Enjoying Siena: the palaces and the streets

Siena is an open-air museum and it is lovely to walk through the city centre keeping your eyes up. Every time is the right time to discover new fascinating views of the city as the last swallowtail merlons that you can admire from the vicolo dei Percennesi in the Terzo di Città that runs parallel to the principal path.
From Via di Città you can perceive the majesty of palace Chigi Saracini, which is now seat of the prestigious Musical Accademy Chigiana, known worldwide.

The building’s history starts in the XII century, when was built as Palazzo Marescotti by the Marescotti’s family. The family Piccolomini-Mandoli purchased the building in he 1506 and they enlarged it in the back, giving it a new Renaissance-style. Another key date is the 1770: in fact in this year the building was bought by the Saracini, followed by the Chigi in the 1877. For the desire of the last owner, the Count Guido Chigi Saracini, the building became the headquarter of the prestigious Musical Accademy Chigiana, founded by himself in the 1932.
Having visited the inner courtyard , treat yourself looking at the beauty of Siena in all the details and features that make it an unique place in the world.

You ara still in the ‘Terzo di Città’ and you can go back to Via del Casato, of of the most famous streets, today crossed by the Historical Parade that from here goes to Piazza del Campo. This important street follows the route of the town walls from the firs half of the fifteenth century. The architectural physiognomy goes up to the fourteenth century, in the urban development measures promoted by ‘the council of Nine’.

In the upper part, the Casato di Sopra, you could enjoy the palace Pannilini-Zuccantini that date back to the 1500 and palace Bargagli and buildings purely from the fourteenth century with valuable trilobated. Here and there are still ancient tabernacles. Bask on the vicolo dei Percennesi to have a privileged view on the last four swallowtail merlons remained in the Public Palace.

The lower section of the street, il Casato di Sotto, hosts the staircase of Vicolo della Fonte, leading to Fonte del Casato, from the 1359: passers-by cannot see this treasure chest that has been fundamental for the women who used to come here to hand wash their clothes. In this place stands Palazzo Ugursieri and its façade shows traces of graffiti and Florentine mullioned windows. This palace used to be the seat of Siena’s tribunal. A bit further, palace Ottieri della Ciaia shows a façade from the eighteenth century. Then, going towards Piazza del Campo, palace Patrizi and palace Berlinghieri, which now houses the City Council’s rooms. A ‘vibrant’ experience in former times, dreaming about the daily life of the greatest families of that time, the incredible architecture and Siena’s face that change from one palace to the other. Arrived in the end you will find Piazza del Campo and here we would suggest you an unusual itinerary for those who do love discover and explore details, known and unknown.

These are the streets that Siena lives everyday. Just turn right in Via Giovanni Duprè, skirting palace Berlighieri. From here turn left into Piazza del Mercato: the back of Palazzo Pubblico. Active since the nineteenth century, this square was the pulsating heart of the city. Right from the start the Town Council dealt the regulation of the public spaces and the ambulant vendors that used to sell fruit and vegetables, meat, leather goods and furniture. The sale was located in both fixed facilities and tarpaulins as tents directly on the floor. In the 1800 the town council began the regulations of the markets, with a special attention to the hygiene standards and the payment of the public space. At that time the ambulants where transferred under the ‘big turtle’ in Piazza del Mercato. The food-market was here until the Sixties.

Are you tired? Well , we have two tasty suggestions that worth trying out, enjoying the wonderful views, eating and drinking divinely.

You can keep admiring the unusual view on Palazzo Pubblico from Piazza del Mercato, sitting down in the table of La Finestra. Here you can enjoy unique dishes, a fusion of local delicacies and Maremma cuisine, as the stewes wild boar garnished with apple and grapes, or the hand-made pasta that will recover you after the long walk.

Otherwise you may opt for a light lunch or a lovely aperitivo in the ‘Antico Tagliere, a friendly Osteria located in Via Duprè 24. Sit and let the you counselled. In this traditional place you will find exquisite plates of cold cut and cheese from local products and some of the finest wines from Siena.