The Council is the gathering of all member parties The Presidium members are the leadership body Honorary Presidents of the Socialist International are distinguished former leaders of the organisation recognised for their significant contributions The Statutes of the Socialist International are the governing rules that define its structure The Ethical Charter of the Socialist International outlines the principles and values that guide the behaviour and actions of its members he Declaration of Principles of the Socialist International outlines the core values and ideological foundations of the organisation The Congress is the supreme body of the Socialist International The Socialist International establishes Commissions to address significant global issues The Socialist International holds a meeting of parliamentarians from SI member parties during the high level segment of the UN General Assembly in the month of September The regional Committees define and inform the work of the Socialist International The Socialist International presents the José Francisco Peña Gómez Award to honor outstanding contributions to democracy The Socialist International pays tribute to Armando Villanueva del Campo began his involvement in politics at an early age Opposing the Peruvian dictatorships of the time he worked with Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre founder and leader of Peruvian American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA) He joined the party aged just 15 and shortly after established the APRA’s Aprista Youth Movement (Juventud Aprista Peruana) he would later also become known for his dedication to youth in politics Armando Villanueva sought a government for the people one that would ensure well-being and equality for all Peruvians but his political campaign was to be frequently challenged A failed coup attempt against Óscar Benavides in 1934 resulted in his imprisonment in El Frontón Undeterred he returned several months later to organise the Aprista Youth Movement’s first Congress Armando Villanueva graduated from the University of San Marcos but was subsequently imprisoned again for his political activities and in 1940 exiled to Chile He was repeatedly exiled during the forties and early fifties He remained resolute and continued to work and write as well as serving as General Secretary of the Coordinating Committee of the Apristas in exile In 1963 his indefatigable political spirit was rewarded when he was elected Member of Parliament in Lima and in 1967 he was elected President of the Chamber of Deputies APRA gained political legitimacy in Peru and Armando Villanueva led and continued the party’s advancement after Haya de la Torre died Armando Villanueva was in 1980 the party's candidate for the Presidency of the Republic in 1985 he was elected Senator of Peru and His consistent politics and vision of democracy and freedom for all earned him wide-ranging respect in Latin American politics Armando Villanueva further presided over the Commission of Foreign Affairs of the Chamber President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of the Presidency At aged 73 he carried out the role of Ministry of the Interior and a year later he was re-elected as Senator Armando Villanueva was working on recommendations for political policies to improve health and education for Peruvian people During his lifetime Armando Villanueva gained a remarkable list of achievements He assisted in the progression of the Rio de Janeiro Protocol of Peace in 1991 was elected President of the Ayacucho Forum in 2004 and was a representative in Peru in for the Human Rights Commission in Geneva He excelled in journalism and was awarded Medals of Honour by Peruvian journalist associations he was editor of the Síntesis Económica Americana he wrote for Los Tiempos and Última Hora and was the director of Panorama Político The Socialist International is proud to have stood in solidarity with Armando Villanueva he played an important role in the activities of the Socialist International he was chairman of the party's Organisation Committee for the XVII Socialist International Congress which was held in Lima and hosted by APRA and on many occasions he participated in meetings of the SI Armando Villanueva del Campo’s unwavering commitment to a fair society is a legacy that extends beyond borders and one that will accompany those in the struggle for democracy across Latin American and other regions collaborator and friend will be deeply missed by members of the SI family across the globe and activity of the Socialist International Our mission Pidcock wins uphill sprint ahead of ex-Ineos teammate Brandon Rivera and new GC leader Pavel Sivakov as he stormed to a fourth victory of the season for his new team After an aggressive day of racing which saw the GC battle kick off with around 80km remaining on the stage the final was contested between a group of five riders coming down to a sprint which Pidcock led out holding the rest at bay with a strong turn of pace at the finish Brandon Rivera, of Pidcock’s former team, INEOS Grenadiers, came through in second place, while Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) rounded out the podium finishing in third place for the second consecutive day The Frenchman’s consistency was rewarded as he moved into the race lead, supplanting yesterday’s winner Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) The Belgian was caught out on the final descent from the day’s main climb and could not bridge back to the head of the race with Clément Berthet (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) in second overall and Pidcock moving into third Pidcock said: “Today I stayed calm Yesterday I was not disappointed but I rode stupid and perhaps being a little bit too confident So it was a nice reality check yesterday and today coming from altitude and things it was not really a good day for me So it's really nice today to get my hands in the air and be up there on GC - still 40 seconds down You learn more from losing than from winning It's better to happen yesterday than in a Monument “I didn't look so much at the other three stages because I knew the first two were the most important for GC we had five guys in the front with a two-minute gap at one point It's crazy how easily the race can explode Stage 2 of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol was the longest of this year’s race at 133.2km and the peloton headed north to Torredelcampo via a number of climbs including three ascents of the category 2 Puerto de los Villares.  It was another warm and sunny day in southern Spain and the action began from the flag drop with a battle for the early break that eventually settled into a group of seven riders though their advantage over the bunch was short-lived as the climbing began in earnest.  The GC favourites began to exert their authority over proceedings with around 50km remaining The bunch split and was spread along the road with a strong group of riders at the head of the race including Sivakov - in third overall at the start of the day - who had once again been part of the early break overall leader Van Gils found himself with work to do With the race favourites all over the road Pidcock took matters into his own hands, attacking with 49km remaining, though he was initially unable to drop Van Gils. Van Gils was the next to accelerate in the chasing group, and he and Pidcock vied for position, with Enric Mas (Movistar) just about managing to stick with them the trio rapidly began to close the gap to the front of the race and as they passed the summit and headed onto the descent Pidcock used the long descent to his advantage The Brit made the catch and joined the lead group along with Mas The virtual leader on the road was Sivakov with Van Gils labouring alone with no teammates 30 seconds behind With 26km remaining a chasing group of ten riders caught the yellow jersey Luckily for Van Gils it included a teammate in the shape of Giovanni Aleotti who powered past his leader and immediately began to set a ferocious tempo with the rest of the chasers coming together in a group behind him Despite Red Bull rallying for their leader the gap to the head of the race remained at around 1:45 Van Gils looked set to lose his lead as the five in front stayed clear -despite some apparent conflict over the division of labour within the group with Pidcock remonstrating with his former teammate Brandon Rivera (Ineos Grenadiers) for sitting on Heading into the final the gap to Van Gils had crept out to two minutes Mas was first to strike out from the lead group though his acceleration was immediately neutralised by Pidcock The tension was high as the group entered the narrow streets of Torredelcampo and the pace dropped as the quintet began to look at one another with the chase group behind rapidly closing the gap.  