Are you thinking about spending one day in Siena Italy?

Perfect! This post is for you.

Siena is a medieval city located in the heart of Tuscany. If you only have a short amount of time in Tuscany allow one day in Siena, Italy to explore.

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What is Special About Siena Italy?

Siena is a midieval town. It really feels like you are walking in the past.  There are lots of museums, art, food choices and shopping available in Siena.  One thing that brings many people to Siena is the Palio, which is a horse race held two times a year.

Why is Siena Famous?

Siena is a famous Italian city that most people included in their Tuscany itinerary.  The Palio is a major attraction for sure but Siena has so much more to offer.  We will explore all the amazing things to do in Siena in this post and you will discover what makes this city so popular.

Is Siena Worth Visiting?

Absolutely, even if you only have one day in Siena it is worth visiting.  The narrow streets and amazing midieval buildings are remarkable.  The Piazza Del Campo is an experience you do not want to miss out on. Plus, we were in love with the food here.  It is so good!

How Do I Get To Siena?

Siena is located about an hour away from Florence.  Most people love to make a day trip to Siena from Florence.  We rented a car in Florence and drove to Siena.  Cars are not allowed in the city center you will park outside of the city and walk into Siena’s city walk area.

You can also take a bus and a train to Siena from Florence. Both take about and hour and 20 minutes.  There is one direct train.  The bus makes a few stops along the way.

Is Siena Safe?

Yes,  I felt very safe even though there are extremely narrow alley ways all around the city center.  I would follow the rule of don’t walk alone at night and you should be good.  We didn’t go at night. I was there at high tourist time and felt completely safe.

Italy is known for fashion. I got a little excited as I walked into this city!  There are tons of stores!  What I loved best was that there were so many that we do not have in the US!  This was one of my favorite things in Siena!

You will find these stores on three main streets: Montanini, Banchi di Sopra, and Via di Città. All three of this streets make up Siena’s corso or high streets. Make sure you find time to do some shopping!

Store in Siena

Benetton

This store located throughout all of Italy but the location in Siena is really cool because it is in a a building from the medieval times.  This is store is all about colors.   Bright and bold is how I would describe this store.

Tezenis

I love this store!  I couldn’t resist.  It is a hip store with low prices.  My kind of place.  It probably is idea for teenagers but I tend to like those styles as well!

Calzedonia

If you are looking for swimsuits in the summer or socks to keep you warm in the winter this is the store to check out.

Dixie

Is a young funky designer from Florence.  You will find something unique and very Italian.

REPLAY

I know that this would not catch my eye because it is a little too expensive for my taste.  It is a denim and jeans store with prices starting at $200 for jeans.

Scout

An Italian store with an American and European touch for adults and kids.  This is probably more my taste.

High End Stores

High end shopping is all over Italy and Siena is no exception.  I personally would rather spend all my money on vacations instead of clothes. But if designer products is what you love than you will not be disappointed!

If you have saved up your money you can also buy a handmade pair of Italian shoes in this area.

There are many Siena walking tours, I will list a few down below.  If you are interested in learning about the history of Siena than this is a great option.  Rick Steve’s also has an audio tour you can download and listen to as you walk the streets of Siena.

This is a center plaza where you can “people watch!” It is normally very crowded. This is an area where people just hangout reading or socializing. It really is a neat square in the center of the city!

The Santa Maria Della Scala

The Santa Maria Della Scala is located next to this area. It is the a hospital where during the medieval pilgrimage the sick, as well as abandoned children were welcome.  This is a large building and is open to the public.

Torre Del Mangia

Torre Del Mangia is a tower located in this area that you can climb.  Once you reach the top be prepared for the most beautiful view of the city!  There are 400 steps so being in shape is a must!

Clearly, not to be confused with the Piazza Del Duomo in Florence, Siena has it’s own church to brag about.  The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption is gorgeous.  The Piazza Del Duomo gives a great view of this beautiful cathedral.  It is a must see inside and out!

Admission

The Cathedral is 9 Euros for adults and 3 Euros for children 7-11

There is an OPI pass that allows entrances to all museums in the area as well.  It is about 20 Euros.

We love the Rick Steve’s Italy book.  It was so helpful on our Italy trip especially, when deciding where to eat.

We wanted to eat at a sit down restaurant and picked one of the places recommended out of the book.  After getting this recommendation from Rick Steve’s in Siena, I used all of his food recommendations in every city we visited because they were outstanding.

 La Taverna Di Cecco

We decided to go to La Taverna Di Cecco.  It was located off the beaten path and was relatively small.  We trusted the book and Wow, it was so good!

This was one of our favorite restaurants that we ate at on our entire trip. We loved it so much!  The food was incredible! It was so authentic and so Italian!

I would highly recommend two things.  First, buy Rick Steve’s Book.  Second, eat at La Tavera Di Cecco restaurant when you go to Siena!

ONE DAY IN SIENA AND SAN GIMIGNANO – PRIVATE TOUR FROM FLORENCE

If you want to a private tour to both Siena and San Gimignano this might be a good options.  Transportation and guided tours through museums and historical background through a private tour guide.

The Sightseeing tour of Siena and San Gimignano is also another great option and little less expensive.

TUSCANY GUIDED TOUR IN A MINIVAN: SIENA, MONTERIGGIONI, SAN GIMIGNANO AND PISA

This the ultimate Tuscany Day Trip.  A chance to see many amazing towns in Tuscany with a private mini-van and guide.

BEST OF TUSCANY TOUR FROM FLORENCE

All of the tours are from Florence.  This Tour of Tuscany offers a great guided tour of Siena.

I hope this helps you plan your one day in Siena!

I hope your one day in Siena is wonderful! If you are going to Italy check out my other Italy posts.  Also, I highly recommend a Italy Travel Guidebook before you plan your trip.

Check out my video of How Rick Steve’s Saved My Trip!