Listen to “245. Siena: Medieval Wonders, the Famous Palio, and Sweet Treats” on Spreaker.
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The Medieval, walled city of Siena in Tuscany has a rich history and vibrant culture, from its Palio horse race dating back to the Middle Ages to hidden gems like San Domenico Church and the relics of Saint Catherine and sweet local delicacies which make any visit worthwhile. Discover the best ways to experience Siena and uncover insider tips on savoring its unique traditions!
Summary
We welcome first-time podcast guest but long-time tour guide, Annarita Ferranti to dive into the enchanting city of Siena. Annarita moved to Siena at 18 for her studies later becoming a professional tour guide and sommelieSiena, with its picturesque location in central Tuscany, is not just a pretty face – it boasts a rich historical rivalry with Florence and a vibrant culture centered around the famous Palio horse race and the legacy of Saint Catherine. Annarita will share insider tips on must-visit sites like the stunning Duomo and local bakeries, and she’ll delve into the profound social traditions of Siena’s contrade. Whether you’re planning a quick visit or a longer stay, this episode will help you uncover the hidden gems of this medieval masterpiece.
What you’ll learn in this episode
- The Medieval walled city of Siena, with a small population of just 60,000, lies 60 km south of Florenc and 250 km from Rome. Annarita moved to Siena to study at 18 and transitioned from academia to tourism in her late 20s. Alongside being an official tour guide, Annarita works with her husband at their agriturismo and restaurant Tenuta di Mensanello in Colle di Val d’Elsa
- Siena can be difficult to access due to heavy traffic and the train station being a little out of town. Annarita suggests hiring a car and taking the Chiantigiana – the non-highway road from Florence to Sienca which is an incredibly scenic drive
- Historically Siena was its own Republic and had a rivalry with Florence until it was finally invaded by Florence’s Cosimo I in the early 1500s
- The relics of Saint Catherine of Siena, the patron saint of Italy, are held in the San Domenica church. Other sites include Santa Maria dei Servi Church, San Francesco Church and the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena is a bank, still in operation, which was founded in 1472
- Annarita recommends staying in Siena for a few nights, to enjoy it fully and also use it as a base to visit surrounding areas and towns like Val d’Elsa, Val d’Orcia, Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano and San Gimignano
- Siena’s Duomo has a unique floor which is a masterpiece decorated over a period of 400 years. There is also an unfinished Duomo, where the construction halted due to the Black Plague of 1348, but has a facciatone (tower) to climb for impressive city views
- Siena is very steep in places but luckily there are escalators in some parts. To reward yourself for any steep climbs, treat yourself to some of the local delicacies like Ricciarelli, Panforte, Panpepato and Pan Co’Santi. Notable bakeries are Nannini and Forno il Magnifico
- The Palio horse race which takes place twice a year, is a cultural highlight and a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. It is best to stay at least one night in Siena for the festivities as it gets very busy. There are a variety of ways to view the race which last just a minute and a half
- Each of the city’s districts (contrada) are represented in the race, and the prize is to win the Palio: a hand-painted silk canvas. There are many traditions and celebrations around the Palio including potential corruption between the contrada and the jockeys – all part of the fun
Timeline Overview
- 00:30 Annarita’s academia background and her move to tourism in her late 20s
- 05:11 Siena is a Tuscan town with a long and fascinating history. It can be difficult to access due to heavy traffic and the train station being a little out of town
- 09:30 Although a small city, there is so much to see in Medieval Siena: churches, relics, a historic bank
- 12:33 Palio: The twice-yearly Siena horse race is tied to districts (contrade) – and there are many celebrations and traditions around it.
- 22:30 The Duomo floor is a masterpiece in itself – updated over 400 years Middle Ages to Rennasiance
- 28:43 Stay overnight in Siena for the Palio to immerse yourself in the exciting parties and prepare to watch the race
About our guest – Annarita Ferranti
Siena tour guide Annarita Ferranti was born in Tolentino, a little town in the Marche region of central Italy. She moved to Siena to study Classical Humanities (Greek and Latin literature). She then went on to get her PHD outside of Italy, in the UK and Granada, Spain, with her thesis on female representation in Classical literature and Renaissance art.
