Roaming the lands: Siena, Italy
Note: I noticed that WordPress had annoyingly changed dimensions for the pictures displayed, so I had to make mine smaller for better viewing (at least I think so). The images should be enlarged upon clicking on them. I will be doing this to my previous posts as well.
One weekend, my friends and I ventured forth to Siena. Of course, upon alighting from the train, we had to walk up steep hills towards the center of the city. Is there any wonder how people here can eat a lot yet still maintain gorgeous figures?
Walking ~2km to reach the center
The houses built along the hill – I wonder if it’s all slanted inside? 
Siena is a city in Italy which is known for holding the Palio horse race twice a year. We went in October, which is unfortunate, as the races are held in July and August. We did go to the weirdly shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, where the races are held. The road acts as a racetrack for the horses while the spectators stand within the brown-stoned space in the middle to watch. Seems like a spectacular event to witness!
Piazza del Campo – racetrack for the Palio
Other than being famous for the Palio horse race, Siena is also :
- a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and
- one of the nation’s most visited tourist attractions.
That said, I didn’t find much that piqued my interest. At the Piazza, there is the Palazzo Pubblico, the City Hall, with Torre del Mangia, the tower from which the sights of the city can be viewed from above. Slightly further is also the breathtaking Duomo, a black and white cathedral.
Torre del Mangia
The Duomo
There are several churches around, and a few neat shops around the Piazza, but that was all that I remember about this place – including the fact that there were a lot of tourists around lounging enjoying their drinks outside cafés despite it not being the day of the horse race. Therefore it’s ciao for now!
Just had to add one with me inside
