Siena was one of our stops on our all day bus tour through Tuscany and I'm so happy it was! We grabbed aperitivos and enjoyed the sun set while people watching. It's such a vibrant city center. Really fun place to relax after a long day. read more

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Siena was a day trip we made from Florence, about 1:20 by train. I was still under the weather, not up to making the early train, so we had to make do with arriving in Siena by late morning. We were looking forward to Piazza del Campo, cited by our son as one of the highlights of his Italy trip, and we weren't disappointed. Piazza del Campo is a wide open, curving square, slanting downwards toward the historic City Hall, and is just beautiful. We joined the throngs of other tourists sitting/lying on the high part of the square people watching. Fortunately, a nearby Gelateria offered up our gelato du jour for people watching sustenance! We could have stayed here for hours... This was once an open field (hence, "Campo" or "field"), situated outside the city walls. The City Hall tower, which dominates the square, can be climbed by the ambitious. The City Hall also houses a Civic Museum. We spent most of the day strolling through Siena, a town with a truly medieval feel throughout. Many of the streets are fairly steep, and made things somewhat problematic for me as I was recovering from a knee injury. But I'm glad we were able to visit here, and if there's a next time would love to stay longer. read more

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Watching this amazing plaza being prepared for the impeding Horse Race was very interesting. They we're bringing truck loads of sand for the horses to run on. Historically this event reminds me of Mardi Gras in New Orleans... with cultural groups pitted against each other... for generations. I am pretty sure I was glad we were here the day before. What an amazing city! read more

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This is the main square of the gorgeous hilltop town of Siena, which has narrow and winding cobblestone streets, beautifully quaint architecture, and a rainbow of terra cotta-colored roofs that just melts my heart. It's a big, wide open rectangular space, encompassed by low rise buildings of varying colors with cafes and restaurants on the bottom. A fountain sits at the top of the piazza that slopes down towards a drain and striking clock tower. I recommend walking through the surrounding streets and just discover stuff. I encountered cool art galleries, street vendors of all kinds, delicious food, amazing architecture, and photo ops that will fill your memory card and phone in no time. Explore, get lost, and discover! read more

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Siena is a small town which is also a UNESCO heritage site.We made a day trip to see the historical city of Siena. The bus drops you off and at first it all seems a bit confusing because the town is hilly so you dont know where exactly to go. To go to the center of the town or the Piazza del Campo, you need to track your steps back instead of going further than the bus station. Since we went in January, the piazza was not crowded and gave us a great opportunity to take pictures and just sit at a nearby safe and enjoy the sight. There are plenty of shops around to do some shopping and dont forget to pick up some Ricciarellis, Siena's almond cookies. read more

We had a delightful time in Siena. Unfortunately, the day we were there it was a cloudy and gloomy day. But, we still had fun going in and out of the shops, bakeries and restaurants there. We heard about the big horse race they have here but, of course we were too late in the year to see it. When you visit be sure to go up to the little winding side streets as there are some really neat little shops and pizza restaurants up there. read more

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You can hardly miss the Piazza, as the city essentially wraps itself around this beautiful, giant, central gathering space filled with plenty to do and lovely historical buildings, too. The Fountain of Joy is a must see up close, as it is gorgeous with its intricate detail. A lovely respite from the steep and winding roads throughout this ancient and spectacular city! read more

Piazza del Campo - Fountain of Joy - Local Flavor Near Me - Siena, SI

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You have to visit Piazza del Campo when you're in Siena. Your trip isn't complete otherwise. What a beautiful, airy central piazza. The tower is obviously the main attraction here (I so wish I had climbed it, but I probably would have passed out somewhere in the middle....). There's also a bunch of cute, likely touristy, restaurants around the perimeter. This is a great spot to relax and people watch. I hear there are horse races in the summer, but my visit was in April so I didn't see any horses running through. In Siena, it almost feels like you're navigating through a big castle most of the time....and then you pop out here. read more

