16 Cool Things to Do in Siena, Italy

There are so many fantastic things to do in Siena, Italy. This small city in Tuscany is an excellent day trip from Florence, showcasing the beauty of urban Italy, with far fewer tourists than in Florence.

Many tourists visit Siena on a day trip from nearby Florence — and it’s even better when paired with the Tuscan hilltop town San Gimignano, like on this excellent tour I took. A day trip to Siena and another town like San Gimignano can give you a wonderful introduction to the region of Tuscany.

I also like the idea of using Siena as a base for exploring Southern Tuscany, which is a large and diverse region in its own right. You get all the benefits of staying in a city (like nice restaurants and lots of hotel choices!) with far fewer crowds than you’ll find in Florence.

I first visited Siena way back in 2013 and loved it right away — and I was happy to come back more than a decade later on a fun Siena day trip from Florence to explore the city more.

Siena is Florence’s rival from the Renaissance era, although Florence has now outgrown its competitor considerably, at least when it comes to population — the population of Siena is just 53,000, while Florence has over 382,000 residents. 

One of the things Siena is most famous for is the Palio, a twice-annual summertime festival with a horse race around the city’s central square. Siena is also known for its impressive medieval architecture, including the iconic Torre del Mangia and the incredible Duomo di Siena, which is actually my favorite church in Italy.

So how should you spend your time in Siena? Let’s take a look at the best things to do!

This post was published in November 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Dale Peterson.

Things to Do in Siena, Italy

Visit the Piazza del Campo

The Piazza del Campo is Siena’s main public space, but it’s so much more than your average town square. It’s regarded as one of the most impressive medieval squares in Europe, thanks to its iconic architecture and expansiveness.

This large square (which is really more of a rounded trapezoid with) is where the famous Palio horse race takes place. The race dates all the way back to the 15th century in Siena, and it’s been using the current…