Virtual tour
Enjoy a virtual and interactive visit of Siena's historical centre. Through these panoramic images and maps you can encounter and get to know the monuments, buildings and works of art of this great city and appreciate its rich medieval texture which is full of delightful gothic jewels all shown here.
This web site makes extensive use of multimedia technology. Apple Quick Time and Adobe Flash must therefore be installed on your computer in order to complete your visit.
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Cost of living in Siena
Food and drinks come in all price ranges, from reasonably priced
eateries to fine dining.
The following can be used as reference for food costs:
one loaf of bread: 1.40 euro;
250 gr. of butter: 1.40 euro;
one litre of milk: 1.30 euro;
one litre of mineral water: 30-50 cents;
one ca of Coke: 1.50;
one bottle of beer:1.80 euro
Complete lunch in an average restaurant will cost about 20.00/25.00
euro,
Typical italian breakfast of a pastry and coffee or cappuccino costs
about 2,00 euro,
Delicious italian gelato (ice-cream) costs 1,70 euro.
If you feel like having a snack, there are plenty of cheap
pizzerias, where a slice of pizza costs about 1.10 to 1.50 euro.
A local phone call costs 0.30 cents, and a cinema ticket will cost
6.00 euro.
A full cycle of washing, including drying, at the launderette, costs
6.00 euro.
Urban bus is 90 cents for a one-way trip, while a monthly pass will
cost 24.00 euro.
What
to expect from Siennese life ...
As you will have seen, Siena has passed a long and fascinating
journey through history, at times ruling majestically, both
culturally and politically, at other times, being ruled over and
oppressed by a long line of diverse nations and powers, each of
which has left its mark on the Siena we see today. The town centre
in the 21
st Century is largely indifferent to the
centuries passed and the continuous stream of tourists and outside
influences that have for years tried to penetrate the heart of this
medieval jewel. The buildings that you can see as you walk the
narrow cobbled streets are those that stood through French
occupation, the wars against Florence and the Black Plague. The city
throbs with history, the jealously-guarded history of a proud people
whose hearts still beat with the same drum-beats as at the first
Palio in the 13
th century….a people who would not think
twice about fighting for the honour of their contrada….a people who
still regard the twice-yearly Palio as sacred in its profanity.
Nowadays, an outsider may be granted a glance at the heart of Siena
and her people, may even be invited to join the celebrations, and
will find in the Siennese a wonderfully hospitable people who are
always willing to “add a place to the table” (a Siennese song sung
during the Contrada dinners). But beware, that the Siennese are
extremely over-protective of their city and her traditions, and it
is not difficult to offend them beyond hope of ever re-compensating.
All of Siena’s traditions need to be respected as you would a
person. Siena has succeeded in keeping hold of all of her ancient
characteristics – old buildings created for the heat of the Tuscan
summer ( central heating only allowed by law during the official
winter months), narrow roads, and tall houses, all helping to make
Siena the Gothic dream that she has been for so long. The experience
of walking through the city is enhanced by the lack of noteworthy
traffic – officially a “no-traffic zone” Siena is a very safe city
to wander around. But prepare for the amount of walking you’ll be
doing; Siena is perched on the top of three hills! Siena’s position
of 322m (1059ft) above sea level, means a slightly milder climate
than neighbouring Florence, though throughout the summer months the
temperature can still reach the 38-39°C (100°F). The winter months,
however, can be very cold, reaching lows of 0°C (32°F), and as
Italian houses are designed for hot summers, and central heating can
be quite ineffective, it is worth bringing a lot of warm clothes for
relaxing around the house. In the summer, however, you can get away
with wearing very little! Be prepared, though, that when visiting
churches and other holy buildings you may be refused entry if you
are not fully covered up. It is worth sometimes carrying a sarong or
similar item to ensure you are allowed in, and more importantly to
respect the local customs. Being a University city, a lot of the
bars throughout the town centre see some action at night, but the
main evening attraction is the Piazza itself. Here the Siennese come
to see and be seen in one of the many bars that line the square.
People-watching has never been such an art form as here in Italy.
During the summer the Piazza is packed with people, Siennese,
students, tourists, all drinking, chatting, watching the evening
roll by, content in the knowledge that tomorrow will bring the same
entertainment as today, that nothing will ever really change, and
that Siena is a safe haven in a world of development. Apart from the
bars, and the Piazza, Siena boasts a fair number of cinemas for a
city of her size, some of which host evenings of “original language
films”. During the sultry, summer evenings it is also possible to
watch the “Cinema sotto le Stelle” (Cinema under the stars) – the
outdoor film event in the medieval Fortress which looks like a
film-set itself. Getting around Siena by foot is very easy, due to
her compact size. Bus services tend to be fairly frequent and
reliable into a from town centre. You can find tickets in all
Tabacchi shops, and they need to be stamped as you get on the
bus……otherwise you risk a fine. Some people choose to cycle, and
this is also a good way of getting from one end of the city to the
other, though for short journeys, walking is preferable and easy.
All-in-all, Siena is a unique city…..tiring in her
many customs and very set in her ways. But she is also a fascinating
lesson in the diversity of people, and completely unforgettable.
Meteo ...
