Well hello to you my reader chums! Siena is a beautiful city in Tuscany known for its hilly cobbled streets and medieval buildings. I absolutely loved Siena; it was like a larger version with Lucca with all the Italian beauty. I loved exploring it (even with the steep hills.) Siena is a charming place, full of history, pretty walkways, and the best restaurants.

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If you're planning to visit Siena on your trip to Tuscany and going for a day or two, here is everything I got up to.

Day 1: Sightseeing and exploring the city

Duomo di Siena - The cathedrals in Italy are a vision of beauty and Siena's was no different. It's one of the main attractions in Siena and completely worth the visit. The cathedral is split up into sections that you can pay to get into. On my trip, I went into the main area and saw the cathedral in all its glory.

Complesso Museale Santa Maria della Scala -  This museum was once a civic hospital which cared for abandoned children, the sick, the poor and the pilgrims. Now it's a place with a rich history and some interesting exhibits to see. As I walked around the museum, I found a mixed bag of things to learn about. There were the art murals, a church, underground tunnels, chapels and so much more to see. For the Santa Maria della Scala, you can get a combined ticket with the Duomo. There are a lot of different ticket options to choose from.

Piazza del Campo - This is the main square (or oval) in Siena and a hub for restaurants, cafes, and the location where people sit down with an ice cream in hand. The square is home to Torre del Mangia, which dates back to the 1300s. It's Siena's most popular square and a vision of beauty with medieval architecture.

Torre del Mangia - Dating back to the 1300s and located in Piazza del Campo, this tower was originally the tallest in medieval Italy. It looks over the square and you're able to climb up it for a beautiful view of the city.

Going for a walk - As I always say, the best way to see a city and find the hidden gems is by going for a walk without following Google maps. Siena is a beautiful place to roam around as you come across some tucked away restaurants, little shops, and some really pretty streets.

Day two: More exploring and a day trip to Monteriggioni

Siena isn't a huge city so you're able to see all the sights within a day that on the second day, I would recommend a day trip. I chose to visit Monteriggioni, a small walled town known for its medieval architecture. The castle walls of which hold the town, offer a 360 view of the Tuscan hills, and honestly, I've never seen anything so beautiful.


Monteriggioni is located about a 20-minute bus journey from Siena. You can get the bus from Piazza Gramsci which is the main bus hub in Siena. Look out for bus 130 or 131 as they will both take you to Monterggioni - just make sure you get off at the right stop! Bus tickets can be bought at any newsagent style shop or cafe with the large T symbol outside.


On the walk up to Castello di Monteriggioni, I was presented with the most incredible views of Tuscany which got better as I walked further up. Monteriggioni is the quaintest place I've ever seen and I'm so happy we added to the itinerary. It's not the biggest place so an afternoon there would be enough time to soak up the glory.


Museo Monteriggioni in Arme - If history is your thing, make sure to take some time to look around this museum. It offers an insight into the war of Siena and all the army wear/weapons used in medieval times. It's also a lot of fun to try on all the gear.

Church of Santa Maria - This church stands in the middle of the square of the town. The town itself is very small and there are a select few restaurants which are located by the church.

Quaint shops - Monteriggioni was home to some of the quaintest shops I've seen on my Italy travels with them full of homemade items including bags, clothes, and jewelry. They're the perfect place to pick up a souvenir and take a browse.

Monteriggioni wall's - On two sides of the castle edge, you're able to climb up and see all the Tuscan hills- it's honestly stunning. Tickets for this can be bought at the entrance on either side of the walls and are worth it - and you'll get entrance to the museum with these tickets too.

Ristorante le Torri Monteriggioni - As I previously mentioned, the town only had a select few restaurants and we dined there on our visit. The pasta here was delicious! I had a ragu - and they offered a complimentary soup starter and bread.

Where to stay

Siena is rather small that wherever you stay, you'll be able to reach the main sights on foot, however, the more central, the better. I stayed at Hotel La Perla, which was within walking distance to pretty much anything (even the train station - about half-hour away.) The hotel was pretty modern and ideal to venture around the city from. There are plenty of other hotels to choose from, close by to all the main sights.

Where to eat 

Ristorante Al Mangia - Ever since coming back from Italy, I've raved about this restaurant. It was located in a tucked-away alley from the Piazza del Campo and opened in 1937. The food here was top quality and some of the best I tried in Italy. I ordered the bolognese style pasta and it was incredibly rich and moreish with a chocolate fondant dessert to follow. It's the type of family-run restaurant where locals visit more than tourists and I like that as you can fully immerse into its authenticity.

How to get there

Siena is very easy to get to from surrounding cities. You can either get a train from places like Florence, Lucca, etc or the bus. I took a train from Lucca and it took around 2 and a half hours. It was the longest train journey out of them all but completely worth it. You can also drive to the city but may find trouble parking near hotels in the centre.

Day trips from Siena

Florence - Florence is the heart of Tuscany and always worth another visit, even if you've been plenty of times. The train from Siena to Florence takes an hour and a half which will give you plenty of time to explore the city.

Pisa - Pisa is quite a small city that you're able to see all the main sights in an afternoon visit. From Siena, it takes around an hour and 45 minutes per train.

Lucca - Lucca is the quaintest city and small enough to soak up all the beauty within a day. It's quite a long train journey. however, at 2 and a half hours.

Monteriggioni - I've raved about this a lot in this article, but honestly, his would be top of my list for anyone visiting Siena as it's only a 20-minute journey away.

Chianti region - The Chianti region is renowned for its wine and the best vineyards to see in Tuscany. From Siena, you can easily book a tour of the vineyards which usually lasts 5 hours between 2pm-7pm. Look online or at the local travel agents whilst you're in the city to book- or even ask your hotel.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Is there anything you'd recommend to see in Siena?

Thank you for reading <3