Though both Sivakov and Berthet tried to attack and it would come down to a sprint for the line Van Gils finished 1:10 down on the leaders and dropped out of the race lead heading into stage 3 Results powered by FirstCycling The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Katy is a freelance writer and journalist Cyclist Magazine and the British Continental She also writes opinion pieces on her own website writebikerepeat.com and is a frequent contributor to the Quicklink podcast.  She is obsessed with the narrative element of bike racing from the bigger picture to the individual stories She is a cyclocross nut who is 5% Belgian and wonders if this entitles her to citizenship Her favourite races are Ronde van Vlaanderen and La Vuelta In her spare time Katy is a published short fiction and non-fiction author As the sound of the mortar shell rampages through the shell of the Piazza del Campo with their respective jockeys on their backs appear under the Torre del Mangia and make themselves known to the contradaioli thronging around wishing the worst displeasure to their rival The ritual dictates that the order of disposition inside the canapi the two ropes that delimit the starting area who will then call the contenders to dispose themselves properly which is fully aware of how much a good position can affect the race The jockey does not need to make it to the saddle; it is the animal that counts which literally is a piece of cloth painted each year by a different artist head under the stage where it is displayed and They will guard it together with the others as an aesthetic expression of a day as ephemeral and eternal as the Palio which lives forever but is exhausted in one day.An eternity-immobility that also binds the drappelloni or “cenci” as they are called in Siena to an iconographic content that is almost unchanged over time and follows the main symbols of the city and the event: the Madonna for the Palio di Provenzano on July 2 and the Palio dell’Assunta on August 16 are called upon to interpret (almost) the same elements for centuries as if it were a particularly subtle artistic genre the Palio rag stimulates the artist to express himself fully in order to differentiate himself to imprint a personal flash on a predetermined subject The results are a compendium of signatures and characters typical of the many important authors who have worked on it over the years some key artists we now recognize as central to the history of Italian (and other) art of the second half of the 20th century To see their works in a context so distant from the museum imaginary where we have come to know them is yet another contradiction inherent in the Palio an event deaf to almost all contemporary innovations except precisely those in the field of art the very ones that contemporaneity instead struggles to interpret as its own in the centuries-long history of the drapes artistic independence has not always existed but has instead been the result of a long but precise evolution The first document related to the making of a pallium dates back to 1306 The expense-notes piglio is also evident from a document from 1310 where the costs of making a cloth in sciaminito Coats of arms began to be applied to these in 1316 but it was the search for the precious fabric that interested Palio organizers until the mid-seventeenth century The pallium was thus a kind of banner of fine cloth but its material value far exceeded its symbolic value it was sometimes sold by the winner to make clothing or sacred vestments for the churches It was as the importance of the contrade grew along with the importance that patrons and financiers assumed in the organization that the insertion of coats of arms and symbols as well as the iconographies inherent in the Madonna from fabric the palio gradually became painted but also its value: it becomes more and more a unique object the keeper of the memory of a specific edition the year to which the first preserved drapery dates the works remain mostly one assimilated to the other with the standardized iconographies of the respective Madonnas Only in the early nineteenth century did the work take on more purely historical characters In 1833 the contrade make their appearance on the drapery: it is the visual manifestation of their social recognition which is consecrated in 1841 with the synthesized depiction of their emblems not in a naturalistic key but understood as true heraldic figures who take on the task and repeat the score slavishly even for five or ten consecutive years The drapery’s status as a work of art was consolidated in 1894 when for the first time its craftsmanship was entrusted to the best-known painter of the time While maintaining its symbolic and representative aspects unaltered the drape began to shed its eminently decorative guise and put on its artistic one the rag will be fully conceived as a painting In 1910 the final shift with the birth of a regular competition to entrust the task A change that implies not only the professionalization of the commission but also the legitimization for the artist to apply his vision to the theme The drapery bill takes on the nature we recognize it today: a dialectical confrontation between the artist’s personal poetics composes an ideal artistic gallery that has value as a synecdoche a part that tells the whole of what in the field of art has happened in Italy in the last one hundred and twenty years appreciating the evolutions in terms of techniques The first one that perhaps comes close to our modern sensibility is Renato Guttuso’s from August 1971 The painter depicts the event by highlighting its paradoxical nature within which sacred and profane encroach from their respective territories At the apex the transcendent religiosity of the Madonna at the bottom the dramatic instinctiveness of the horse which on the strange meeting of these two poles rests its celebration Valerio Adami’s continuous and synthetic lines in August 1981 composed an ironic drape almost lighthearted in its play with iconography chooses mockery as a symbol of a day when (almost) everything is worthwhile Seriousness and pictorial acumen return in the lower section of the work where the artist describes the emblems of the contrade with particularly effective graphic gimmicks The contrast between the black background and broad backgrounds of bright colors make this palio one of the most successful ever painted for an extraordinary palio in September 1986 The horse stands out dramatically for the entire drape dominating a bluish sky and offering itself frontally to the outside world holding up Siena’s Palazzo Pubblico alluding to Lorenzetti’s Good Civic Government The animal’s bichromy and almost “new figuration” forms give the work a unique imperiousness it is Mimmo Paladino’s turn to confront the subject Madonna and city into a third of the space a tree branches out from a man’s head at whose ends flourishes the coat of arms of the running contrade Embellishing it is the technique of making it with some parts inlaid and embroidered as in the folk banners of old blows on the drappellone of August 1994 is enthralling seems to rest her toes on the Torre del Mangia as she dominates a gloomy and stormy Piazza del Campo enveloping the jubilant contradaioli in the anguish of the outcome Only the horse stands as a hope to be referred to Emilio Tadini seems to converge the cruel implications of the Palio demonic in pandering to the vagaries of fate into a kind of spiteful and unpredictable genius roaming the red sky of Siena ready to mock the flags of the districts that wave beneath him imbued with Luigi Ontani’s classic circus evolutions More fairy-tale and intuitive is the work that just a month later Fernando Botero presents to the Sienese The Madonna takes on the round forms of the Colombian artist By the way: inevitable is the temptation to read in the drapes various cabalistic clues about the outcome of the race about Igor Mitoraj’s drape (August 2004) who in fact also won that 2004 Palio for the Tartuca Tino Stefanoni makes an unusual choice: not the crowd but the seemingly calm wait of the night before the race with the Torre del Mangia looming in the dark sky illuminated by the powerful light of the Madonna prefigures the most unpredictable unfolding for the next day’s career Dragging one into the whirlwind of the race is Mario Ceroli’s oblique drape (August 2008) thanks to the rotated structure of the scene Bold is the quasi-religious minimalism of Francesco Carone who in August 2011 barely hints at the silhouette of the Madonna who of white mantle joins an immaterial white background stressing the more spiritual aspect of the Sienese festival Particularly appreciated in recent times is the drape delivered by Milo Manara in August 2019 A Madonna without a veil and with a contemporary feline beauty stands as the bearer of the dual Paliesque soul taming the horse and moving as in a dance of stars the symbols of the contrade Paradox that also returns in the starring opera of July 2024’s career Giovanni Gasparro here depicted the Madonna wrapped in a long veil from which