Sienna , Italy

We stayed two nights there and I didn't really see what the great appeal was. Now, we were there during the week instead of a weekend so there wasn't much going on. I think a couple of hours there would have been plenty.

I know others really love it so I'm sure you will get different view points.

In the old days when Florence ruled northern Tuscany, Siena ruled farther south, so there's a lot of history there. Their "old town" area has larger old buildings, and nicer, than you'd see in smaller, poorer places like Montepulciano, Cortona and Pienza.

Il Campo, the huge town square, is a wonderful place to sit and watch people.

The duomo is large and nice.

There's a good minibus tour that drives you over about every square inch of the old town in a couple of hours. Good tour.

BUT, if you're driving and not that interested, I'd recommend you skip it. You'd have to find a place to park outside the historic district and walk a pretty good distance each way (unless you get a taxi) to get to Il Campo area. You definitely don't want to drive into the old town.

Siena, one "n", not two.

Depends on how long/tightly-booked your trip is. Like many places, Siena doesn't have a lot of 5-star attractions, the attraction is the city itself. We really liked Siena, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. We also had some great, memorable meals, too.

james,

You could certainly stop in Siena for a few hours to have a look at the Duomo or Il Campo, but I'm not sure if it would be worth the effort. Staying there at least one night to enjoy some time there would be preferable.

One point to mention is that the last time I was in Siena (travelling by train) I spoke with a young couple from the U.S. that spent two hours looking for a parking spot. I'm not sure if the situation is the same now?

One other spot you might consider would be a stop in Orvieto, which is in Umbria. It's another beautiful hill town, and the frescoes on the ceiling in the Duomo are quite impressive. That's also a good location to drop your rental car so that you don't have to drive in Rome (it's only about an hour to Rome by train).

One final point to note is that an International Driver's Permit is mandatory for driving in Italy. You can obtain this from any AAA office at very reasonable cost.

Happy travels!

I like Siena very much. I've been there twice - but have only spent about 5-6 hours there each time and have felt like I've seen/done enough. I was just there in late October and had no problems parking in a very big garage that had many escalators up to town but was otherwise large and convenient.

james,
See the campo where the palio is run.
Palazzo Pubblico, town hall, has Sienese art including Ambrogio Lorenzetti's Good and bad Government.
Climb the Torre di Mangia for a breath taking view of the city.

The duomo is has a great exterior and is filled with works by Donatello, Bernini, Michelangelo, and Pisano as well as containing the Libreria Piccolomini. Even the floor is covered in art.
The bapistry and crypt are beneath the Duomo.
Spedale di Santa Marie delle scalla is a 1000 year old hospital that has huge works of art.
The archaeological museum under the hospital.
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.

The above is only part of what you can see in two of the piazza. There is much more.

Restaurants are numerous. I like La Finestra and Papei behind the town hall and Bagoga by Santa Caterina.
Others will tell you they like Cane e Gatto, La Torre and Osteria Le Logge

See http://www.turismoverde.com/italia/info/mappe/mappark.jpg
for parking

Question - Family will be staying in Tuscany the week of June 16 through July 3, 2010. Would like to do a day trip to Siena and wondering whether we should go on the day of Sinea's Palio on July 2nd? Or should we pick another day?

If your travel style is a list of must see sites that will impress friends and family back home, skip Siena. If you prefer Rick's style of slow travel, mixing with locals and rejuvenating your travel soul, Siena is a MUST.

I've been to Italy many times, seen breathtaking ancient ruins and priceless works of art. But, when I close my eyes and imagine myself back in Italy, I'm not at the Coliseum or staring at a Michelangelo. I'm relaxing on Il Campo eating a pizza and gelato.

All suggestions above are great. My wife and I drove from Florence to Siena to Rome last summer. We stayed in Siena (Villa Scacciapensieri) for one night. Beautiful city and amazing villa - should not miss it! I highly suggest taking the Chianti Road (parallels the autostrade) that winds its way through Tuscany from Florence to Siena and stop at any little town you find interesting. From Siena, we hopped on the autostrade to Rome.

One other suggestion, make sure you have a GOOD map of Rome if you plan to drive there. My suggestion would not to drive in the city though (think NYC times 10 for crazy drivers).

The restaurant you absolutely must stop at is Il Compaccio! It's not far from San Dominico. Siena is magical and it's worth it!

We enjoyed Siena even more than Florence. Mainly, because it was a bit slower paced and the tourist crowds weren't quite as huge. I agree with an earlier poster that the town hall (Palazzo Pubblico) is really worth while. The Museo Civico is located there which houses some stunning frescos. Go up the tower and you get some stunning views, enjoy a leisurly break at one of the cafes/restaurant that border Il Campo.

We went by car and followed the signs towards the Stadium parking lot. It's a pretty big one and you simply follow the signs with the soccer ball. You don't risk entering the ZTL and it's a quick walk from there into the historic centre.