Description
This Siena walking tour with cathedral visit lasts about an hour and moves at an easy pace, with a live guide telling the story of the city street by street. It starts in Piazza Salimbeni, home to Monte dei Paschi, the world's longest-running bank.
From there the route passes the palaces of the noble families whose rivalries shaped Siena: the Salimbeni, the Tolomei and the Piccolomini. In Piazza Tolomei the guide points out shops with a long local tradition, such as Nannini and the Antica Drogheria Manganelli.
Then comes Piazza del Campo, where the guide explains how the square is laid out and what it has meant for the city's public life, with the outside of the Palazzo Comunale in view. The walk goes on to the Baptistery and ends inside the Duomo, a Gothic landmark with works by Duccio di Buoninsegna, Donatello, Nicola Pisano, Pinturicchio and Bernini. In the summer months the famous marble floor may also be on show.
- Live guide on foot through the old town
- Ticket for the Civic Museum
- Cathedral visit, when you pick that option
Good to know: wear comfortable shoes, and note that the cathedral is closed on Sundays and bank holidays, when another museum replaces it. Groups of more than 15 people get earphones.