sprouts the man seems to be shaking off his cloak and looking at the sky in the same intimidated way that the Sienese saw the weather crack just at the most beautiful moment forcing a double postponement of the race (which was run on the 4th) The banner made by Riccardo Guasco for the August 2024 palio seems devoid of premonitory suggestions is the enthusiasm and fairytale-like joy that transpires from the childlike face of the Assumption from the barberi (the characteristic spheres with the colors of the Contrade with which the children of Siena play in the streets) that roll in the lower part of the work and whose shapes are reflected in the stars that fly over a nocturnal Again the celestial and the earthly corresponding influences the divine shattering into cubist cuts and descending on the Piazza del Campo for another minute and a half of frenetic ecstasy Be one of the first to try our new activity feed Photographer James Startt relates the challenges — including the price of admission — of photographing the start of stage 12 of the 2021 Giro d'Italia the most obvious shots take the most amount of work And today’s image of the peloton rolling out of the start in the Piazza del Campo Ever since I studied Il Garibaldi — the official roadbook of the Giro d’Italia — and understood that stage 12 actually started in the heart of Siena it is impossible to ignore this medieval jewel of a city that is still in prime condition And the Piazza del Campo is its architectural crown The hub of city life for nearly a thousand years it still hosts the city’s Palio horse race not to mention the finish of the Strade Bianche every year Even before I arrived this morning I could see my shot with the peloton in the foreground of the piazza as they rolled out Arriving at the start two hours ahead of time and indeed the start line was perfectly placed on one side of the spacious piazza But it was clear that I would need a vantage point above the start if I was to going to be able to capture the entire scene And there lied the problem: Even getting near the start was complicated as the race barriers clearly cordoned off the different “sanitary bubbles” in the Giro has in place who made a habit of saying in their best Italian what I surmised to be the equivalent of but my first attempts to find a balcony proved frustrating In what is a common strategy of cycling photographers I started looking for local residents on their own balconies in hopes that I could convince one to let me up I gestured to one elderly couple standing on theirs but the gentle but firm shake of their head told me it would be fruitless to persist The next couple I asked — although hesitant — let me up I walked around to the back of the building and the woman greeted me and let me to what was a storefront that led to the balcony But then she said that it would be impossible for me to shoot the actual start “We have people coming over that are actually paying for this spot,” she said I asked her how much and she said the rate was 50 Euros So I told her that I would be back 15 minutes before the start and decided to pop in and see what the going price might be The young woman working at a children’s shop proved to be more gracious and said she would be only too happy to let me onto her balcony Returning before the start I made my way out to the balcony paying little attention to the neighbors with the higher asking price I put on my trusty 12mm wide-angle lens that would allow me to get the entire piazza including the Torre del Mangia that towers over it I checked my exposure one last time and positioned myself as the riders finally pulled out Looking into my viewer as I got back to the car I knew that my morning mission had been accomplished but all of the elements I hoped to bring together were there The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information Siena is the embodiment of a medieval city Its inhabitants pursued their rivalry with Florence right into the area of urban planning they preserved their city's Gothic appearance acquired between the 12th and 15th centuries the Lorenzetti brothers and Simone Martini was to influence the course of Italian and was devised as a work of art that blends into the surrounding landscape Sienne est l'incarnation de la ville médiévale Transposant sur le plan urbain leur rivalité avec Florence ses habitants ont poursuivi à travers le temps un rêve gothique et ont su conserver à leur ville l'aspect acquis entre le XIIe et le XVe siècle les frères Lorenzetti et Simone Martini traçaient les voies de l'art italien et a été conçue comme une œuvre d'art intégrée au paysage environnant تجسّد مدينة سيينا مثال مدينة القرون الوسطى فسكّانها، إذ نقلوا تنافسهم مع فلورنسا إلى الصعيد الحضري، سعوا عبر الزمن إلى تحقيق حلم قوطيّ وتمكنوا من المحافظة على الطابع الذي اكتسبته مدينتهم بين القرنين الثاني عشر والخامس عشر في تلك الفترة، كان دوتشو والأخوان لورنزيتّي وسيموني مارتيني يرسمون خطوط الفن الإيطالي وبشكل أوسع الأوروبي وبنيت المدينة حول البياتزا دِل كامبو وصمِّمت بكاملها كعمل فنّي مدمَجة بالمناظر المحيطة 锡耶纳是一座中世纪城市的化身。这里的居民为取得在这块土地上进行城市规划的权利，长期与佛罗伦萨竞争。几个世纪以来，他们成功保留住了这座城市12世纪至15世纪以来形成的哥特风格的城市面貌。在这段时期，杜奇奥、洛伦泽蒂兄弟、以及西莫内·马丁尼等人的建筑作品影响了意大利的艺术进程，在更广的范围上也影响了整个欧洲的艺术发展。整个锡耶纳城环绕卡姆博广场而建，设计得如同艺术作品一般，与周边的自然景观融为一体，交相辉映。 Сиена – это подлинное воплощение средневекового города Его жители соперничали с Флоренцией за право быть законодателями в области градостроительства Веками они сохраняли готический облик города оказали влияние на развитие итальянского и прекрасно вписывающимся в окружающий ландшафт Siena es la encarnación de la ciudad medieval por excelencia Tras proyectar su rivalidad con Florencia en el plano urbanístico sus habitantes persiguieron a lo largo de los siglos la realización de un “sueño gótico” y supieron conservar el aspecto que había cobrado su ciudad entre los siglos XII y XV los hermanos Lorenzetti y Simone Martini trazaban los caminos del arte italiano y el europeo El conjunto de la ciudad se edificó en torno a la Piazza del Campo y se concibió como una obra de arte fusionada con el paisaje circundante The Historic Centre of Siena is the embodiment of a medieval city its inhabitants pursued their competition with the neighbouring cities of Florence and Pisa right into the area of urban planning the city has preserved its Gothic appearance acquired between the 12th and 15th centuries the Lorenzetti brothers and Simone Martini influenced the course of Italian and The whole city of Siena was devised as a work of art that blends into the surrounding landscape This Tuscan city developed on three hills connected by three major streets forming a Y-shape and intersecting in a valley that became the Piazza del Campo The seven-kilometre long fortified wall still surrounds the 170-hectare site Protected gates were doubled at strategic points such as the Porta Camollia on the road to Florence the walls embrace the Fort of Santa Barbara that was rebuilt by the Medici in 1560 and finished in 1580 churches and other religious structures survive Also of note are the city’s fountains that continue to be fed by an extensive system of original tunnels Siena’s distinctive Gothic style is illustrated by the quintessential Sienese arch introduced to the city from the East during the Crusades The arch dominated later building styles including the Renaissance era Even when buildings underwent major renovations in the 17th 18th and 19th centuries (such as the Town Hall Siena is an outstanding medieval city that has preserved its character and quality to a remarkable degree architecture and town planning during the Middle Ages The city is a masterwork of dedication and inventiveness in which the buildings have been designed to fit into the overall planned urban fabric and also to form a whole with the surrounding cultural landscape Criterion (i): Through its urban and architectural characteristics the historic centre of Siena is a testimony to human creativity and expresses human artistic and aesthetic capacity in material form sculpture and town planning in particular had a very strong cultural influence not merely on the whole territory of the Republic of Siena but also in Italy and Europe especially between the 13th and 17th centuries Criterion (iv): The structure of the town and its evolution along with a unity of design that has been preserved has made Siena one of the most precious examples of the medieval and Renaissance Italian town The Historic Centre of Siena is delimited by its ancient ramparts constructed between the 14th and 16th centuries These walls follow the contours of the three hills on which the city is built and continue to include their bastions the property includes many other important original elements such as the fountains with their tunnels the road network and green spaces related to the urban plan the public buildings and the residences including palaces and towerhouses The Historic Centre of Siena is vulnerable to environmental pollution and intense tourist pressure which strain city services