Siena, Tuscany

Siena

The city of Siena extends over 3 hills of tuff (fragmental rock made of stratified volcanic ash) in central Tuscany, bordered on the north by the Chianti region and the Crete Senesi to the south.
The heart of Siena is undoubtedly the Piazza del Campo, with its spectacular Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia from which it is possible to enjoy a beautiful view of the city. The square is also theatre to one of the main folkloric events in the city, the Palio of the Contrade, a horse race between the various districts of the city.
The Siena Cathedral, with its splendid façade in polychrome marble, is an exceptional example of Roman-Gothic architecture. Inside, it is possible to admire the marble pulpit by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, a masterpiece of Italian Gothic sculpture.

Sites

	Comune di Siena - www.comune.siena.it/ilturista/?lan=ENG - The city's official site has information on services, events and the Palio. Only the section on tourism, however, is in English; it contains interesting itineraries, information on current exhibits, useful maps and lists of places to eat and sleep.
	Opera della Metropolitana - www.operaduomo.siena.it - Presents the administrative body that protects, preserves and promotes the cathedral's artistic treasures. The site outlines the body's history, with details on current projects, services and cultural activities. A section presents the cathedral, Piccolomini library, crypt, museum, baptistery and oratory of San Bernardino through photographs and historical details. Lastly, an informational section has opening hours, ticket costs and contacts.
	The Palio of Siena - www.ilpaliodisiena.com - Site created by members of the various contrade in Siena full of interesting information on the Palio: its history, latest news, regulations and customs of the events, FAQ, a list of victories since 1700 to the present and lots of photos of the horses, jockeys and contrade. A whole section is dedicated to the contrade, each with the coat of arms, motto, main office address and lots of anecdotes, statistics and more. The site has lots of useful information but, unfortunately, a lot of this information has not been translated into English yet.
	Palazzo delle Papesse - www.papesse.org - The Papesse Palace in Siena is the Center for Contemporary Art and hosts art exhibits and shows. The site contains information on the collections, hosted events, photographs of the building and details on opening hours, ticket costs and news.
	Santa Maria della Scala - www.santamariadellascala.com - Museum complex housed in a historical hospital in the center of Siena. Today, after long restoration, it houses temporary exhibitions and a permanent museum with organized visits. Interesting section on the history of the complex with photographs.
	Terre di Siena - www.terresiena.it - The tourism board's site for promoting Siena and its province offers information on the area, with details on each of the towns in the province, programmed events, brief presentation of sights to see, places to visit and museums. A section is dedicated to accommodation, another to travel offers and another on interesting itineraries to follow.
	Palio di Siena Archive - www.ilpalio.siena.it - This site hosts an archive on all past Palio races and on the contrade, their banners and horses that compete in the event. Various types of statistics, as well as the rules of the event. A section is devoted to the history of the Sienese republic.
	The Siena Palio as Seen from the Web - ilpaliodisiena.splinder.com - A personal blog by a fan dedicated to the Palio in Siena, with comments, news, photographs and video on the annual event.
	Train Spa - www.trainspa.it - Website for the company that manages public transportation within Siena and the surrounding area in the province. The site includes addresses and hours of ticket resellers, ticket costs and line maps and schedules.