Siena - (59,000 inhabitants), is not only one of the most fascinating towns in Tuscany but is also in a particularly beautiful position, with lovely environs.

The town is the capital of the Tuscan province of the same name.

It preserves its medieval character to a remarkable degree, and has been largely unspoilt by new buildings. Its beautiful Gothic buildings include the Cathedral and Palazzo Pubblico, as well as numerous churches.

The delightful Sienese school of paint ing produced, in the First half of the 14C, masterpieces by Duccio di Buoninsegna, Simone Martini, and Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, all of whose work is well represented in the Pinacoteca, Palazzo Pubblico, and Museum dell'Opera del Cathedral dome.

The Campo is one of the most remarkable squares in Italy. The seventeen Contrade or wards into which the town is divided still manage to play an active part in the life of the city, culminating in the famous Palio horserace which has survived as perhaps the most spectacular annual festival in Italy, in which the whole city participates.

The town is built on a Y-shaped ridge and spreads into the adjacent valleys; the streets are consequently often steep, and to pass from one part of the city to another it is often necessary to cross a deep valley. For this reasonv and also because its treasures are unusually scattered, several days are needed for an adequate visit. From the town there is an extensive and varied panorama which includes Monte Amiata and the metalliferous hills, as well as the clay downs of Asciano and the wooded district of Montagnola. To the north, the scenery changes once again, with the densely cultivated hills of the Chianti.