during a few months of the year There is also concern relating to the progressive abandonment of the historic core by local residents Although the region was identified as earthquake-prone with a medium to low risk in 1983 current protection efforts are considered adequate Taking into account its present-day state of conservation and its historical authenticity it has to be said that Siena is a rare example of a medieval historic town of this size This can be explained in part by the fact that the city did not suffer serious war damage and has been spared from modern industrial development in part because it remains outside the country’s large development areas The number of inhabitants has remained relatively low and corresponds with that of the medieval period no large-scale urban extensions have been undertaken The environs of the city have been subjected to only small-scale interventions such as projects undertaken during the 19th century which have become integral parts of its present historical authenticity similar activities have altered the historic fabric of other towns has been retained along with the Gothic design of its public buildings the function of medieval elements remains unchanged including the original vegetable gardens within the walls Traditional activities continue in specific areas of the city as they did in the Middle Ages as seen along Banchi di Sopra and Banchi di Sotto These early streets were occupied by money changers and now are lined by banks Concern for authenticity of buildings and monuments has been identified in the removal of architectural elements that are threatened by pollution and their replacement with replicas The Historic Centre of Siena contains a variety of buildings under public The property covers 107 hectares and is defined by the ancient city walls The site is surrounded by a buffer zone of 9,907 hectares extending into the territory of the municipality Siena has adopted “modern” urban planning tools State and Municipal authorities are carrying out an active and continuous conservation and restoration policy implementation tools for the municipal planning and relevant regulations which introduce the definition of the old city “UNESCO Site” These tools recognize the need to maintain the city’s role as a representative place in terms of local identity The historical centre is the focus of local identity representing the economic activities and social expression of the community The urban planning tools followed over time have maintained these functions while continuing to ensure the historical relationship of the walled city with the surrounding agricultural context The entire historic centre is subject to “Decreto Legislativo 42/2004 Codice dei beni culturali e del paesaggio” the national Law for protection of cultural heritage Individual monuments are subject to a safeguarding measure which ensures any activity on the site must be authorized by the relevant Soprintendenze (peripheral offices of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities) While the specific intervention authorizations are granted by the local authority the role of the Soprintendenze is to ensure overall control the Soprintendenze can deny proposed modifications for conservation reasons and restrict interventions Another legislative limitation defined by the national law further protects the entire historic centre through the safeguarding of landscape a series of more specific regulations and preservation plans regulate areas of building activity and commerce and provide for a limited traffic zone with electronic control of access The Municipality of Siena approved its first management plan in May 2011 defining the management system the plan defines how the goals are to be promoted and executed Due to the articulation of the activities to be undertaken and the variety of critical issues to be resolved a specific operational interdisciplinary structure (UNESCO office) will be created as a permanent unit devoted to coordination of all public and private bodies concerned with the actions of protection conservation and enhancement of the Historic Centre of Siena identified to meet the critical issues raised in the management plan were transformed into five specific actions A review has been undertaken of the type of communication relating to the values of the World Heritage property using an approach that integrates traditional techniques with contemporary approaches and tools City parks are enhanced through a re-evaluation of public gardens to maintain the ancient relationship between the walled city and its surrounding green valleys Studies and research have focused on both public and private heritage in order to optimize conservation practice the process of implementing further traffic regulation has included a parking system inside and outside the walls (already a limited traffic zone) with a policy to reduce and control vehicular access and provide a pedestrian and cycling plan for of the Historic Centre of Siena Activities that will increase tourist visitation to the World Heritage site have been optimized in accordance with the principles of sustainable development by implementing a management system to regulate the number of tourists the current urban planning safeguards the social and cultural aspects of the city through the promotion of a policy to recover the traditional residential use of buildings within the old town A spring cycle tour of Tuscany ends at the medieval city that has kept its identity intact despite centuries of visitors The first time I visited Tuscany in spring was on a cycling trip with friends before the sun had the chance to burn off the nocturnal dampness on a circuitous route from our tiny hamlet in the Chianti hills to Siena By lunchtime amazed at the difference a few hours could make the day’s objective was a coffee in Siena’s central piazza but the real intention was to explore the hills called the Crete Senesi the blue-grey clay that gives much of this countryside its distinctive colouring it is a part of Tuscany that could keep a cyclist or hiker entertained for a lifetime This is a land of wide open skies and vast panoramas cypress-lined gravel roads that wound over and across the undulating countryside Green and golden fields stretched over the horizon in every direction with nothing but farmhouses and some distant hilltop towns to break the illusion of infinite space Every so often we would roll through a stunningly beautiful the names were fun to say: San Giovanni d’Asso Piazza del Campo and the Torre del Mangia Photograph: Vladimir Khirman/AlamyThe stony rugged backroads meandered everywhere and nowhere diving deep into woodland only to spit us out a few minutes later in the middle of a vineyard where workers were attentively surveying vines for the small woolly nubs and bright green bud breaks that signal the plants’ reawakening from a long Neighbouring olive groves were thick with smoke as farmers burned old trimmings in preparation for the new season We could hear the oily wood crackling and spitting in the flames The Palio is so woven into life here that many of the churches still have two doors – one for humans and one for horsesIt felt as if the countryside was alive with activity but at the same time as if we had it to ourselves The only road users we encountered were other cyclists or the occasional Ape rattly three-wheeler beloved of deliverymen slender road towards the imposing ramparts of Siena rolling through the ancient gate at Porta Romana and down streets that grew narrower and darker until suddenly Via del Porrione opened up on to the blindingly bright terracotta amphitheatre that is Piazza del Campo Tuscany in the springtime … a vineyard nestled in the region’s famous rolling hills Photograph: Sergey Mostovoy/AlamyIt is also in stark contrast to my very earliest experience of Tuscany a friend and I had arrived in Florence towards the end of a month-long Interrailing trip The tourist season was at its peak and our funds were nearing their end Neither fact helped make a great first impression the most vivid recollections I have are of long queues for crowded museums and a middling gelato that nearly bankrupted us It’s still what I picture when I think of high summer in Tuscany subsequent visits softened my opinions and I have learned to appreciate Florence It’s a city that charms in a hundred different ways and stays in your memory long after you’ve left but because it’s more than the sum of its parts a warren of tight thoroughfares full of shops bakeries and fountainsIndividuality is central to the Sienese identity and to understand the city and its inhabitants you have to appreciate the real – and imagined – differences between each neighbourhood People here take a fondness for provincialism and turn it into an elite-level sport one that’s played out twice each summer in the Palio horse race around the city’s central square The race is so woven into everyday life that many of the churches still have