Siena, Italy: Perfect Mini Travel Guide
Located in the heart of Tuscany, Siena is one of Italy’s most captivating medieval cities—where winding alleys, red brick buildings, and breathtaking piazzas transport you straight into a Renaissance painting. Known for its Gothic architecture, rich history, and the famous Palio horse race, Siena offers the perfect mix of culture, charm, and Italian elegance.
We first visited Siena on a tour from Florence – on our first trip to Italy we weren’t brave enough to attempt driving in a foreign country, and doing this day trip was somewhat of a last minute decision so it made more sense to embark on this tour that included Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano in a day. While this is a great tour if you want to get a taste of what these cities have to offer, it’s nowhere enough time to see everything. Our time in Siena was super short, and we knew we wanted to come back and spend more time soaking up its medieval charms.
Whether you’re planning a day trip from Florence or spending a night or two in the city, this Siena travel guide covers everything you need to know—from how to get there, what to see, where to eat, and travel tips to make the most of your visit.
*I do want to mention that one of my external hard drives failed, and with it, I lost thousands of photos—including all of the ones from our first trip to Siena. I won’t be able to share photos of Siena from our frist trip, but luckily, we had the chance to return to Siena a second time, and I’m grateful I can share photos from this most recent visit with you in this post!*
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Best time to visit Siena
The best times to visit Siena are spring (April to June) and early fall (September to October). These shoulder seasons offer pleasant temperatures, fewer crowds, creating the best conditions for sightseeing, wandering through the historic streets, and enjoying long lunches al fresco.
How to get to Siena
Siena is located in central Tuscany. It is easily accessible from Florence, making it a popular day trip or part of a Tuscany itinerary.
By Train:
It takes roughly 1.5 hours from Florence to Siena on a regional train. Depart from Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence, and arrive at Siena Central Train Station. From the train station it take about 20-30 minutes to walk to the city center, or you can hop on a local bus to the city center which takes less than 5 minutes. If you are staying in the city and you have luggage, taxis are available at the train station.
By Car
If you have a rental car like we did for your Tuscany journey, you’ll need to park outside of Siena’s city walls in a public parking lot as Siena’s historic center is a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone). There are several parking lots surrounding the city – you can simply search Siena Parking and look for one of the red P signs on Google Maps. The one we parked at was an indoor garage. From here it was a short 5 minute walk to the city center.
Rental Car tip: I use DiscoverCars for my rental cars and choose a reputable company like Hertz, Sixt or Enterprise.
Book a Tour
You can also visit Siena as part of a tour like this one from Florence. This is how we first visited Siena. These tours typically depart from Florence and take you to various places – the one we did included Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, and lunch at a Chianti winery. That’s a lot of places to visit in one whole day, you might say. It sure was, and that’s why we ended up going back to Siena on our second Tuscany trip when we had our own car and on our own schedule. But if you’re short on time, these tours do give you a good, quick taste of what these places have to offer.
Make sure to check out my Florence Travel Guide!
Where to stay in Siena
While you can see Siena’s main sights in a day, spending at least one night allows you to soak in the city at a slower, more relaxed pace. In the evening, once the day-trippers leave, Siena takes on a quiet, almost magical charm. We sat in front of the Siena Cathedral around 8 PM and had the entire place to ourselves – quite a contrast to the busy atmosphere earlier in the day when there were multiple tour groups.
Hotels in/near Siena
Siena is small, meaning that wherever you stay, everything will be close by and walkable. Also, staying in Siena will be much more affordable than in Florence.
I like to be at the center of the action, and to truly experience quieter moments after the crowds have left, I’d recommend staying in the city center.
However, if you have a rental car then you might want to stay on the outskirts or just outside of the city so that you can park at your hotel. My favorite part of Tuscany travels was staying in a charming Tuscan countryside hotel, waking up to the sound of birds and nature, and being able to drive a short distance to explore nearby towns and villages.
Here are my hotel recommendations:
Inside the city center:
Residenza d’Epoca Campo Regio Relais – bed & breakfast with charming antique furniture, and an amazing terrace where you can enjoy breakfast with a view of Siena Cathedral and Torre del Mangia.
Palazzo Lenzi – large renovated apartments in the city center equipped with kitchens. You can enjoy views of Siena’s most famous landmarks like Palazzo Pubblico, the Torre del Mangia, and the Piazza del Campo right in front of you from the rooms.
Casa Ciseri – renovated rooms in a historic building, a 2 minute walk to the Piazza del Campo. Rooms are bright and airy, and more modern but still retaining Tuscan elements sprinkled throughout.
Villa del Sole Siena – a lovely boutique hotel in the city just 5 minutes walking to the Piazza del Campo. The views from their terrace is one of the best views in Siena.
Grand Hotel Continental Siena – you’ll feel like sleeping in a palace when staying in this gorgeous 5 star hotel, just 5 minutes walking to Siena Cathedral. There are chandeliers and ceiling frescoes all over – this would definitely be my choice.
