Siena – a masterpiece by artists and architects

We arrived in Siena yesterday afternoon. The city wasn't originally on our plan, as we typically don't prefer big cities. However, after a brief internet search, parts of our travel group found compelling reasons to visit it anyway: On Wednesday, there’s a market – one of the largest and most beautiful in Tuscany, Italy, and, if one believes the hype, perhaps in the whole world.

So: Siena.

Besides the market, there are many reasons to explore this wonderful city. Siena is a fascinating composition of artworks and architectural masterpieces. The three hills it sits on rise up against a stunning landscape panorama. For centuries, Siena has largely remained as it was in the 14th century – a vibrant piece of history.

And the most important thing (for me): Siena is full of traditions, but it is especially famous for its sweets. Ricciarelli, Panforte, Panpepato, rice pudding, Cavallucci, or Copate – I will try them all. Not one by one, but all together.

However, there are also things that Siena lacks – for example, a proper parking space for motorhomes. We are parked at the edge of a bus parking area that is used daily by thirty to forty large tour buses. The place is like an island in the middle of a traffic hub – convenient for bus drivers, less so for us.

Because: There is no footpath up to the city center. The first 400 meters must be covered by visitors along the side of a heavily trafficked road – without a sidewalk! A white line marks a barely thirty-centimeter-wide asphalt strip that separates pedestrians from the roadway. Anyone who knows how Italian drivers behave can imagine that this is no pleasure. Rather a test of courage.

But that is quickly forgotten. After about 600 meters, the modern city fathers have installed an escalator that comfortably takes visitors up six floors. Once at the top, you only need a few steps to reach where everyone wants to go: at the Piazza del Campo – one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.

Tomorrow we will let ourselves drift – over the wavy paving of the Piazza, among fountains, towers, and stories that Siena has whispered for centuries.