two doors – one for humans and one for horses – because the priest has to bless the horses before a race it’s a miracle that Siena’s 15th-century street plan is still so intact that so much of its personality has been preserved along with it fountains and restaurants that are similar without ever being the same Read moreA visit to one of the city’s contrada (district) museums with their wonderfully bizarre collections of drappelloni the painted banners awarded to the winning contrada after each Palio the Contrada della Lupa (she-wolf district) has its headquarters and its museum in a building that dates from the early 16th century a costume room displaying all its Palio costumes since the 1830s and in the dramatically named Hall of Victories An unforgettable one from July 1945 depicts a fascist dragon being impaled by an allied missile under the watchful eye of the Virgin Mary and two cherubim And presiding over it all is an autographed photo of Giuseppe Garibaldi who rode the victorious horse in the 1867 Palio while the general was in attendance It’s not the kind of museum experience that’s likely to feature on a listicle or (forgive me) Instagrammable as somewhere like Florence’s Uffizi Siena is full of quaint little curiosities like this full of history and funny anecdotes that provide colour and context You won’t queue to enter or jostle for position while you’re in there with the sun trying but not quite managing to penetrate the city’s deep it will be lunchtime and there’ll be a table somewhere close by with your name on it With its lyrical landscapes, world-class art and a superb cucina contadina (farmer's kitchen), the Tuscan experience is perfectly in symbiosis with the land. Tuscany Back to topAttractionsMust-see attractionsDuomo Consecrated on the former site of a Roman temple in 1179 and constructed over the 13th and 14th centuries Siena's majestic duomo (cathedral) showcases… Museo Civico Entered via the Palazzo Pubblico's Cortile del Podestà (Courtyard of the Chief Magistrate) this wonderful museum showcases rooms richly frescoed by… Collegiata Parts of San Gimignano's Romanesque cathedral were built in the second half of the 11th century Leaning Tower the Torre Pendente truly lives up to its name leaning a startling 3.9 degrees off the vertical Duomo Pisa's magnificent duomo was begun in 1064 and consecrated in 1118 Cattedrale di San Martino Lucca's predominantly Romanesque cathedral dates from the 11th century Its stunning facade was constructed in the prevailing Lucca-Pisan style and… Cappella Bacci in the apse of 14th-century Basilica di San Francesco safeguards one of Italian art's greatest works: Piero della Francesca's fresco cycle… Cappella Brancacci Fire in the 18th century practically destroyed 13th-century Basilica di Santa Maria del Carmine but it spared its magnificent chapel frescoes – a… View more attractionsPlanning ToolsExpert guidance to help you plan your tripBest Things to Do Taste wine, see world-class art, and follow in the footsteps of pilgrims with these top experiences in Tuscany. Tuscany is the Italy many people dream about, but when is the best time to come? Find out with our guide to the best times for a Tuscan escape. Plan your trip to Tuscany with these top tips from a local writer. Plan with a localExperience the real Italy Get startedArticlesLatest stories from TuscanyRead more articlesFilter by interest: Coasts & IslandsFood & Drink All Interests Adventure Travel Art & Culture Beaches Coasts & Islands Food & DrinkActivities and follow in the footsteps of pilgrims with these top experiences in Tuscany Read more articlesBuild a memorable collectionGet to the heart of Tuscany with one of our in-depth Visit in ShopPocket Rome $14.99 Visit in ShopNaples Go to checkout (0 items)in partnership with getyourguide Beyond TuscanyFor Explorers Everywhere No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission News | Feb 16 Italy – We woke to the distant sound of a drum in the dark A muffled marching beat echoing through the narrow stone streets It might have been our first night in our apartment in Siena thrilled at the astonishing view out our window across the Piazza del Campo we had fallen asleep perhaps two hours before We struggled out of bed and hurried to the window taking care not to trip in the dark in our still-unfamiliar apartment The cafes that ringed the piazza were all closed an impressive sight: centuries-old palaces embracing the large with the astonishing Torre del Mangia rising more than 300 feet – 30 stories – into the night the singing throng – 40 or 50 men and women – emerged from a side street and marched into the piazza led by the drummer and two men carrying flags They stopped almost directly below our apartment gave a cheer and marched off again into the night That was our first lesson about the true nature of Siena We learned our second lesson – actually the exactly same lesson a second time – the next night And that lesson came by again – with drumming and singing and flags in the dark – the night after that it was a good thing that lesson was repeated because it took us a while to figure it out The Palio is Siena’s signature event recklessly exuberant horse race around the Piazza del Campo the town is swamped as thousands of tourists and tens of thousands of Sienese turn out to fight for space mourn and celebrate as the horses gallop around the piazza The August 2010 race had been run six weeks before we got to town but it seemed reasonable to assume that spirits were still running high Victors seemed likely to still be celebrating losers likely vowing very publicly to do better next time how could all that be done any better than with parades and drums and loud singing in the middle of the night that explanation didn’t go nearly deep enough Because the Palio is more than a horse race drinking and near-violent intensity twice a year than the months of build-up before the races and the weeks of celebration and recovery afterward The Sienese like to say that the Palio runs all year long But the real truth has a little twist to it: The Palio is a reflection an expression of a basic fact of Siena that runs not just all year At the heart of it all is a simple enough fact: Siena is divided into 17 “contradas.” (Language note: The Italian singular is contrada; the proper Italian plural is contrade so “contradas” will be our plural The contradas might be described as “neighborhoods,” but they are more than just that contradas are much more formal than vague “neighborhoods.” They have very exact Every building in Siena is specifically in one contrada Most street corners have little wall-mounted signs you might consider them “wards” or “districts.” A teacher at our language school – born and raised in Siena – gave a lecture on the Palio and spent most of her time talking about the contradas What I gathered from her talk was that the best English word to describe a contrada is “tribe.” That begins to get at the feeling of intense connection between each Sienese citizen and his contrada A Sienese is born into a contrada and remains a member of that contrada for his or her entire life Membership in a contrada is determined absolutely and exactly by where a child is born where every baby born in the contrada is baptized The birth of a new contrada member is announced with a notice – adorned with blue or pink ribbons as appropriate – posted in the contrada’s central piazza And an enormous floral arrangement is presented by the contrada to the new mother is for the contrada’s newest citizen Membership in a contrada is not inherited from a baby’s parents Families are often divided – a mother belonging to one contrada the children may wind up belonging to yet a third contrada all based unalterably on where they were born who shares a contrada with neither of his parents of course – surrounded by loving members of his contrada Our teacher noted that she enjoys her multi-contrada privileges: She gets to go to parties and celebrations for her husband’s contrada as well as her own when her husband’s contrada – or their son’s contrada – wins a Palio “That is nothing like the happiness when my contrada wins.” just as membership in a contrada begins with birth Every contrada has a social center where the aged contradaioli can go to sit and chat and pass the time with other members of their tribe the contrada flag will be prominent in the funeral procession those processions pass through the Piazza del Campo and the coffin is tilted up so the deceased can enjoy one last sight of the Palio track it is this central fact of the town’s identity that was the point of the lesson we were being taught the flags and banners were not “part of the Palio”; all of that and the Palio were part of Siena’s identity as a city divided into 17 fiercely independent tribes The contradas have a history that goes back to the Middle Ages when Siena was a powerful city-state battling with Florence – and any other would-be contenders – for supremacy in the region