We stopped by Siena on our tour through Tuscany. I would say the Piazza del Campo was the highlight of Siena (other than the wonderful pici pasta). What a glorious piazza it is. The area is sprawling and I can only imagine the chaos and life that runs through it during the races. For me, on a surprisingly warm November day, I was able to sit in the middle of it and bask in the sun. There were a few people scattered about and just a few pigeons here and there. It almost felt as if I had the place all to my own. It was quiet and calm, a much needed break from tours and tourists. This place felt very local and was like finding an oasis in the desert after walking through the streets, twists, and turns of the city. read more

Piazza del Campo - Local Flavor Near Me - Siena, SI

It's the heart of Siena--both historic and contemporary. Of course it's 5 stars. When it's sunny this is a wonderful place to relax, enjoy a refreshment and people watch. The restaurants that ring it charge a bit more, but there are a few that are worth it. In the summer they hold a horse race in the piazza called "il Palio" which I have not seen but my girlfriend tells me is an event not to be missed. Every historic neighborhood in the city is represented in the race and each has their own colorful flag. The whole city comes out for this event which has been going on for hundreds of years. It's on July 2nd and August 16th every year--if you're going to be in Italy around this time you should check it out. read more

Piazza del Campo - Torre del Mangia at twilight - Local Flavor Near Me - Siena, SI

Don't skip Siena if you're in Tuscany This marvelous town was a complete surprise. It definitely makes you feel like you traveled back in time at the same time that has a lot of designer modern stores in their medieval streets. read more

This area reminds of the Pioneer Square without the steps! Without the Palio that happens twice a year, by the 17 Contrada, there is not much attraction! Twice a year, the outer section of the square is covered with earth so the Palio, a bareback horse race, can be run. The clock tower is located in the Piazza del Campo, which takes a little over 1 min. The day of the horse race, people started gathering inside the square for the best spot, and they can't move otherwise, someone will take over their spot. They start from gathering as early as 8AM. The race begins @ 2PM. Fonte Gaia is also found in the square it is the first fountain in the Piazza del Campo was first competed in 1342, after much hydraulic construction led water to the site. Underground pipes brought water to the site from 25 kilometers away. Legend holds that the fountain was met with much joy, and thus the name Gaia or joyous. Others suggest the term Gaia refers to the Latin term for "bride", and that the fountain was dedicated to the bride of God and patron of Siena, the Virgin Mary. -- at Caffe' Fonte Gaia Siena. The Duomo Cathedral is just a short distance walk away and there are palaces of medieval & gothic architecture, and the best of the city's paintings - collected in the Museo Civico and Pinacoteca Nazional. read more

Wow..... BIG Piazza surrounded by lovely restaurants and shops. There is a huge clock tower located at Piazza del Campo. Europe's greatest medieval squares where twice-a-year horse-race takes place. read more

Piazza del Campo - Local Flavor Near Me - Siena, SI

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Walking into the main square of Siena, is like getting a hug! What struck me also is that it fans out, and is not in a square shape like all the other Tuscan campo's. Of course the main reason this square is so famous is because of the horse racing that happens here - each year the city's contrades (districts) compete in the Palio di Siena, a very unique horse race. I just fell in love with this city, and this campo is the main reason why! It's just such a people-friendly space and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The pink and white bricks in the beautiful sunshine especially add a warmth and feeling of home to the atmosphere. Our guide told us that this square is one of the best examples of Italian medieval architecture styles, specially observed in two buildings - Palazzo Pubblico (City Hall) and the Torre del Mangia (Bell Tower but literal meaning is Tower of the Eater, because apparently the first guard of the tower was known for spending all his money on food). The Palazzo Publicco houses the Museo Civico (Civic Hall) and our guide told us this building has some very beautiful 14th century frescoes which decorate the walls. (I didn't go in, so can't comment). The Torre del Mangia is a defining landmark of Siena's skyline and you can climb to the top for a panoramic view of the city - I didn't have enough time to do this either, so some items are left for my next visit. . Our guide also pointed out some other significant things about this square. Firstly, the bricks of the Campo are patterned in nine different sections as during medieval times, Siena had a Government of Nine. Secondly, the Fonte Gaia (Fountain of Joy) depicts sculpted reliefs of biblical events and the virtues. Thirdly, this is a very secular square, as the church is not located here, but behind this square. This spot is truly the heart of Siena! People treat it like Central Park in NYC with folks lying down on the bricks, playing frisbee, cycling, reading, people-watching, drinking coffee and apertivo's on the cafes that are located on the perimeter. Love it and hope to return soon for a longer visit - in fact I might choose this town as a base next time, rather than Florence! read more

