Siena, one of the typical Tuscany towns. Famous mostly because the annual Palio, held twice a year on the 2 July and the 16 August. Palio di Siena basically a horse race in Piazza del Campo at the town center, a race in between the 17 contrades of Siena (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrade_of_Siena). The race usually lasts 90 seconds, which is rather short, but it is the preparation and the festivity beforehand that attract people to the Palio.
Taking trains to Siena from Florence and Pisa must all take a change at Empoli. Once reach Siena train station, there is a tourism office inside the station where you can grab a free map and any information needed. Siena is not big at all. The Siena streets are narrow and the buildings are tall enough to provide the shade, making the walk inside the old city pretty enjoyable. In front of the train station, there is a shopping center, and inside of it, there are escalators helping people to get up to the old city of Siena.
Siena
Siena train station
This is the view after taking the escalators of the shopping center in front of the train station.
From the train station, after passing through a shopping center and a few escalators,
and a hundred meters later, you will reach this city wall. The old city of Siena is inside
this wall.
Cathedral of Siena
The flags of the 17 contrades.
Piazza del Campo on a normal day.
Piazza del Campo on a normal day.
Piazza del Campo just before the Palio.
Video recorded by my mom. Piazza del Campo on days before the Palio.
Fences around the plaza and the horse race circuit covered with thick layer of dirt.
In the movie Quantum of Solace, there is actually one chase scene took place in Siena, in the middle of Palio.
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