Siena Italy Travel Guide

Siena Italy is a beautifully preserved medieval Tuscan hill town that is one of Italy’s most visited towns. I spent 6 wonderful weeks living in Siena Italy where I attended a language school which quickly became nicknamed ‘the medieval torture chamber of grammatica’…but that is an entirely different story. 

First settled by Etruscans (c. 900–400 BC), ruled by the Romans and conquered by the Lomards the city eventually became the Republic of Siena in 1125AD. For the next 400 years Siena was a prosperous and influential city until like many Tuscan towns, Siena was devastated by the Black Plague. During the Italian war of 1551 -59 the city surrendered to the Spanish ending the republic. Siena came back under the rule of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany where it remained until the unification of Italy in the 19th century.

Fun Fact: Siena is home to the oldest bank in the world which has been operating continuously since 1472.

A UNESCO listed town it is well worth a visit, however I would recommend going a little off season as July and August it can be very busy. 

Getting To Siena

Car

Cars are not allowed in the old city. Parking is available on the outskirts of the walls. be aware that during peak times parking will be difficult and very busy.

Bus

If travelling from one of the bigger nearby towns a bus maybe the most convenient way to get to Siena

From Florence – Departing regularly from the Florence bus station next to the Santa Maria Novella train station buses take about 11/2 hours.

From Rome –  Departing from Tiburtina station the bus journey takes approximately 3 hours. 

Train

The Siena train station is 2km from the medieval city