I LOVE Siena! I LOVE Il Campo! Il Campo is one of the coolest piazzas that we visited during our trip to Italy. It is quite large with a lot of yummy restaurant options outlining it with a nice view and perfect for people watching. There's the usual trinket stands and tourist type stores but it is so beautiful. We enjoyed some pizza and cold beers after walking around and enjoyed people watching here. I'd love to go back! read more

This piazza is where the annual Palio race still takes place. The Palio is still considered to be the most important event in Siena and takes place twice a year. Basically, the different boroughs of Siena challenge each other by racing horses in Piazza del Campo, the town's core. Back 'in the day', each borough's horse was given to them by draw (unless my memory is failing me) - so they didn't get to pick their own horse. From what I recall, the horses were and continue to be more important than the jockeys themselves! The building that faces the square is now the town hall. This square is quite charming and you really get an authentic feel for what Siena was like during Medieval times. Check out the bakery to the right of the town hall and pick up traditional 'Christmas' cookies (these are a must!) then go get some coffee at one of the nearby terraces and just chill out. read more

Gorgeous piazza in the center of Siena is a perfect place to relax, people watch or shop for that necessary souvenir. It's truly one of the most beautiful piazze in the country and well worth a visit. If you're in shape, climb the Torre del Mangia and enjoy the view. read more

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The train ride from Florence to Siena with many stops took over an hour. From the tourist office at the train station we obtained a city map that outlined the route to the major attractions within city walls. Following the map, we made a left turn to a building that led to the escalator on a lower level and rode a series of escalators to ascend a steep hill to reach Antiporto. From there we walked to Porta Camollia, a gate to enter the walled city. Once in we followed the main street towards our primary destinations: Il Campo and Piazza Duomo. There was clear directional signage on the narrow streets dotted with churches squares and nice little shops. The leisurely stroll took 3 hours with souvenir shopping stops along the way. The two buildings were both just awesome and beautifully photogenic. On the way back to the station we had lunch at the mall across from the station before catching a train to Florence. It was a wonderful day trip. read more

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Definitely the most beautiful place on earth in the most beautiful city of Italy Siena! Everytime I visit Tuscany Siena and its Piazza del Campo is mandatory. A great atmosphere at the Torre del Manga, simply sitting or lying on the floor of the piazza, look at all the people, watch the sky, have a Sprizz in a bar or a pizza in the evening when all is illuminated. I want to go back immediately! read more

I adore Siena - in or out of Palio season - and to me it's nicer out of season when there are fewer tourists and crowds. The Piazza is a great place to start exploring the tiny alleys and lovely restaurants with friendly people. I love Siena! read more

In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful squares in Italy and certainly one of the most unique. It's a wide open space where you can sit, relax, and people-watch. It's one of my favorite things to do in Siena! read more

