| Siena city walk including links to Google Maps
Discover this gem in Tuscany
“Wow, what a breath-taking view!” So we were at 6:30am on a cold April morning admiring the sunrise over Siena from our car. But Siena is not only beautiful from a distance. There are few nicer things to do than to explore this medieval Tuscan city from the inside. On foot, that is, because the historical centre is completely car-free.
In this blog we share a nice walking tour through the heart of Siena. Including links to all locations in Google Maps, plus tips from the locals about the do’s and don’ts, where to park (for free) and where to sit down for an aperitif.
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About Siena
Siena is an ancient city, which in medieval times was once the great rival of Florence. The historical city centre has been on UNESCO’s world heritage list since 1995. Here, you will find medieval houses, beautiful cathedrals, palaces, museums and other monumental buildings, most of which date back to the 13th and 14th century. The time when Siena was still an important banking centre.
The wealth that this brought is still visible in the various panoramic views of the city. But it also becomes tangible when visiting the inside of the famous Siena Cathedral, to which several famous Renaissance artists contributed.
As such, it is no surprise that Siena has attracted many artists over the years. Some famous films were partly shot here, such as Letters to Juliet and James Bond’s Quantum of Solace.
Siena is one of those places that you should get lost in. Just to find yourself back again and again at the central square Piazza Il Campo. Our walking tour is a way to do this in a controlled manner, so that (especially if you have a bit less time) you will not miss any of the amazing high-lights of the city.
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Where to park in Siena?
The historic centre of Siena is car-free. Parking is therefore necessary on the outskirts of the city. There are a number of possibilities to do this.
There are some places in Siena where you can park for free, but you will have to be there early, because the Italians know these places well. The first possibility to park for free is Via 24 Maggio (thanks to Ilaria for this golden tip). But also at the main road Viale Vittorio Veneto this should be possible, at Parcheggio del Campino.
If this turns out to be full, you can continue along Viale Vittorio Veneto. In a side street you will find Piazza IV Novembre, where you can also park for free. If this is full as well, you can continue along Viale Vittorio Veneto and pay to park near the stadium, Parcheggio Stadio.
Other places with paid parking are the parking garages Il Campo on Via Sant’Agata, the Santa Catarina on Via Esterna di Fontebranda, and the Parcheggio Il Duomo on Via del Nuovo Asilo.
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What is the best time to visit Siena
As with all other famous places in Tuscany, it is best to avoid the hot and crowded summer months. A better time to visit Siena is in spring, in April and/or May, or in autumn, in September and/or October. In that case, you may have a little more chance of rain, but the temperature is more comfortable and the crowds are more bearable.
Having said that, even in these periods, it is good to try to avoid weekends and local holidays. On those days, it is very busy all year round. Also, many day-trippers visit Siena around noon. To avoid large groups of tourists, it is better to plan your visit either early in the morning or in the afternoon.
If, like us, you drive to Siena very early in the morning in the month of April, you have the chance to see the already beautiful Tuscan landscapes under a thin layer of fog. A magical experience!
→ Like all photos on this site, these beautiful pictures are also from Maurits. Prints are available in poster form and as acrylic prints in our shop.
Where to stay in Siena?
If you have a car at your disposal, then it is a tip not to stay in Siena itself, but in a town nearby where it is quieter and often less expensive. In the vicinity of Siena, you will also find many agriturismos. These are old farms that have been transformed into resorts. Often, you will find these in the form of apartments, with an amazing infinity pool and the possibility of horse riding, for example.
We stayed in one of these wonderful agriturismos: Rinidia Bio. A fantastic place and highly recommended! It is hard to describe how beautiful this accommodation is, set in the middle of the countryside and the Tuscan hills. It is very centrally located at about a fifteen minutes’ drive from Siena and close to other beautiful places in the area, such as Colle di Val d’Elsa, which is about half an hour away.
The apartments are very spacious and actually have everything you need, including a kitchen with all you need to cook for yourself for a few days. However, the best thing about this place is the warm welcome we received from our hostess Tatiana. She “stalked” us in a nice way with all kinds of tips about what to do in the area.
In earlier reviews we read that people had such a good time here that they booked extra days upon arrival. Unfortunately, we did not have that luxury, but we do understand them.
If you don’t have a car and want to stay in Siena itself? B&B Il Corso and BnB Paolina both receive high reviews on Booking.com.
Where to start this Siena city walk?
Depending on where you parked, you can start this route at different places. We find it most convenient to enter these places into Google Maps in advance, so that we constantly have a live overview of where we’re walking and what our next destination is.
We parked our car at Viale Vittorio Veneto, and from there it makes sense to start at Fortezza di Medicea. If you are parked at Parcheggio Il Duomo or Il Campo, it makes more sense to walk our route the other way around and start at Porta San Marco.
How long should you take for this route?
To be able to visit everything at your leisure and to grab a moment for lunch or an aperitif every now and then, it is a good idea to reserve about half a day for this route.
Walking route through Siena with places indicated on Google Maps
For one of the best views of Siena, we start this walking tour by climbing Fortezza Medicea. From the walls of this fortress, built in the 16th century by a famous descendant of the Medici family, Cosimo dei Medici, you have a breathtaking view of the old town and the Duomo of Siena. But also of the beautiful Tuscan fields that surround the city.
Mau went quite wild here with his telephoto lens to capture this, with the following pictures as a result. But fortunately all this beauty can also be seen with bare eyes.
