Siena: What to See and Where to Eat in the Historic Centre

Siena sits an hour and a half south of Bologna by train, making it a realistic day trip or overnight from Emilia-Romagna. The historic centre is compact and almost entirely pedestrianised — you can cover the main sights on foot without a car. What follows is a short practical guide to what to see and where to eat.

Piazza del Campo

The Campo is the centre of Siena’s public life and one of the best medieval squares in Italy. Its shell shape — divided into nine segments representing the medieval Council of Nine — is unusual in European urban planning. The square is free to enter at any hour. The Palio, Siena’s bareback horse race, is held here twice a year (2 July and 16 August), but outside those dates the Campo is simply the city’s main gathering place.

Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia

The Gothic Palazzo Pubblico on the southern edge of the Campo houses the Museo Civico, which contains some of the most important civic frescoes in Italy — including Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government (c. 1338–39). The Torre del Mangia rises 87 metres and gives a full panorama of the city and the surrounding countryside. Tickets: approximately €10 for the museum alone, €15 combined with the tower (valid two days).

Where to Eat

La Prosciutteria (Via Pantaneto 89) serves boards of Italian charcuterie and regional wines. Open 10am to midnight daily. Expect to pay €4–25 per item. Reservations recommended in the evening.

Pretto (Via dei Termini 4) is a good option for a quick lunch — Lampredotto sandwiches and Pinsa Romana pizza, priced €3–25. Open noon to 9pm. Book ahead at weekends.

Both places are within five minutes’ walk of the Campo and suit a day visit without a long time commitment.

Getting There from Bologna

The fastest route is Bologna Centrale to Florence Santa Maria Novella (35 minutes by Frecciarossa), then Florence to Siena by bus (around 75 minutes) or regional train via Empoli (around 100 minutes). Total journey: approximately 2–2.5 hours each way. Day trips are feasible; an overnight stay gives more time in the city.