July's Palio

Ladys and gentlemen, on Monday the July's palio race is on! I'll be off for it, planning to take my camera set for a run, this year. Remember that the best place to see it is inside the square. Entering is not crazy as most people expect, and you will mostly feel the Palio trough the emotions of the Siena people standing in there.
You can also watch the run in streaming following webcasters listed on this page.
More details on the Palio in English on this link and info for the specific run on this other page.
May the Dragon win!!
If you need directions or hints or want to meet in Siena, post a message!

Breakfast in Florence

Let's face it: Even if you are looking for Siena, you will spend some time in Florence, sooner or later. As I am staying inf Florence for a while for work, I am been screening a few famous Bars for Italian breakfast, that means Brioches + Cappuccino standing at the bar. Here are my findings (and I welcome yours).

An option: Renting rooms in private houses

Recently I discovered a new way to stay: Especially if you are planning to stay longer, it may be interesting to consider to rent a room in a bigger private apartment. I discovered a web site that provides a link between who offers and who searches: Easystanza. Here is a direct link to rooms available in Siena.

Agriturismo in Siena

Yes, you understand well: A farm house in Siena. If you like staying in the country but being just at 3 km from Siena I recommend "Il Fullino Nero". I never happened to stay there but I went to know the owners and I visited the place, very well restored. For more details visit their nice web site that can say it all. Here is the link! Enjoy!

Monteriggioni, The Walled Town

If I would have to indicate the top ten of my favorite places on Earth, I would have difficulties to come up with the selection, but Monteriggioni would be one of them.

This walled town, just Nord than Siena, always impressed me, and when I really want to impress somebody, even who is difficult to impress, I always get a "wow" entering through the gate of Monteriggioni.

Monteriggioni has been build in 1213 and for centuries it has been the defensive outpost of the Republic of Siena against the Republic of Florence. It has been won by Florence just in the year 1554 due to an act of betrayal of the captain of the garrison stationed in Monteriggioni, in this way ending the Siena Republic in 1555.

On July 6-7-8 and 13-14-15 this year in Monteriggioni will be held the the annual medieval festival with historical reenactment of the battle.

L'Osteria in Siena

Yesterday I ran into a small restaurant, "osteria-style", called, in fact, "L'Osteria".
It is located on Via dei Rossi, very close to the Basilica of San Francis (learn more on this beautiful basilica at this wikipedia link), on the way connecting the basilica itself with the popular Via dei Banchi di Sopra.

Palio di Siena

Get ready for the Palio! It's still early to talk about it, but not if you are scheduling your visit to Siena! The magic dates are Monday, July 2nd (Palio di Provenzano), and Thursday, August 16th (Palio dell'Assunta).

Bus link Firenze-Siena & more connections

Let's face it: Siena is far to reach. It may also be true that it is because Siena is far to reach that Siena is Siena. However you want to see it, the link to Florence is very important and it happens through the "Raccordo" also referred as "Autopalio".
Here we supply direct link to the precious bus timetable.

San Quirico d'Orcia

Entrance to the town

San Quirico d'Orcia is one among several towns scattered through the Val d'Orcia area. One of many, but each of them do have something unique and intimately different. So, if you happen to pass near by San Quirico, make sure you stop by. It is located in the near of Montalcino and Pienza.

Artfast: Speed Up your Florence Experience

Planning to visit Florence? Then visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and it's Dome of Brunelleschi is a must. Why not save yourself up to 3 or 4 hours of waiting in line? We strongly recommend to use subscribe to Artfast services: This will allow you access to priority lines to all the sites of the Piazza Duomo, that includes the Dome itself and the Cathedral.

Waiting lines for these two places can be very time consuming, 1-2-3 hours each, but with the Artfast card you can enter immediately in all 6 locations.

Visit www.artfast.it web site to learn more and to subscribe.

Street markets in Val d'Orcia / 2012

If you happen to be in Val d'Orcia in the following dates, it is work to reach Bagno Vignoni or San Quirico towns and enjoy the street market about local food. Here are the dates for 2012.

Il Bosco della Ragnaia

Il Bosco della Ragnaia - San Giovanni d'Asso

I discovered this place many years ago, almost by chance, with my Guide. Since then I am been visiting it a few times, each time with a different mood and and searching for different things. Yes because it is not a place you just go to to see something: it's a magical, mystical place that triggers a journey into yourself, a great place to go to look for answers or, if you don't have questions to answer, to search for some.

Spring 2012 is started

Spring 2012 is officially started

I can say today that Spring is arrived in Siena country side. Until a few days ago the temperature has been very warm, often more than 20ºC. Something was anyway missing: Water. All the winter this year has been very warm and dry, with the exception of one week in February that brang water, snow and real cold (as cold as -12ºC!). Without new rain the Spring could not really take off.