About Siena
Siena rises on three hills in the heart of Tuscany, a city that reached its golden age in the Middle Ages and then — thanks to plague, politics, and Florentine rivalry — simply stopped, leaving one of Europe's most perfectly preserved medieval centers. Its brick lanes funnel from all directions into the Piazza del Campo, the great scallop-shaped square where the Palio bareback horse race has thundered twice each summer for centuries.
The city's black-and-white striped cathedral is among Italy's most dazzling — inlaid marble floors, a Michelangelo-touched altar, and the riotously frescoed Piccolomini Library — while the Torre del Mangia rewards its four hundred steps with all of Tuscany at your feet. Around it all swirls a proudly local life of contrade (neighborhood) flags, enotecas pouring Brunello and Chianti Classico, and pastry shops selling the panforte Siena has baked since crusader days.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Siena.
Linger on the Campo
Claim a café table or simply sit on the warm brick like the locals do. The fan-shaped piazza is Italy's finest outdoor living room, especially as the evening light turns it gold.
Step inside the Duomo
Zebra-striped columns, a story-book marble floor, and the jewel-box Piccolomini Library make Siena's cathedral a match for any in Italy. The rooftop "Gate of Heaven" tour is worth every step.
Learn the contrade
Seventeen neighborhood "republics" — Eagle, She-Wolf, Snail — still command fierce loyalty. Spot their fountains and flags in the lanes, and you'll read the city like a local.
Tours That Visit Siena
| Tour | Tour Partner | Days | Next Departure | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscany Bike Tour | Backroads | 6 | Aug 30, 2026 | $4,449View & Get Price |
| Tuscany Wine Country Bike Tour | Backroads | 6 | Sep 13, 2026 | $6,799View & Get Price |
| Tuscany Wine Country Easygoing E-bike Tour | Backroads | 6 | Sep 13, 2026 | $6,499View & Get Price |
| Northern Italy | Odysseys Unlimited | 15 | Apr 7, 2027 | $5,195View & Get Price |
| Portrait of Italy | Odysseys Unlimited | 16 | Sep 5, 2026 | $4,895View & Get Price |
Book any of these through Pavlus and pay less — never a service fee. Browse the full catalog → or call 800-528-9300 for your unadvertised Pavlus price.