Hope you have a good trip. Siena is my favorite Italian town, but unfortunately the knees can't do the up and down any more. Here's a "Tour of My Siena" that I also wrote for my sister, who was only staying a couple of days. Note that I was there in 2012-13, so there may have been some changes since then.
General references:
http://www.sienaonline.com/,
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/717
Overview
Siena is built on a y-shaped ridge system, with the three spokes forming the three major districts (Terzi) of the city. This “tour” is based my two two-week trips to Siena in 2012 and 2013. For the most part, I explored the Terzo di Città, the oldest and most interesting district, so that is the focus of this “tour”.
It is virtually impossible to go from one spoke to the other without returning to the “hub” of the Campo or the “Croce del Travaglio”, the intersection of Banchi di Sotto, Banchi di Sopra and Via di Città. Maps can be deceiving as streets that look like they should continue can just end at the edge of a cliff. A detailed map with all the streets (tutte le strade) is highly recommended.
Roads enter or exit Siena through gates (porte) built into the 14th – 16th century walls, which expanded the city beyond the original 11th century walls. (Schematic map and photos at
http://www.basilicaosservanza.it/si_porte.htm#) Traffic is severely limited within the walls. Although the gates make fine destinations for walks, be aware that most or all are down seriously steep hills.
Siena is divided into small neighborhoods (contrade) that date back centuries. Every contrada has its own symbol, piazza, small church, historical archives, meeting place, and/or fountain.
https://sites.google.com/site/betsydonnelly/siena'scontradafountains
I start the “tour” at your hotel.
Via Stalloreggi
Exit your hotel, Palazzo Rivazza (
http://www.palazzoravizza.com ) at Pian dei Mantellini 34 and turn left. The area you are circling on your right is one of the oldest and most picturesque parts of Siena. A high priority is to wander through it (Via San Quirico and Via Castelvecchio, which I will point out later, are good starting points; not for weak knees!). For now, proceed to the intersection with Via Stalloreggi, which is the small piazza “Due Porte”. The two arches are gates of the old (11th century) walls of Siena. Osteria Nonna Gina is on your left (
http://www.osterianonnagina.com/) closed Mondays:
[I ate here many times and liked it a lot. Big portions and not expensive, especially if you share. The pasta with pesto is a specialty, but I couldn’t have it (walnuts). I liked their appetizer plates. They serve a complimentary grappa (or amaretto) at the end of the meal, a nice touch. An easy place to eat alone and the waitresses are very nice. One, in particular, recognized me from 2012 when I returned in 2013! Not unknown, but far enough away from the Campo area not to be a total tourist trap.]
Turn right under the arch onto Via Stalloreggi, and the renowned Pasticceria Bici will be on your right (
http://www.pasticceriabini.it/). That is where you should buy some Ricciarelli (A Sienese special almond cookie - yummy!) and anything else you can’t resist. A bit up the street on your left is Ristorante Due Porte
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...views-Ristorante_Due_Porte-Siena_Tuscany.html closed Monday:
[I ate here once and like it, but somehow never returned (always ended up at Nonna Gina’s instead). I had a simple salad – just Boston-type lettuce – that was so fresh it was to die for. They have a terrace in the back, though I ate inside. It’s a little more upscale than Gina’s, but not too expensive with careful ordering.]
All along Via Stalloreggi you will see many small artesian craft shops, which are the real thing, although they also have touristy stuff for sale. I took an informal tour of a few of them with my school. Although I did not find them particularly interesting, that may be because my knees were hurting. I think you can just drop in and chat with the folks. Continuing along Via Stalloreggi, you will find one end of Via Castelvecchio (see above) on your right. Almost directly across the intersection at number 44 is the apartment house where I stayed in 2012. A bit further on the right is a little piazza with the Pantera (panther) Contrada fountain. Via Stalloreggi ends at the so-called Quattro Cantoni (Piazza Postierla), the piazza of the Aquila (Eagle) Contrada. From here you turn left to the Duomo, straight ahead to the Campo, or right to circle back to your hotel through piazza S. Agostino.
