Things to Do in Siena, Tuscany

Things to do in Siena

Siena is a compact hill city of brick and marble, and most of what visitors come for sits within a 15 minute walk of Piazza del Campo. The centre is a traffic-limited zone, so you do the whole visit on foot, and the streets are steep and paved with stone, so wear shoes with grip. Prices below are in euros; check the official sites before you go, because hours and ticket structures change.

Start in Piazza del Campo

The shell-shaped square slopes down to the Palazzo Pubblico, and its red brick is divided into nine segments. Locals and students sit on the bricks at sunset, and the cafe tables around the rim sell a spritz or a glass of Sangiovese for roughly EUR 5 to 7. A panino from a Campo-side counter such as Il Cencio, which is a salumeria rather than a pizza stand, makes an easy lunch. In autumn, paper cones of roasted chestnuts appear.

The big three: Duomo, Palazzo Pubblico, Torre del Mangia

  • Duomo complex: the OPA SI PASS covers the cathedral, the Libreria Piccolomini, the Museo dell’Opera, the Facciatone viewpoint, the crypt and the baptistery for three consecutive days. It costs EUR 14 adults, or EUR 16 while the marble floor is uncovered, and EUR 3 for children aged 7 to 11.
  • Museo Civico in the Palazzo Pubblico: Lorenzetti’s Good and Bad Government frescoes and Simone Martini’s Maesta. A full ticket is about EUR 10.
  • Torre del Mangia: 400 steps, no lift, about EUR 10. Tickets are sold in person at the Palazzo Pubblico on the day, with climbs every 45 minutes for small groups. Check that the tower is open before you plan around it.

Underground Siena: the Bottini

The medieval aqueduct tunnels beneath the city can be visited with volunteer guides from the Associazione La Diana. Only part of the Fonte Gaia branch is open, groups are limited to 10 people, children under 8 are not admitted, and the tours are suspended from June to August. Reserve through the Comune di Siena ticket page, and expect slots to appear only on certain days. Bring a torch and non-slip shoes, and skip it if you dislike tight, dark, wet spaces. Prices are about EUR 20 for adults, with reductions for ages 11 to 19, students and over 65s, so confirm before booking.

Food and drink

Sienese sweets include panforte, the dense honey, almond and candied peel cake, ricciarelli almond biscuits and cavallucci. Pasticceria Nannini on Via Banchi di Sopra is a long-running bar for pastries and coffee. Pici, the thick hand-rolled pasta, turns up on most menus with wild boar ragu or an aglione garlic and tomato sauce. Scuola di Cucina di Lella on Via Fontebranda runs cooking classes, at about EUR 130 for a four-hour group session that covers several fresh pastas, not only pici.

Market and Palio

The weekly market runs on Wednesday mornings around La Lizza and the Fortezza. The Palio horse race takes place on 2 July and 16 August, and standing in the middle of the Campo is free but means hours in the sun with no shade, toilets or seating. See the Palio rules before planning around it.

Pickpockets work crowded spots such as the Campo and buses, so keep bags closed.

Read more: sightseeing in Siena and walking tours .

Official information: Duomo tickets and hours and Museo Civico and Torre prices . Tours to compare: Siena tours on GetYourGuide .