Things to see in Siena

This list is by no means exhaustive of what to see in Siena, but you have to start somewhere.

If you’ve already seen everything, just ask we what else there is to see, and based on your interests, I’ll give you other suggestions.

Piazza del Campo

Piazza del Campo in Siena is a semicircular, shell-shaped square. It is divided into nine sections in honor of the Government of the Nine, which led Siena to its peak in the 14th century.

The square is used for concerts, sporting events, the market in the Campo, and the famous Palio di Siena, the horse race held every year on July 2 and August 16.

Not to be missed: Fonte Gaia, the Cappella di Piazza, Palazzo Pubblico, and the Museo Civico, which houses frescoes and artworks including the Maestà by Simone Martini and the frescoes of Good and Bad Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. The Torre del Mangia offers a spectacular view over the city.

Siena Cathedral

Siena Cathedral, traditionally consecrated on November 18, 1179, offers a wealth of artworks and sculptures to admire.

Not to be missed:

• The floor, decorated with over 50 colored and graffito marble panels, usually partially visible to the public and fully visible at certain times of the year.
• The statues of St. Jerome and Mary Magdalene by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the Chapel of the Madonna del Voto, along with the panel Madonna and Child by Dietisalve di Speme on the altar.
• The recently restored pulpit by Nicola Pisano (2018).
• The statue of St. John the Baptist by Donatello in the Chapel of St. John the Baptist.
• The Renaissance frescoes in the Piccolomini Library by Pinturicchio, depicting stories from the life of Pope Pius II Piccolomini.
• The statue of St. Paul in the frontispiece of the Piccolomini Altar, made by Michelangelo.

Santa Maria della Scala Museum

Santa Maria della Scala, originally a place of welcome for pilgrims traveling the Via Francigena, is now a museum.

Not to be missed:

• Fourth Level: The Pellegrinaio Hall, a ward for patients until the 1990s, features 15th-century frescoes depicting the hospital’s activities.
• Third Level: Here you will find the Chapel of Santa Caterina della Notte and the originals of the Fonte Gaia by Jacopo della Quercia, alongside the casts of the 19th-century copy by Tito Sarrocchi found in Piazza del Campo.
• First and Second Levels: Further down, one crosses what was once a real “road” for carts delivering foodstuffs to Santa Maria. You can visit the Archaeological Museum and the route on the medieval history of Siena.

National Picture Gallery (Pinacoteca)

The National Picture Gallery of Siena (Pinacoteca) hosts a vast collection of artworks ranging from the 13th to the 17th centuries. There are mainly religious-themed paintings, but also some of a secular nature. The detailed narratives and the Sienese artists’ ability to depict reality are captivating.

Not to be missed:

• Dossal of Maestro di Tressa, the first painting dated 1215
• Madonna of the Franciscans, Duccio di Buoninsegna
• Panel of Blessed Agostino Novello, Simone Martini
• Panel of the Madonna del Carmine, Pietro Lorenzetti
• Annunciation, Ambrogio Lorenzetti
• Deposition from the Cross, Sodoma
• The Archangel Michael expelling the rebel angels, Beccafumi

Biccherne Museum and Basilica dei Servi

In Via Banchi di Sotto is the Biccherne Museum, one of Siena’s hidden treasures that tourists usually overlook. What makes this museum special? It houses the ancient covers of the administrative registers of the financial magistracy of the City of Siena. These are true works of art, witnesses to the city’s history from 1258 to 1682.

In the Basilica dei Servi, you can find a significant work: Madonna del Bordone, created by the Florentine Coppo di Marcovaldo in 1261 to pay his ransom. The panel is located at the second altar on the right. Its Byzantine iconography has some interesting features, such as the lyre-shaped backrest and the red shoes associated with imperial iconography. The golden highlights in the drapery give a sense of volume to the body under the clothes. The cloth under the Child may allude to the Shroud. The faces of the Madonna and Child were repainted in the 14th century to resemble those in the Maestà by Duccio di Buoninsegna.

From the Basilica, you can enjoy a splendid view of Siena’s iconic monuments.

Insigne Collegiata di Santa Maria in Provenzano

The Insigne Collegiata di Santa Maria in Provenzano, built between the late 16th century and early 17th century by the Medici, was constructed to ingratiate themselves with the Sienese who were devoted to a venerated image in the neighborhood, considered miraculous. This image, a terracotta bust from the 15th century, is displayed on the altar and gives its name to the Palio on July 2.

On July 2, right after the Palio, the winning contrada goes to this church to sing the Maria Mater Gratiae.

Its strikingly white façade captures the eye.

Basilica of San Francesco and Oratory of San Bernardino

The Basilica of San Francesco has a uniform façade thanks to an 18th-century renovation, although its original construction dates from 1228-1255, with subsequent expansions. The church houses the sacred particles, 351 consecrated hosts stolen in 1730 and recovered three days later. The frescoes by Ambrogio and Pietro Lorenzetti are located in the third chapel to the left of the altar, restored in 2017.

The Oratory of San Bernardino, another hidden treasure of Siena, houses 16th-century frescoes by Domenico Beccafumi, Giovanni Antonio Bazzi known as ‘Sodoma,’ and Girolamo del Pacchia. A burst of colors.

Basilica of San Domenico

The Basilica of San Domenico is renowned for Sodoma’s frescoes narrating the life of Saint Catherine of Siena and for the third Maestà present in Siena, a work by Guido da Siena, displayed in one of the chapels of the left transept. The other two are the Maestà by Duccio di Buoninsegna in the Museo dell’OPA and the Maestà by Simone Martini in the Museo Civico. From the gardens of San Domenico, there is a splendid view of the Cathedral.

Staying at AmiRooms, you can easily walk to all these places, and remember, we will be happy to suggest more if you have already seen everything.

Click on the photo and take a look at our rooms!