Innovative tour of Siena in a vintage Fiat 500

Description

Monuments
2 Hours
*Guide
Views
Tablets

THE CITY

Siena is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy and it is placed on the gentle and well-known Tuscan hills. It is universally known for its remarkable historical and artistic heritage, which includes art masterpieces, monuments, churches and palaces. The centre of the city, which is also the cornerstone of the political and commercial life of Siena, is the famous Piazza del Campo: yet forum of the Roman times, it is characterized by its seashell shape. Fonte Gaia and many other nobiliary palaces decorate the square: Palazzo Chigi-Zondadari, Palazzo Sansedoni and Palazzo della Mercanzia are some of the most magnificent ones of the city. Among the other buildings the religious ones are also worth of mention, such as the majestic and uncompleted Cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, the Basilicas of San Francesco, San Domenico, I Servi and the churches of Santa Maria in Provenzano, San Cristoforo, Santa Caterina, Sant’Agostino and San Vigilio.

HISTORY

First evidenceof the birth of the city date back to the Roman Empire. Two legends are proof of the foundation of the city, which are linked to Senio, Remo’s son: the first one tells about the arrival of the brothers Senio and Ascanio, on the Sienese hillson two horses, a white and a black one. They wererunning away from their uncle Romolo who wanted to kill them. In the second one, the two brothers built the city by lighting up an initiating pyrein order to thank the gods. The fume originated from the fire, half black and half white, as the colour of the two horses,recalls the emblem of Siena, called “balzana”. Discoveries ofprevious age, found inside the historical centre of the city, lead instead to a totally different hypothesis, in other words, that the site was founded by the Etruscan population. Siena sees its peak time, on both an economical and cultural side, during the Middle Ages, especially under the “Governo dei Nove” (“Government of the Nine”, magistrature of the Republic of Siena, in charge from 1287 to 1355). The Republic of Siena, though, starts its slow declineup to 1555, when the city, after a more than one yearattack, has to surrender to the empire of Carlo V, backed up by the Florentines.

THE ROUTE

Get on board of one of our vintage Fiat 500s and we will drive you through an interactive tour experience. Starting from the city center, in front of the splendid Basilica of San Domenico from which it is possible to admire the majestic Cathedral, you can follow the directions of the navigator, along the route that runs along the city walls, almost completely intact. Interactive videos will guide you to discover the most important gates of the city, such as Porta Camollia, Porta Romana and Porta San Marco. Breathtaking views will be revealed to your eyes, along the characteristic roads on the hills that border the city: here you can come across the splendid Basilica dell'Osservanza, a treasure trove of works of art, and in the numerous and fascinating churches, parish churches and sources that dot the area. adjacent to the city.

*on request