Piazza del Campo - Local Flavor Near Me - Siena, SI

I have been to Siena a couple of times now, including a two-week stay for a language course, but the Piazza del Campo still amazes me like the first time I saw it, way back when I was twelve If it is true that St Mark's square in Venice is a ballroom, as Napoleon claimed, then the Campo is a theatre showing life in all its different colours and shades. Three valley separate the three hills on which Siena is built and where they meet they form a large semi-circle, like an ancient Roman theatre, rising slightly so that you have a good view, wherever you stand, on the things going on and on the stunning ensemble surrounding the square. And it is really as an ensemble that the square works: The palazzi around it are nice enough, though you'd probably hard pressed to describe one afterwards. They do, however, together with the nine sections marked out on the square itself, lead your eyes down to the Palazzo Pubblico, massive, horizontal, only to discover its leaping up from it like fountain finishing in a white crown of marble. read more

This is a stunning sight in sunshine. I have never seen it when the race is on, but can imagine what a fantastic spectacle this is. For those who haven't seen it, this is a very well-designed public space where the Pallio is run annually. All the important medieval families are represented by a horse and rider and the crowd are incredibly partisan, with much shouting and flag-waving. The contestants race their horses around the outside of the Piazza with the crowd on the inside and hanging from surrounding windows. Not a place to be if you have a weak bladder! Many of the buildings repay a visit with interest, but the most interesting is the Town Hall, which has some amazing frescoes. It is also possible to go onto the rooftop walks and see Sienna from a completely different perspective. read more

Such a picturesque square in Italy. When I think back to Siena I think of sitting in the sunshine in the square people watching, seeing children chase birds, people eating gelato and dinners relaxing with a cup of coffee and their dog. I sat there and imagined the il Palio. I hope I make it back to Siena one day, not only to sit in the Piazza but to explore a little more around it. read more

Continued from Travel Journal Off to Sienna we go, two cars and a rough idea of how to get there, but we made it with all the winding roads to which we were becoming accustomed. The only downside was that the route our GPS gave us brought us through every hick town there was, and for some reason we kept running into train tracks where we would be stopped for 10 min waiting for a train of like 2-4 cars... Siena is beautiful and well worth the trip, we arrived, parked and called our other team to get a location to meet. It was rather easy and within minutes of arrival we were all sitting at yet another outdoor terrace. This one was overlooking the Piazza campo, which is this huge arena space. It is the place where an annual event called the Palio race takes place, it is a horse race and when you see the course it becomes very obvious that this is no simple race. The circle is sloped and not very wide, all surrounded by buildings. According to Brian and what we read this event is crazy with tonnes of spectators paying lots of money to view, as they race (and ultimately wipe out), the people watching cheer and throw flags at them to make thing even more challenging. This restaurant was perfect as it was great place to try some appetizers, view the spectacular surroundings, make friends with our waiter Walter (who is a big traveler and plans to visit Montreal), and people watch. One of the things we enjoyed watching was a very funny street performer, we would pick unsuspecting people as they roamed around the circle. One of my favorite tricks was spraying them with a bottle of water, a small jet would get them on the head as they strolled past, when the person turned around to see where the water was coming from, he would look up as though he too had been sprayed, the gag was simple but it made everyone watching howl with laughter. Tim mentioned that all these gags would work well on Prince Arthur (in Montreal) and we speculated as to how many people actually got upset, while we watched only one women flipped him the bird about one of his gags and the poor woman was booed by all the onlookers. read more

I love this place clamshell Saint-Jacques.

Sienna is a beautiful italian city with so much charm and culture, i love this area of sienna. Recently seen in the new james bond film the quantum of solace, it adds a new dimension to it when you see it on screen. The Piazza del Campo is so vast you just stand there taking it all in, Some of the buildings are centuries old and crumbling, it is hard to believe so much history happened here. A lovely place to wander around and soak it all up while eating ice cream. Bella! read more

LUGGAGE HOLD in SIENNA: If you come with luggage, and want to spend a day enjoying sienna, in the bus station, down the steps they have a baggage hold area. Currently, 5.50 euro a day, for one day only- 7am-7pm. Sign says bags can only weigh 15 kg, but they didn't weigh ours. And counted two smaller backpacks as one bag. Made the day in Sienna so much nicer! read more