Things to Do in Siena

About Siena

The first thing you’ll notice about Siena is the silence. There’s no hum of traffic because cars are banned from the historic center; the soundtrack is the tap of footsteps on sun-warmed brick, the clatter of a shopkeeper’s shutters rolling up, and the distant murmur of conversation spilling from cafes around the scallop-shaped shell of Piazza del Campo. This isn't a museum—it's a city that's been lived in for 800 years, where the contrade (neighborhoods) like the Oca (Goose) or the Chiocciola (Snail) are still fierce rivals, and where the scent of fresh-baked ricciarelli almond cookies from Nannini bakery on Via Banchi di Sopra mingles with the damp stone smell of the alleyways in Terzo di Città. The trade-off is immediate: you're trading convenience for authenticity. There's no metro, limited parking, and the steep, winding lanes of Terzo di San Martino will test your calves. But you can still get a perfect glass of Chianti Classico and a plate of pici cacio e pepe for around €15 ($16.50) at a family-run osteria, and watching the sunset gild the facade of the Duomo—a riot of striped marble and Gothic pinnacles—costs nothing at all. This is the rare place where the postcard view feels like a private gift, not a staged performance.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Siena’s historic core is pedestrian-only, and that’s by design. The city’s bus system, run by Tiemme, is your lifeline. A single ticket costs €1.80 ($2) from a tabacchi, but the 70-minute window means you can’t hop on and off. The #7 bus from the train station drops you at Piazza Gramsci, the main gateway. The real insider move? Buy a multi-day SienaMP card (€15/$16.50 for 48 hours) from the tourist office; it covers unlimited city buses and includes museum discounts. Don’t even think about driving into the ZTL (limited traffic zone) unless you want a €100+ fine. If you’re arriving from Florence, the direct ‘Rapida’ bus from the SITA station is faster and cheaper (€9/$10) than the train, which requires a change in Empoli.

Money: Cash is still king in Siena’s smaller trattorias, markets, and contrada clubs. While cards are accepted in most hotels and larger restaurants, you’ll want €20-40 in small bills for the day. A proper espresso at a bar counter still costs about €1.10 ($1.20), but sitting at a table on the Campo can triple that price. For the best exchange rates, avoid the cambio kiosks; use an ATM (bancomat) instead, but always decline the dynamic currency conversion—your bank’s rate is better. A tip for market shopping: the covered Mercato di Via di Città is where locals buy pecorino cheese and salumi, and prices here are noticeably lower than at the tourist stalls. Haggling isn’t really a thing outside the weekly market; you pay the posted price.

Cultural Respect: Siena’s identity is tied to its 17 contrade, or city wards. These aren’t just tourist curiosities; they’re living social clubs, each with its own museum, fountain, and fierce loyalty. You’ll see their symbols—the Eagle, the Shell, the Wave—everywhere. It’s fine to ask which contrada a local belongs to, but don’t mock the rivalry, especially around the Palio (the bareback horse race held twice each summer). Dress codes matter more here than in Florence. Shoulders and knees should be covered to enter the Duomo, and this is respected. At dinner, a simple ‘buonasera’ when entering a restaurant and ‘il conto, per favore’ for the bill goes a long way. The biggest faux pas? Calling the Palio a ‘show’ or ‘pageant.’ It’s a deadly serious, deeply felt competition.

Food Safety: You can eat with abandon here. The rule of thumb: follow the Sienese. For a quick lunch, join the line at a ‘friggitoria’ for a paper cone of fried artichokes or rice balls. The porchetta (herb-roasted pork) sandwiches from Gino Cacino’s van near the Fortezza are legendary and cost about €5 ($5.50). For sit-down meals, look for menus written daily on chalkboards and wine lists dominated by local bottles like Brunello di Montalcino. Tap water is perfectly safe, but everyone drinks the local mineral water, Acqua di Nepi. The only real caution is with the contrada dinners during Palio season—they’re by invitation only for members, so don’t try to crash one. Instead, head to Osteria da Divo for their handmade pici pasta with wild boar ragù; it’s a splurge (€18/$20 for a primo) but worth every cent.

When to Visit

The Sienese calendar revolves around two events: the Palio horse races on July 2nd and August 16th. These months are electric but impossible—hotels triple in price, the population swells, and you need contrada connections to get near the Campo. For most, the sweet spot is late spring (April-May) or early autumn (September-October). Daytime temperatures hover around 18-24°C (65-75°F), the surrounding Tuscan hills are either blooming or golden, and you can still get a table. April sees hotel prices running about 20% lower than June, and you might catch the Settimana Musicale Senese, a classical music festival. Winter (November-February) is cold, damp, and often foggy, with highs of 8-10°C (46-50°F), but it’s when you’ll have the city to yourself. Museums are empty, and a room at a 4-star hotel inside the walls can drop to a surprisingly affordable €120/night ($132). Christmas is charming, with a market in the Campo, but many family-run restaurants close for weeks in January. July and August are for heat seekers and Palio devotees only; expect 30-35°C (86-95°F) days, relentless sun, and crowds that make the narrow streets feel like a slow-moving river of people. If you must come in summer, base yourself in the quieter Terzo di Camollia and plan your sightseeing for early morning.