Magnificent views of the city are not only to be found on the outskirts on the city walls. From certain streets in the historical centre, you can also spot magnificent panoramas. To do this, walk from the Medici Fortress to the Via di Camporegio, where a different perspective of the rooftops and the Duomo of Siena will meet you.
Meanwhile, you could make a stop at the Basilica di San Domenico. This basilica is dedicated to Saint Caterina da Siena and houses, in addition to beautiful frescos, a (slightly morbid) relic of her head.
Santa Caterina of Siena is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. She lived in the 14th century and during that period had a great influence on the pope, politics and literature in Italy.
Through a small path that continues from Via di Camporegio, you will find her birthplace the Santuario di Santa Caterina. Here you can admire, among other things, her bedroom, where it is said that she slept on a stone pillow.
Then walk along Via della Galluzza to Via di Diacetto where you will find a surprising view of the medieval fountain Fontebranda and the Basilica di San Domenico.
After this, it is a good time to take a break and have lunch somewhere or grab an aperitif. An aperitif is an alcoholic or non-alcoholic refreshment, with or without food, that is drunk before the meal to stimulate the appetite.
The aperitivo is a traditional and widespread phenomenon in Italy. You will find it at every bar or restaurant. Both for an aperitif and for lunch you could go to the central square of Siena, Piazza Il Campo, where you will find several large terraces. However, this is not what the locals recommend.
Instead, go to the streets that surround the square for a more personal, authentic and (often) cheaper experience. We personally got the following tips on this from locals (thanks Ilaria!).
Best places for an aperitif
For the best cocktails in Siena, you should definitely go to Morbidi. I had the cocktail that bears the café’s name and it was delicious. It also paired well with the cheese and meat board, which is freshly prepared in the accompanying deli.
Also known as a bar where they make good cocktails, the aperitifs at Civico 6 are particularly appreciated by customers.
This is a particularly good bar for an aperitif, as they serve good wine and the staff here are more attentive to their customers than average.
The best restaurants for lunch or dinner
Very highly regarded for its classic Italian cuisine and perfectly prepared seafood and pasta. But they also serve good wines and the staff is very friendly and attentive. Good cuisine at a fair price.
A restaurant that everyone is actually mega excited about. Again, the biggest plus is the authentic Italian cuisine and the preparation of the pasta, fish and ragout. The prices are also very reasonable.
This restaurant is a bit on the expensive side, but for a reason. As the name suggests, they serve dishes with truffle. And let’s face it, isn’t that the best ingredient in Italian cuisine? They also have a sommelier on hand to pair their modern interpretations of classic Tuscan cuisine with the best wines.
Completely refreshed and with a well-filled stomach, it’s time to visit some of Siena’s most famous sights. For this, we start at the famous cathedral of Siena, the Duomo di Siena. This cathedral is one of Siena’s most important art treasures. Built in the 13th century when the city was still competing with Florence, the interior of this Gothic cathedral is much more impressive than the Duomo in the second city.
Among other things, you will find a beautiful marble floor in which Bible stories are told. Furthermore, the cathedral houses works of famous Italian Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, Donatello and Bernini.
*** Find skip-the-line tickets for the Duomo di Siena linked here and/or below ***
After the Cathedral, we recommend a visit to the Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala. This was once one of the oldest hospitals in Europe. It was built to accommodate the pilgrims who passed through Siena on their way to Rome. The story of this hospital can still be seen today through the beautifully preserved frescos in the Pellegrinaio room.
After this, it is finally time to visit Piazza Il Campo. This shell-shaped square is the centre of Siena. All the small alleys end up here. This is also the most famous place of the city, which you will find on most postcards.
Piazza Il Campo is also of great historical value to Siena. Almost all important events in history have taken place here. Among them is the famous horse race, Palio, which is still held every year between the 2nd of July and 16th of August.
At the Piazza Il Campo you will find the Palazzo Publico with the Torre del Mangia. This 87-metre high tower bears the name of the first bell ringer who served it. This man was called Giovanni di Balduccio in real life. But had the nickname “Mangia” (Italian for “eat up!”), allegedly because of the way he spent his money.
From Piazza Il Campo, take Via di Città to Via San Marco. On the way, you can stop at the smallest window in the world. Stop at 4 Cantoni. The window in question is so small that you may need to ask a local to point it out to you.
Via San Marco is one of the traditional roads in Siena, which eventually leads to one of the gates in the city wall, the Porta San Marco. This gate is the last one built of the five gates that once protected the city from possible attacks by rival cities.
From here, you have easy access to several car parks, including the Parcheggio Il Duomo and the Il Campo car park. It is therefore also possible to walk the route described here from the other side.
Near Siena
Apart from this walking tour through Siena itself, there is also a lot to do in the surrounding area. Two tips we have for this are a visit to San Gimignano, a distinctive medieval town with very high towers, which the rich families used to build to compete with each other.
And (our top tip!) a visit to the Elsa trail. This special path starts at the bottom of the (also) medieval town of Colle di Val d’Elsa and runs along the beautiful river which is characterised by its emerald green colour. As a cherry on the cake, this trip ends at the Diborrato waterfall.
Hi, we are Samira & Maurits, a travel-hungry couple with a passion for photography.
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2 Responses
Love the blog. Beautiful pictures!!
Thank you so much!! We’re happy you like it!