Those warring city-states needed armies to defend themselves and the contradas were established to provide and train soldiers for Siena’s army some of the pageantry of the modern Palio descends directly from the drills and exercises required of those medieval soldiers Originally there were as many as 59 contradas as Siena accepted Florence’s supremacy (and protection) the military situation eased and the number of contradas dwindled some serious competition between the contradas was natural and a variety of contests emerged meaning “mace and shield,” which could come quite close to real warfare an Italian word that means “fight” or “fist.” Pugnas were essentially all-out brawls that tended to get completely out of control – contestants started by throwing punches and wound up throwing rocks a horse race seemed like the best kind of competition – safer (at least somewhat) than throwing rocks The jockeys ride bareback with just reins and the simplest of bits to control their horses in the fierce contest The rules allow fairly extreme contact – the jockeys can whip other horses or The only real foul is grabbing another horse’s reins happens often enough – the horse is not disqualified The stones of the piazza are covered in a thick layer of dirt and crushed tuff (a soft volcanic rock) and some of the worst hazards are covered with padding But the course is uneven – with uphills downhills and two sharp corners – and it is tilted inwards the outside edge of the track is a full three feet higher than the inside reflects Siena’s nature as a city of rival tribes Every contrada (with just a few exceptions) has allies and but the result isn’t homicidal warfare between street gangs but they don’t actually fight each other There can be a kind of ritual fighting – actual fistfights that break out along the borders of rival contradas during the days of the Palio; but it is all under control People tell of fights that stop while participants help one another look for valuables dropped during the combat contradas will go all out to bribe rival jockeys – and sometimes a losing jockey is beaten by his own contrada if he is suspected of throwing the race The jockey of a contrada with little chance of victory may ride to keep a rival from winning The defeat of a rival is celebrated second only to a contrada’s own victory But perhaps the clearest sign of the loyalty of the Sienese for their contradas is clear in the way someone who no longer lives in his own contrada will return “home” for the days before the Palio – sometimes sleeping in the street if need be And residents may refuse to leave their home contrada during those days except to walk to the piazza to watch the various rituals leading up to the race itself it is simply a matter of loyalty to their home A loyalty that may reach a peak with every running of the Palio but a loyalty that holds true and clear every day of the year especially – in the middle of the night as they march and sing and parade through the Piazza del Campo yawning strangers in a strange land at two in the morning we really still had only the faintest outlines of where to look for a clue Our apartment was in the contrada of “Selva,” the Forest We plan to be back there in August – and we’ll be screaming and cheering mourning for the jockey wearing “our” colors Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage are you considering any property transactions this spring View Results ranging from traditional Italian osterie to contemporary Japanese fusion joints – some even offer views over the Piazza del Campo and Torre del Mangia a Medieval horse race in which the city’s 17 districts (or contrade) compete to win a colourful banner it’s an imposing hill town with Etruscan roots dominated by one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Italy take advantage of the Tuscan restaurants on offer – including some of the best in the region Antica Osteria da Divo can lay claim to being one of the oldest restaurants in Siena – it’s located in a stone house that dates back to Etruscan times the menu presents a contemporary take on Tuscan dishes Squid stuffed with mortadella sausage is the ultimate in surf‘n’turf while modern ingredients tussle with tradition in the pappardelle with goat Tar-tufo The view of Siena from Tar-tufo might look like a film set but there’s nothing superficial about this restaurant Sustainable ingredients are front and centre and the menu changes according to the season but the restaurant’s namesake is always dish of the day: the local truffle cinta senese pork and chianina beef are frequent visitors to the menu Mister Pizza is a musician turned pizzaiolo who has been known to attach his CDs to his bottles of wine as gifts You’ll catch him singing away as he slips it in the oven; if you’re lucky Almost anything you like can be added as a topping and he’s very accommodating to vegetarians and vegans A unique fusion of Japanese and Tuscan flavours awaits at Campo Cedro ably put together by chef Kohsuke Sugihara Fish dishes abound as Italian ingredients are whipped into Japanese shape escarole and spicy ‘nduja are particularly notable If you want to eat in the shadow of the Torre del Mangia — which incidentally means “Tower of the Eater” — then Il Bandierino is for you Although located right on the Piazza del Campo it’s neither overly touristy nor expensive and there’s a large selection of mixed salads and ciaccini (stuffed Tuscan flatbread) The three best things about this place though Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy L’Ozio dei Frati A small restaurant tucked up an even smaller sidestreet just a few steps from the Piazza del Campo you’ll be seated in the romantic underground grotto roast potatoes and sweet and sour onions will have you coming back for more they arguably do the best tiramisu in the city cherub-with-a-corkscrew logo painted on the windows Osteria degli Svitati is every inch the typical Sienese trattoria Very close to the house of Saint Catherine you’ll enjoy the soundtrack of cathedral bells tarragon and boiled potatoes are extraordinary and it’s one of the best places to try Tuscan aglione a garlicky tomato sauce served with pasta or gnocchi Desserts include traditional Tuscan pastries – almond ricciarelli biscotti – all served with a glass of sweet vin santo This is a rewrite of an article originally by Graziano Scaldaferri Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? 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If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please read our disclosure for more info it's no wonder that Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world 14.5 million American tourists came to enjoy the splendors of this Meditteranean paradise which boasts more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country And while many focus their travel plans on cities like Venice it's worth considering just how much other places in Italy have to offer Of course, there's no denying that Venice, Florence, and Rome are three European art capitals Italy has incredible destinations filled with art and archaeology as well as breathtaking landscapes and mouthwatering cuisines Stock Photos from MarinaD_37/Shutterstock Milan is a popular destination for business travelers, but the financial capital of Italy has much more to offer. Milan is also a center for contemporary art and fashion, as well as the location of the iconic Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci A stay in Milan means you can zip between chic contemporary elegance and the great art of the past without skipping a beat Stock Photos from S-F/Shutterstock Travelers can sometimes overlook Naples, using it as a stopover on their way to Pompeii or the Amalfi Coast But there's real value in spending several days in the incredible city not only for its delicious pizza and espresso but also for the world-class Archeological Museum that houses much of Pompeii's artifacts and traditional artisans that produce stunning handicrafts Stock Photos from RossHelen/Shutterstock As home to the oldest university in the world Bologna isn't just Italy's intellectual capital It's also a bustling historic city with beautiful colonnades As the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region Bologna offers incredible culinary opportunities for foodies Stock Photos from Fabio Lamanna/Shutterstock It's also home to a world-class Egyptian Museum This makes it one of the largest collections of Egyptian antiquities in the world Stock Photos from Marco Rubino/Shutterstock Stock Photos from Catarina Belova/Shutterstock The Tuscan city of Siena has a long and storied history that dates back to 900 BCE Siena was particularly powerful during the medieval period so it shouldn't be surprising that its Italian Gothic cathedral is one of its main attractions Especially precious are the intricate inlay marble floors which are only uncovered for a few months each year for viewing is also famous for its traditional Palio horse