In 2013 she began teaching alongside which she studied to become a sommelier and tour leader, leading tours of Tuscany’s wine regions and working for a few years for a famous Tuscan winery. She then went on to qualify as an official tour guide, first with a focus on Florence, and then on Siena. After welcoming her beautiful baby girl Flora, now 3, she began to work as a tour guide in Siena and the surrounds as well as working alongside her husband Neri, at Tenuta di Mensanello in Colle di Val d’Elsa, a stunning agriturismo in the Chianti hills. There they produce wine and extra virgin olive oil and host people at their restaurant and the agriturismo for tours, weddings and vacation stays.
Contact Annarita here
Follow Tenuta di Mensanello here
Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned
Places
- Colle Val d’Elsa – where Annarita lives in Tuscany – located between Siena and Florence
- Chiantigiana – the road connecting Siena to Florence which is known to be very scenic
- Basilica San Domenico – Cistercian Gothic church in Siena also known as Basilica Cateriniana and contains remnants including her finger and head
- Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena – the world’s oldest (or 2nd oldest based on definitions) bank, founded in 1472. Still housed in Palazzo Salimbeni on Via Banchi di Sopra
- Santa Maria dei Servi – church in the historic center of Siena
- Basicillia San Francesco – church built in the 1200s then enlarged in the 14th-15th centuries
- Casole d’Elsa, Radicondoli – towns in the Val d’Elsa
- Val d’Orcia – area of Southern Tuscany home to the gorgeous towns of Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano
- San Gimignano – famous Tuscan town popular with tourists
- Piazza del Campo – the main square of the historic center of Siena
- Duomo di Siena – the city’s cathedral build in the 13th and 14th centuries on the sight of a Roman temple
- facciatone – the tower on the unfinished Duomo that is a great observation point in the city
- Nannini – a shop that sells amazing pastries, run by the family of a famous singer Gianna Nannin. Unfortunately, it does get very crowded
- Forno il Magnifico – authentic, welcoming bakery near Via de Pellegrini with fantastic local pastries and particularly Pan Co’Santi
- Palazzo Pubblico – starting in 1297, it was built to to serve as the seat of the Republic of Siena’s government
Food / Drink
- Ricciarelli – a type of cookie from Siena dating back to the 14th century
- Panforte – a chewy kind of dessert of fruit and nuts, similar to Florentines a lot thicker. A various of this made with black pepper is Panpepato
- Pan Co’Santi – traditional fruit bread made around All Saints day (also known as the Bread of the Dead)
Words / Concepts
- Lettere Antiche – studies in ancient Greek and Latin texts
- Palio di Siena – horse race that takes place in the middle of Siena, twice a year, dating back to the 1600s
- Catherine of Siena – Santa Caterina da Siena was a Catholic mystic and activist from the 1300s. Considered patron saint of Italy
- contrade – the Siena neighborhoods that compete in the Palio
- Botero – a famous Columbian artist who died in 2023 – known for his particular style of figures
- 1348 Plague in Siena – an outbreak of the plague affected the population of Siena greatly and they abandoned the building of a new Duomo which still stands unfinished
Related content on Untold Italy
Podcasts
- Ep 242 – Tastes of Tuscany in Fall
- Ep 213 – Wines of Southern Tuscany
- Ep 209 – Delicious winter dishes from Tuscany
- Ep 199 – Perfect Pienza – Hilltop town of dreams in Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia
- Ep 176 – A week in Tuscany with Untold Italy
- Ep 158 – Slow travel experiences in Tuscany
- Ep 139 – Secret towns under the Tuscan sun
- Ep 124 – Enchanting Arezzo – Tuscan town of your dreams
- Ep 113 – Spring dishes from Tuscany
- Ep 089 – Harvest in Tuscany
- Ep 079 – Maremma – Exploring Tuscany’s Undiscovered Coast
- Ep 060 – Garfagnana – My Tuscany with Buzz Mccarthy
- Ep 057 – Tuscany’s Chianti region
Articles
- Tuscany Travel Guide
- Best towns in Tuscany,
- Tuscany itinerary ideas
- Where to stay in Tuscany
- Best Agriturismo Tuscany
- Reasons to visit Southern Tuscany and the Val d’Orcia
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