Tuscan Countryside Hotels near Siena:
Borgo San Felice – located about 25 minutes away from the city in the Chianti countryside, this luxurious 5 star hotel has elements that are exactly quintessential Tuscany and produces its own wine.
Hotel Le Fontanelle – about 20 minutes away from Siena, this dreamy hotel has rooms with beamed ceilings and terracotta floors, and views of rolling hills of Chianti vineyards and valleys.
Best Things to do in Siena
Piazza del Campo
Piazza del Campo is the iconic main public square in Siena, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s quite unique as it takes a shell-shaped appearance, and has a slope leading downwards to the Palazzo Pubblico. The shell is divided into 9 parts, which all converge at the Palazzo Pubblico, and each section represents the 9 governors who exercised their power long time ago.
Twice a year, the city’s legendary horse race Palio di Siena takes place on July 2 and August 16.
We weren’t there to witness the Palio, but Piazza del Campo still buzzed with energy. We grabbed a spot at one of the outdoor cafés, sipped on cappuccinos, and enjoyed some leisurely people-watching. Like many popular piazzas in Italy, the cafés and shops here are pricier than what you’ll find just a few streets away, but the vibrant atmosphere and just being in the famous piazza made it worth the experience.
Torre del Mangia
Every city we visited seemed to have some sort of a tower you can climb, and Siena was no exception. The Torre del Mangia, 14th-century bell tower, is 400 steps to the top and awards you with panoramic views over Siena and the rolling Tuscan hills. We chose not to do the climb, but the tower was impressive as it stands proudly in the Piazza del Campo.
Tickets can only be purchased in person at the office in Palazzo Publico.
Siena Cathedral (Duomo di Siena)
The Siena Cathedral is honestly one of the most beautiful churches in Italy. What was truly striking about this cathedral was the way it revealed itself. From Piazza del Campo, it’s just a short uphill walk, but you don’t see the cathedral right away. You’re weaving through charming alleyways, and then suddenly—you turn a corner, and you’re face-to-face with this stunning Gothic masterpiece is right in front of you. It completely stopped me in my tracks.
Stepping inside felt just as magical. There are soaring vaulted ceilings, intricately decorated chapels, and a gorgeous mosaic floor made of inlaid marble. The marble mosaic inlay and graffito floor is the most treasured part of the cathedral. Most of the year, only small sections are visible but a few weeks every year the entire floors are uncovered. If you’re visiting in 2025, the floor will be fully unveiled from June 27 to July 31 and again from August 18 to October 15—I highly recommend timing your trip around it if you can! It was completely unintentional but we were lucky enough to visit during one of the unveiling periods, and the entire floor was like a giant piece of art beneath our feet.
Also, don’t skip the Piccolomini Library, which is included with your ticket. It’s filled with bright, colorful frescoes by Pinturicchio, and feels like a hidden gem tucked right inside the cathedral.
Get tickets to the Siena Cathedral and Piccolomini Library here.
Palazzo Pubblico
Located in Piazza del Campo, Palazzo Pubblico is a hard-to-miss red brick building next to the Torre del Mangia is a historic palace that houses frescoes and art that showcase Siena’s political and cultural history.
Inside the palazzo is the Civic Museum, with impressive artwork that depict Siena back in the 14th century. The most famous room is the Sala dei Nove, home to Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government frescoes.
Consider these popular activities in Siena
Where to eat in Siena
My favorite dish is a good pici pasta with wild boar ragu. When in Siena, try their specialty panforte, a dense spiced fruitcake.
Restaurants to dine at:
- Osteria Nonna Gina
- Osteria La Chiacchera
- La Taverna di San Giuseppe
- Osteria Cice
- La Sosta di Violante
- Antica Osteria da Divo
Conclusion & Map
Siena may be smaller than Florence, but it’s charming and beautiful in its own ways. Whether you’re climbing medieval towers, sipping espresso in the piazza, or getting lost in its streets, Siena has a timeless magic that makes you want to return to it again and again.
Add Siena to your Tuscany itinerary—you won’t regret it.
USE MY CHECKLIST TO PLAN YOUR TRIP!
- Flights
- Search for the best flights on Skyscanner to get to your destination
- Search for the best flights on Skyscanner to get to your destination
- Hotels
- I use Booking.com for most accommodations
- For Asia, I prefer Agoda as they have the most competitive prices. I also compare prices on Klook (you can use my code MINYWANDER for a discount so see if that’s a better deal)
- For vacation rentals, especially for larger families, consider VRBO
- Transportation
- Trains & Ferries – book on Omio
- Rental Cars – I usually book on DiscoverCars
- For reliable airport pickups, use Welcome Pickups
- For Asia I use Klook (code MINYWANDER for a discount) – Japan trains for example
- Activities & Tours
- GetYourGuide and Viator are my go to’s.
- For Asia, I prefer Klook as there are more options – use code MINYWANDER
- E-sim
- Stay connected with Airalo E-sims.
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