piazza del Campo and the Torre del Mangia
  • The striped Duomo and its inlaid marble floor
  • The Palio horse race, 2 July and 16 August
  • A short hop from the Chianti and Crete villa country

What to See in Siena

The Piazza del Campo is the set-piece — the sloping brick shell where the Palio is run, ringed by cafés and crowned by the Palazzo Pubblico and the slender Torre del Mangia, which you can climb. The Duomo is the other essential: a striped marble Gothic cathedral with one of the most extraordinary inlaid-marble floors anywhere and the frescoed Piccolomini Library off the nave.

Where to Stay Near Siena

Siena itself has little villa stock, and that is no loss: the city is best as a day out. Base in Chianti to the north or the Crete Senesi to the east — both within twenty to thirty minutes — and treat Siena as the city day your villa week is built around.

Villas near here

Frequently asked

Is Siena worth visiting on a villa holiday?
Very — it is the most rewarding city day after Florence: walkable, Gothic and rarely overwhelmed, and within 30 minutes of the Chianti and Crete villa country.
When is the Palio?
Twice each summer, on 2 July and 16 August; the city is at its most charged then, and at its busiest.
Where should I stay near Siena?
Siena has little villa stock; base in Chianti to the north or the Crete Senesi to the east and treat the city as a day out.
How far is Siena from Florence?
About 45 minutes to an hour by car.

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