race The entire community participates in the pageantry with each neighborhood placing a horse in the race Stock Photos from ermess/Shutterstock Matera has also been the backdrop for many films including Wonder Woman (2017) and Ben-hur (2016) Stock Photos from Michele Ponzio/Shutterstock A visit to Italy wouldn't be complete without time in Sicily visitors can spend weeks exploring the island While Sicily has many special places to visit Syracuse should be top on the list for both its beauty and history it's thought to be the birthplace of famed mathematician Archimedes There are traces of Greece throughout the city including a well-preserved ancient theater and the Fountain of Arethusa. This natural fountain located on the picturesque island of Ortygia—which houses Syracuse's historic center—is one of only two places in Europe where papyrus grows Stock Photos from Vladimir Sazonov/Shutterstock Literary buffs may be attracted to Verona for its association with William Shakespeare—both Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentlemen of Verona are set in this northern city Verona offers much more than a visit to Juliet's house As the town was settled by the Roman military there are still many traces of the ancient Romans The Roman Arena is an amphitheater that is dwarfed in size and quality only by the Roman Colosseum Other well-preserved Roman monuments include a theater and the Ponte Pietra Stock Photos from ronnybas frimages/Shutterstock the Amalfi Coast is a breathtaking coastline so impressive that the entire 31-mile stretch is a UNESCO World Heritage Site There are many small towns that lure travelers along the Amalfi Coast This cliffside village is known for its stunning views and an impressive Byzantine church that has a cupola covered with colorful majolica tiles 6 Surprising Facts About the Roman Colosseum 5 Must-See Museums in Paris (That Aren’t The Louvre or Musée d’Orsay) This 16th-Century Italian Church Is Built into the Side of a Cliff 10 Dazzling Gardens Around the World That Explode with Color and Character 10 Best Sculpture Parks Around the World Want to advertise with us? Visit My Modern Met Media Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening Despite the abundant rainfall in March in Malaga province the nighttime water restrictions remain in place in Vélez-Málaga on the eastern stretch of the Costa del Sol along with other towns and villages in the Axarquía Farmers still do not have access to water from La Viñuela reservoir for irrigation which has been the case since 1 January 2022 In this context of drought and with no rain forecast for the foreseeable future Vélez-Málaga town hall has received a new setback from Spain’s central government in their request for European Next Generation funds to improve water supply networks This is the second blow to the town hall within a week as a few days ago the local authority learned that it had lost out on a further three million euros to carry out work on its 10th century fortress having missed a deadline to submit all the documents Now the town hall has lost its request for 9.2 million for water infrastructure which was also presented in the last months of the last legislature by the previous bipartite team of the socialist PSOE party and the independent Torre del Mar GIPMTM party According to the resolution of the central ministry for ecological transition the reason for this rejection is because Vélez-Málaga town hall "did not present the documentation required” The official document which is signed by the secretary of state for the environment did not include a number of documents required to go with the application SUR has tried without success to get an answer from the current bipartite team made up of the centre-right Partido Popular (PP) and GIPMTM on this matter and to know the reasons why this documentation was not presented in time presented jointly with 22 Valencian municipalities envisaged allocating 2,431,858.24 euros for the renovation and implementation of new underground water catchments in the Almayate area 6,352,558.24 euros for the renovation of the water transport and circulation infrastructure and 449,977.14 euros for the digitalisation of the sewage networks The previous town hall team proposed improvements to 15 kilometres of the supply networks The project had a total budget for the 23 municipalities of 11,173,616.28 euros of which 90 per cent would have been provided by the European Next Generation funds and the remaining 10 per cent (2,862,837.94 euros) would have to come from the municipal coffers The application was submitted jointly with the Valencian water management company Ciclagua S.A. in order to be eligible for a larger amount of the subsidy If Vélez had applied alone it would have only been eligible for 60 per cent of the total budget according to the documentation to which SUR has had access the plan was to replace three kilometres of asbestos cement network on the western edge of the town in the section from the El Toro reservoir to Bajamar another 7.25 kilometres from the latter area to the border with Rincón de la Victoria another two kilometres from the Molino de las Monjas catchments to the town centre of Vélez-Málaga 1.25 kilometres of asbestos cement pipes in the Almayate network and 1.5 kilometres from the Vega Mena catchments to Torre del Mar The project also proposed the digitalisation of the municipal sewerage network for the integral control of the pipes leading to a more efficient water supply system which would reduce water losses and increase its reliability and robustness the town hall estimated losses of 24% in the supply network The catchments to be renovated are in a "highly degraded state" The former PSOE mayor of Vélez-Málaga Antonio Moreno Ferrer has shown his "disappointment with the manifest incapacity of a government team that only knows how to repaint kerbs without a clear vision of the municipality and the future" The Ministry for Ecological Transition has also rejected a project jointly requested by the Malaga municipalities of Alameda The reasons are that they did not present "the corrected documentation required " And an application from Sayalonga town hall in the Axarquía for the installation of smart water meters was also rejected again apparently for not supplying the correct documentation The only town in Malaga to benefit from the funding was Villanueva de Algaidas The project has received 351,866.95 euros of the total budget of 439,003.92 euros Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados Categories Italy we had to venture outside of the city to the charming towns of the surrounding Tuscan countryside a tour company located in Florence provides an enjoyable and stress-free way of traveling to various destinations in Tuscany We took their tour, VIP Siena and San Gimignano by Night with Dinner which departs in the afternoon and concludes late in the evening This tour operates on a daily basis in small groups we were the only two people taking the excursion that day so it was a private tour for both Justin and myself which help run this site at no extra cost to you Florencetown takes pride in offering small group and private tours throughout Florence and Tuscany They promote unique and fun new ways to discover the region their Inferno tour (exploring places in Dan Brown’s novel) Our tour would take us to the Tuscan towns of Siena with a local guide allow us to have free time in San Gimignano (in the late afternoon when most of the crowds have dissipated) and an elegant dinner at an exclusive location in the countryside Our driver and tour guide was a young fellow named Giacomo We hopped into his mini-van and he expertly navigated out of the hectic Florence city center the crowds had disappeared and we were driving down a highway with views of green It was great to have a tour guide for the day that was fairly close in age to us We received a fully guided tour throughout Siena from a local who had lived in the town for her entire life It was really fascinating to learn about Siena’s rich history and her wealth of stories steeped in tradition It was also wonderful to listen to the perspectives of a local citizen who could interject some of her own personal tales The historic centre of Siena has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an exceptional medieval city with a preserved Gothic appearance from the 12th to 15th century Our guide walked around Siena with us for around two hours We were able to ask her any questions as we thought of them Justin and I thoroughly enjoyed being guided by a local We would have never learned as much as we did if we had merely walked around by ourselves Siena was founded in the time of the Etruscans and the first documentation mentioning the town dates back to 70 AD though it used to be a major city centre in the region It was located along a major trade route and thrived as a prosperous trading post The Republic of Siena was an incredible wealthy and highly populated state