We left Florence this morning. Next stop Rome! On our way to Rome we decided to stop in Siena. The ride from Florence to Siena was an easy one.
We have found that the toll roads here are very expensive (similar to our experience in Spain). Often you don’t pay when you get off one major road and onto another, rather you get a ticket when you get on the first major road and the pay when you get off the major road network.
We had trouble finding a parking when we arrived in Siena but eventually found a spot. After parking we headed into the old town. We found Il Campo which is the main square in Siena and had some breakfast. Many of the buildings are a orangish/brownish color, hence the origin of the color burnt siena.
Twice a year they have horse races in the square. Here’s Rick Steves’ description of the race, “Ten of the 17 neighborhoods compete (chosen by rotation and lot), hurling themselves with medieval abandon into several days of trial races and traditional revelry. Jockeys—usually from out of town—are considered hired guns, no better than paid mercenaries. Bets are placed on which contrada [neighborhood] will win… and lose. Despite the shady behind-the-scenes dealing, on the big day the horses are taken into their contrada’s church to be blessed. (“Go and return victorious,” says the priest.) It’s considered a sign of luck if a horse leaves droppings in the church. On the evening of the race, Il Campo is stuffed to the brim with locals and tourists. Dirt is brought in and packed down to create the track’s surface, while mattresses pad the walls of surrounding buildings. The most treacherous spots are the sharp corners, where many a rider has bitten the dust. Picture the scene: Ten snorting horses and their nervous riders line up near the pharmacy (on the west side of the square) to await the starting signal. Then they race like crazy while spectators wave the scarves of their neighborhoods. Every possible vantage point and perch is packed with people straining to see the action. One lap around the course is about a third of a mile (350 meters); three laps make a full circuit. In this no-holds-barred race—which lasts just over a minute—a horse can win even without its rider (jockeys ride precariously without saddles and often fall off the horses’ sweaty backs). When the winner crosses the line, 1/ 17th of Siena—the prevailing neighborhood—goes berserk. Winners receive a palio (banner), typically painted by a local artist and always featuring the Virgin Mary (the race is dedicated to her).“ It sounds like a crazy time.
After our breakfast we went up to the Duomo, Siena’s 13th-century striped cathedral and bell tower, enjoying the medieval streets along the way.
Every inch of the facade was decorated. To me I looked like a religious wedding cake. Here are some pictures.
Inside it was cavernous, filled with stripes columns and gorgeous art. The marble floor was paved with scenes from the Old Testament, allegories, and intricate patterns. One of the altars contained a statue by Michelangelo and a chapel contained two Bernini statues. There were beautiful never-restored frescos painted by Pinturicchio in the library.
After leaving the Duomo we slowly made our way back to the car and got on the road to Rome. We drove to the airport and dropped off the car. Our Airbnb host had arranged a taxi to pick us up at the car return office. The taxi whisked us into Rome and to our apartment which is very comfortable.
After getting settled, we went out for a walk. We went to Campo de’ Fiori and Piazzo Novana. In Piazzo Novano we showed Nancy and Mike one of our favorite fountains, Bernini’s Four Rivers. Here are some pictures.
We walked back to Trastevere, the neighborhood where our apartment is located. We ended up eating in a restaurant that we had eaten in twice when we visited Rome in 2013. We had a very nice dinner in the private courtyard.
A long but wonderful day in Italy!