When you plan for a trip in picturesque locations in Italy, there are broadly two choices you can pick from. Either you can opt for a seaside destination in the country or you can head to one of its serene mountain towns. If the latter fits your bill better, the Tuscan hill town of Siena can be your ideal destination in Italy tour.

The ancient city still has an ambience of bygone era with its preserved architecture and delectable cuisine. Its streets are still steeped with touches of quintessential Italian heritage and culture that you will not find in many man popular and modern Italian cities. It was in Siena’s ancient Palio that was featured in the 007 flick ‘Quantum of Solace’.

Piazza del Campo, Siena, Tuscany by Phillip Capper

The Ampugnano airport located close to Siena is not served by commercial airlines and so you can use either Pisa or Florence airports while traveling to Tuscany. From these airports, you can get buses that will take you to Siena.

A majority of tourists explore the city on foot but you can also use its bus network. You will be required to walk a lot, on steep roads if you want to explore sightseeing options here.

The co-existence of modern civilization with traces of ancient Italian culture is what makes the city more enticing to the tourists.

Palazzo Pubblico, Siena by Camille King

There are many places worth your interest in this ancient city of Tuscany and the Palazzo Pubblico deserves a special mention.

The spectacular Cathedral as well as Campo square famous for the annual Palio horse race is also must see for visitors.

Inside of Siena Cathedral, Tuscany by Bas Wallet

However, the real joy of exploring Siena lies in its small streets and traditional water fonts and small piazzas. The Palazzo Pubblico is known for its amazing collection of frescoes.

The cathedral, called Duomo is another piece of awesome Italian architecture. Another edifice you should see is the Florentine style Piccolomini Palace.

View of Siena from Campanile del Mangia by Raymondlafourchette

For getting breathtaking view of the city you can head to church of Santa Maria dei Servi. From that place, you can get nice glimpse of the city and especially the Palazzo Pubblico.

Siena also has a very old hospital which now serves as a museum, called Santa Maria della Scala. It is in front of the cathedral.

Santa Maria della Scala by Jastrow

Siena’s restaurants are known for their regional delicacies. There are pastas with mushrooms that you can savor. It would be advisable to try the delicacy bistecca Fiorentina.

You can also give your taste buds a taste of exotic wines of Tuscany during your stay in this city. Siena is not exactly known for a bustling nightlife but party hoppers and disco lovers can head to Un Tubo, a club that plays rock as well as classical music.

Siena Cathedral, Tuscany by Bryce Edwards

Siena has a wide range of accommodation options to suit various types of tourists. You can find luxury hotels along with B&B setups. There are farmhouse turned hotels as well.

The countryside at outskirts of Siena is beautiful and serene. The small medieval hill towns replete with olive trees and grape vines enchant nature loving visitors.

Author Bio: Mary Taylor has been helping travelers obtain their passports and is contributing member of Thepassportoffice.com. Visit The passport Ofice, the experts in expedited passports in San Francisco and rest of US, for the latest information on getting passports quickly. Connect to Facebook page for interesting updates.

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