throughout the Middle Ages The Republic of Siena existed for over 400 years until it was defeated by Florence in the Italian War of 1551-1559 The first place we visited was the Basilica of San Domenico This church is one of the most important ones in Siena as it is devoted to St It was first constructed in 1226-1265 and was enlarged in the 14th century parts of the church have been destroyed by fire I was not allowed to take pictures inside of the church There were several large paintings that paid tribute to St displaying stories from her life and after her death when the Pope made her a Saint there is an altar prominently displaying these relics: her preserved head and thumb We left the church and began to walk around the town One of the first important places we stopped at was Piazza Salimbeni Palazzo Salimbeni is a Gothic urban palace built in 1472 It was associated with the ancient mercantile family It now serves as the headquarters for the Monte dei Paschi di Siena there were two feuding wealthy and notable families that lived in Siena during the Middle Ages: the Salimbeni family and the Tolomei family Our tour guide had lived in Siena for her entire life and was born in the Nicchio contrada (Seashell district) it is baptized into the contrada which represents that he or she will always belong there Twice a year, the 17 neighborhoods compete in the Palio di Siena This horse race is held on July 2nd and August 16th of each year only 10 neighborhoods compete: the seven which did not compete in the previous year The Palio event is much more than just a horse race; it represents the competition and historical rivalries between the contrade This interesting shell-shaped piazza is home to the semi-annual Palio races The jockeys in the race must ride around Piazza del Campo three times The event usually lasts about 90 seconds in total Many jockeys are thrown off the horses during the race and it is common for a horse to finish a race without its jockey The first horse across the finish line is declared the winner The Piazza del Campo also contains the Torre del Mangia one of the tallest secular towers in medieval Italy The tower was built to be exactly the same height as the Siena Cathedral to demonstrate that the church and state were equal in power The Siena Cathedral is a very impressive structure with ornate detail carved in marble throughout the facade It was designed and built between 1215 and 1263 The population of Siena in the Middle Ages exceeded 50,000 people and the construction of a massive addition began in 1339 to accommodate all of the citizens the Black Plague was devastating to Siena and wiped out about 75% of the city’s population Construction of the addition came to a grinding halt The work never resumed as the church no longer required the additional space The outer walls of the extension can still be seen today An interesting fact that I didn’t realize until our tour guide explained it: you might see some holes in the walls of some buildings This demonstrates that the buildings were constructed during the Middle Ages as scaffolding was inserted into these spaces in the walls There are an immense amount of structures throughout Siena with these spaces in the walls which illustrates the ancient age of the town and how it is incredibly well preserved Here are some photos from other places in Siena that we explored we met with Giacomo who drove us to the next Tuscan town: San Gimignano.  San Gimignano is most known for its preserved towers that line the hillside The historic centre of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site We arrived in San Gimignano just before 5:00pm Many of the large tour groups had left for the day and the busy town was left without very many tourists Florencetown has designed the tour with the crowds of tourists in mind and tries to minimize our exposure to them Giacomo gave us one hour to explore the town Though it would have been nice to have been guided around the town by a local it was also refreshing to have a bit of a break We were dropped off just outside the city’s wall left to admire the gorgeous pastoral landscape discovering the beautiful wonders of San Gimignano and narrow streets kept most of the Tuscan town shrouded in shadows with rays of sunlight gleaming through at every turn Though we were surrounded by cobblestone roads and rocky walls vines had reclaimed portions of the buildings and potted plants were carefully placed in doorways and alleyways with our necks craned up to admire the tall towers and majestic churches “See that building up there?” Giacomo pointed towards the side of a huge hill as we drove along “We will be having dinner at that mansion.” Mansion As if I didn’t already feel spoiled enough by the riches of Siena and San Gimignano we were headed towards an elegant villa nestled in the hilltop of the Chianti region Florencetown rents space at a huge mansion in the countryside for their cooking classes Giacomo told us all about the surrounding vineyards This region is the ideal climate for growing grapes for wine and olives for making olive oil There were vineyards and trees growing as far as I could see The wine we would be tasting was grown and produced at an estate within steps of the villa There was a separate room for the wine tasting The other wines we enjoyed with our dinner (we tried three different Ruffino red wines in total) The barrel room was decorated purely for show We really didn’t expect to be this spoiled The chefs created a huge table full of delightful vegan dishes for us We mentioned that we were vegan and were told that they could create some salads for us there was dish after dish of delicious Italian meals and we had the entire table of food to ourselves highlighting the fresh produce of the region There was toasted bruschetta bread with an assortment of different balsamic vinegars and oils to try It was like living inside a dream: talented chefs had prepared fresh and tasty Italian vegan meals for us in a serene and beautiful environment I even saw a cat through one of the windows Though the meal for this tour wouldn’t be typically served as a vegan one it shows that you can definitely make special requests for dietary restrictions or choices What a fabulous day we had enjoying Tuscany GIacomo drove us right up to our apartment and dropped us off there to ensure that we didn’t have to walk home in the dark We highly recommend Florencetown and this tour We could have visited Siena and San Gimignano on our own but we definitely would not have had as amazing an experience as we did on this tour We were transported from place to place with ease with the help of our driver we were given a thorough history lesson from our knowledgeable guide that was so interesting I would not have learned about the rich background and heritage of Siena We definitely would not have dined in such a stunning and extravagant setting and we would not have tried such a wide assortment of vegan meals Lauren is the full-time travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren She started Justin Plus Lauren in 2013 and has travelled to 50+ countries around the world Lauren is an expert on vegan travel as one of the very first vegan travel bloggers She also focuses on outdoor adventure travel and creating amazing travel itineraries for cities and small towns Apartment Review: La Farina Apartments Florence Where to Stay in Cinque Terre: Gramsci 31 Apartment in Riomaggiore Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" It has been a goal to get back there someday The whole region of Chianti and the Tuscan countryside is amazing This looks like a great way to explore Tuscany We would have loved to do something like this when we were in the area this past spring I think I'll have to add it to the list for next time though--it looks like you got to see some great spots and the food sounds delicious and it was just beautiful - but now I wish we'd got a tour the main clock tower at my alma mater was modelled on the tower in Siena My husband and I met at university so it was a nice place to see on our honeymoon It's nice to get a guided tour from one of the locals We visited Florence a few years ago and fell in love with the city What little we saw of the area has made us want to go back and see more the cities you visited are at the top of our list I do agree that taking a tour enhances a visit I'm a part-time traveler and full time travel blogger and content creator I love writing about outdoor adventures and nature Justin Plus Lauren is one of the first vegan travel blogs I've been vegan since 2009 and vegetarian all my life I love sharing the best vegan food from around the world in my guides I'm also very passionate about sustainable travel and responsible wildlife tourism You'll only find ethical travel experiences on this website You can learn more about me here. I also own a second blog called Ontario Hiking Contact Lauren at justinpluslauren@gmail.com © 2025 Justin Plus Lauren | Privacy Policy