The Campo
Straight ahead is one end of Via Di Città, which runs down to the Campo and ends at Piazza Croce del Travaglio, where you will find some high-end shops and a mass of tourists. As the main drag between the Campo and Duomo, Via di Città is usually crowed with tourists. It’s supposed to be the most elegant street in Siena, but it’s hard to appreciate with the mob. In a few blocks down on your right, you will see the Caffè l’Accadamia.
[This was “our” bar, the place where we had cappuccino at morning break. It’s a pleasant place with nice people, ok for coffee and pastry or a gelato. I didn’t care for their sandwiches. They have a rest room in the back.]
Across the street is a little alley that goes up to the piazza Duomo (and our school). Further along Via Di Citta on the right is Palazzo Chigi Saracini, where you can rest on the wall (stone benches built into the wall – I know where they all are in Siena) or better yet enter through the arch into a quiet courtyard, where you can also sit. There are a lot of banks in this area, if you need an ATM (as my landlady said: “Siena has a lot of banks but little money”, which sounds funnier in Italian). If you take a left onto Via delle Terme and then a quick right onto Via dei Termini, you will find one of my favorite lunch spots on your left: Enoteca I Terzi, Via dei Termini 7 (
http://www.enotecaiterzi.it/en/index.htm ) open 11:00-1:00 (am?), closed Sundays:
[This is a quiet upscale wine bar (with a small outdoor area, though I always ate inside) that seems to appeal to the business lunch crowd as well as a few tourists. It’s expensive if you order a full meal, but they have “plates” for (2013 prices) 10E, which make a nice light lunch, and it’s a good place to sample some wines. There’s no house wine. A good wine by the glass is 5E, with Brunello at 10E. I have to say, I’m not a fan of Brunello. I much prefer a good Chianti, or even a plain Sangiovese, or especially Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which I love.]
BTW, I think Via dei Termini is a more pleasant way to get to the Terzo of Camollia than Via di Città if you’re headed that way. Back on Via di Città, take one of the steep alleyways on your right down to the Campo (or wait until you get to the end where they are less steep). I’m not sold on the Campo’s reputation as the most beautiful of piazzas. There’s no vegetation and not many places to sit other than the gyp joints around the edges. This is where the palio is run twice a year (
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG0doo0nKNY
).
[The palio not just for tourists. It’s a year-round obsession for the locals with many preparatory and celebratory activities. It’s a no-holds barred race with longstanding alliance and enemy contrade making it almost a team affair. The winner gets to celebrate for an entire year. If you hear drums and music, follow your ears and you might find some kids practicing flag throwing in a piazza or a colorful parade through town. ]
The primary reason to come to the Campo is the museum in the city hall, the Museo Civico in the Palazzo Pubblico (open 10 am – 7 pm)
http://www.sienaonline.com/siena_museo_civico.html .
[This is the one indoor place you MUST visit. You’ll see a lot of stuff you’ll remember from art history books. Li and I spent a couple of hours here on our first trip to Italy, and I keep meaning to return.]
Behind the Palazzo Pubblico is a small market area with local (mostly organic) produce. Take the narrow road to the right (or left?) of the Palazzo down into the square. The market itself is no big deal, but I think the square (ignoring the parked cars and trucks) is beautiful. The colorful buildings and their shadows form an ever-changing montage of geometric shapes. I could see part of this square from my bedroom window in 2013.
[Since you’re going in May, you might grab a handful of fava beans (long fat green pods) to eat raw with Pecorino cheese and a glass of wine (remove the beans from the pod and the tough skin around the beans). Or you might want to wait for Pienza where the Pecorino is famous.]
The Duomo
Back at Quattro Cantoni, take the left onto Via del Capitano, which leads to the Piazza del Duomo. Or backtracking on Via di Cità from the Campo, turn right on via Pellegrini, and after a block or so climb the very steep stone steps on your left up to the piazza.
