Siena

A magical city home to artwork, aqueducts and a shell-shaped square

Fine vintages, sun-kissed hills, and the delights of Florence might be plenty, but Siena is an example of what else Tuscany has to offer. Italy’s fragmented medieval politics saw many cities throw their feather-plumed hats into the ring of conquest. Siena was one of them, and it has all the hallmarks of medieval importance.

Siena fancied itself Florence’s banking rival back in the 13th and 14th centuries. It lost that contest in the end, but managed to build a stunning cathedral before the money ran out. Picture a feat of Italian Romanesque design. Alternating black and white marble slabs lock together. A sturdy bell-tower surges upwards. The incredible interior, we’ll let you discover for yourself.

The cathedral is just next to Siena’s famous square – only, if you go looking for a “square”, you’ll never find it. Siena’s shell-shaped Piazza del Campo is vast. It carves out an enclave from the tangled maze of alleyways as large as a sports field. Locals meet or talk on the phone at bars around its edge.

Each year the piazza hosts the “Palio”, a centuries-old horse race fought between the city’s different districts. Hooves thunder on medieval cobbles. Cries of joy burst from the square’s centre. The whinnying of horses drowns out the steaming coffee machines in the shadow of the Palazzo Publico.

Ancient underground aqueducts, treasure chests of art, and floating baroque music halls are all yours to enjoy too.

Find yourself a trattoria down an alleyway off the square, where they serve local dishes. Cords of “pici”, the fat local spaghetti you can’t get elsewhere, will entangle you. But who’s complaining? Dried fruit and spices are for dessert. And there’s always Tuscan wine on the table.