The duomo is highly decorated inside and out. You need to get a ticket to enter. With the short time you have, I won’t fault you if you skip the interior. Its main attractions are the mosaic floors and (my favorite) the Piccolomini Library, which has some really great trompe l’oeil frescos. Opposite the entrance, you can sit on the wall. I recommend doing this around sunset when the setting sun reflects off the gold façade of the duomo. The piazza is also nice early in the morning before the vendors and tour groups arrive. I got to see it like that every day on my way to school at Saena Iulia
http://www.saenaiulia.it/ :
[The school is right off the piazza. If you walk under the arch between the duomo on your left and the ticket office on your right, you will be facing some steep stone stairs on your left that go down to via Pellegrini. To your right downhill, you will see an iron gate, usually unlocked. Through the gate and diagonally left across the small courtyard is a door, usually propped open. Through the door is a short flight of stairs down and then turning right a long flight of stairs up to the school. If you want, drop in and say “Hi” to Mauro (director), Elettra and Sabrina (teachers) for me. ]
If it’s a rainy day and you’re looking for something to do inside, there are three other things to visit in the piazza (you can buy a three day pass that includes them all plus the duomo; may be cost effective): SMS Santa Maria delle Scale, the museum dell’Opera del Duomo, and the baptistery. Of the three, the first is my favorite
http://www.santamariadellascala.com/w2d3/v3/view/sms2/home--0/index.html
[Another museum where you could spend a lot of time. I’ve only visited some of it. I liked the frescos in the Pellegrinaio (which are well-annotated in English) especially the one over the door with the children climbing up to S. Maria. The daunting stairs kept me from visiting the Archeological Museum (first level). Another reason for me to return to Siena.]
Piazza S. Agostino
Back at Quattro Cantoni, taking the right onto Via S. Pietro brings you down to Piazza S. Agostino and back to your hotel. Via S. Pietro is a nice relatively flat street but it’s open to limited traffic. You’ll see the Pinacotaca Nationale on your left. You can skip this museum unless you have a thing for gilt virgin-and-child pictures (there’s a whole floor of them).
[In 2012, I logged several hours sitting on the wall outside waiting for my laundry to finish (the laundromat is further down the street on your right if you need one) and eating gelati (there used to be a great gelato shop across the street but no more). ]
Continuing, the other end of Via Castelvecchio (almost straight up) is on your right and a bit further Casato di Sopra (almost straight down) is on your left. If you turn left onto Casato di Sopra, Tratoria da Dino (on your right) is a nice inexpensive trattoria
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...-Reviews-Trattoria_Da_Dino-Siena_Tuscany.html
[I went here with some classmates for lunch one Monday when other restaurants were closed or full. It was late and the place was almost empty. I liked it a lot (my classmates less so), but it’s another place I never returned to. I had gnocchi and “grilled vegetables” which were not grilled but very good. I usually stick to salads and grilled vegetables in Italy because the Italians like their vegetables cooked to death but this dish of baked veggies was quite tasty.]
At the end of Via S. Pietro, you will see a somewhat sad little park and the decommissioned Church of S. Agostino across the intersection on your left. This place wakes up late in the afternoon when you might see a group of “old folks” chatting on the benches and parents who come with their young children to use the play equipment.
[Go to the far edge of the park and look out over the wall. To your left is a small piazza with church and fountain, which is the heart of the Oca (wave) contrada. To your right, the first apartment house is where I stayed in 2013. Admire my fortitude in climbing the hill. Also, you might get a nice view from here (I don’t remember whether you can see it around the church). The view from my bedroom window, which was in back of the apartment house, was spectacular.]
Back at the end of S. Pietro, straight ahead on Via Mattioli and somewhere to your right is a botanical garden (open 8:00-3:00 weekdays and 8:00 – 12:30 weekends)
http://justvisitsiena.com/2014/02/07/orto-botanico-delluniversita-di-siena/ . I never located it, and in any case I was warned not to try it with my knee problems. To head back to your hotel, turn right onto Via delle Cerchia and circle to your right onto Pian del Mantellini. You will pass Via S. Quirico on your right (which you can take to explore the area your have just walked around if you want).
Back at your hotel, enjoy the view and a glass of wine on the terrace.
