Day 12: Day Trip to Siena, San Gimignano, and Pisa

Day 12

Today we did a full-day tour to 3 Tuscan cities - Siena, San Gimignano, and Pisa. Our hearts kind of sank when we checked in at the meeting point and realized we were in a very large group of about 50 people on a tour bus. We've been in relatively small groups so far, and we've loved the intimacy. Full disclosure, the tour was good, but in retrospect, we wish we had visited Siena and San Gimignano on our own and spent a little more time in each city. Even though the tour was 13 hours long, we felt really rushed. Pisa, while we loved seeing the leaning tower, was so far away that we didn't get to soak in the beauty and history of Siena and San Gimignano. 

Luca was our tour guide. If you've been keeping track, he is our 3rd tour guide, named Luca! Me thinks it's a popular name in Italy! Our first stop was Siena, the cutest little city! For reference, Florence has a population of 350,000, while Siena has only 50,000 residents. One of the most interesting things about Siena is that many structures were being built in the Gothic era, but construction halted when the bubonic plague took over. Once construction resumed, Italy was in the Renaissance era. In the picture below, you get a clear glimpse of a Gothic era building on the left next to a Renaissance era building on the right. Renaissance was known for those sideways lines you see.

Below, in Piazza Salimbeni, the structures built in different eras were refinished in a neo-Gothic style with added flair from the architect's era. This square is the headquarters for Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, which claims the title of one of the oldest banks, having been established in 1472. In the middle is a statue of the bank’s founder, Sallustio Bandini.

On to the "mane" event, Piazza del Campo, where the Palio horse race is run every year on July 2nd and August 16th. Il Campo, as the Seinese call it, is breathtaking! Some say it's the most beautiful square in the world, which is why it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Piazza del Campo is shaped like a shell, divided into nine sections, in memory of the Nine Lords who governed the city at the end of the 13th century.

This is the Palazzo Pubblico, where the
city government officials ruled.

There are 17 neighborhoods, or districts, in Siena, and each year they all send their best horse and racer to compete in the Palio. Only 10 of them actually compete, as the track isn't big enough for all 17. The history of the race, as Paulo told it, is that the districts were always bickering and fighting against each other, trying to show their district was the best. In order to put a stop to it, the government officials devised a plan to prove who was the best, the Palio! It began in the Middle Ages, but the modern Palio has been held regularly since 1633, honoring the Madonna di Provenzano (July) and the Assumption of the Virgin (August).

Paulo, our 84-year-old tour guide in Siena, said, "It's a real joy for the eyes!" Here are some photos I found to give you an idea of what it's like.

Il Campo from above. The middle
section is a huge amphitheater that is
slanted down toward the flat side.
Surrounding it is a gray paved area to walk on.

Here is Il Campo during a race.
Look at all the people! I can't imagine
people standing in the middle of the 
amphitheater can see anything.
Sand and dirt are brought in to cover
the paved area for the horses to run on. 

Next, we visited the Duomo in Siena, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta. It is breathtaking! The colors of Siena are black and white, and you can see them displayed throughout the church.

Below are three photos of the pulpit, which was sculpted in 1265-68 by Nicola Pisano. It is incredibly elaborate with a winding staircase to the top.

Below is a painting with a self-portrait of Raphael. He's the figure in front, facing us with one foot forward.

The floor is a masterpiece in itself! It's made of different colored marble pieces that fit perfectly together and cover the entirety of the building, with the exception of a few areas of expansion. It was truly amazing to see how intricate and carefully crafted each section was!

Above you can see a glimpse of the imensity of the floor. The whole cathedral is absolutely breathtaking from bottom to top!

From Siena, we headed to San Gimignano, but before we got into town we stopped to have lunch at a farmhouse. Incredible!

Below are the wines we tried, and our dessert - biscotti and a sweet dessert wine. We dipped the biscotti in the wine - bellisimo!

On to San Gimignano! It's encircled by 13th-century walls, including a skyline of medieval towers. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site as well. The town was built around 72 tower houses; only 14 have survived. The Duomo of San Gimignano is a 12th-century church, the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta San Gimignano. To be honest, the beauty of San Gimignano, with its walls and towers, was lost within the large crowds and the people selling souvenirs and trinkets. It really seemed like a tourist trap instead of the beautiful and historic village it actually is. We were able to climb up to the top of one of the walls and that was truly the best part of our visit. The views were breathtaking!

Next, we had quite a long bus ride to Pisa. Maybe they took us through a bad part of town, but our impression of Pisa was a run-down and dated town. We were dropped off by the leaning tower, which is really the star of the show. From what I've heard, visiting Pisa is like the Griswalds visiting the Grand Canyon in the movie Vacation. "Yep, there it is. Okay, let's go." But when you're there, the structure is impressive, causing you to catch your breath when you first take it all in. 

Did you know that the leaning tower is actually the bell tower of Il Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta? They both sit in Piazza del Duomo along with the Baptistry. The tower was built in 1173. I still can't even fathom that I am standing next to buildings that are centuries old!

Ok, so the last few pictures don't really represent our awe over the structures, but it was certainly there when we first walked into the piazza! The other unusual thing that is immediately recognizable is that the entire piazza is filled with grass. Lush, green grass! Students are studying on the lawn, and families are picnicking. It's lovely and unlike any of the other churches we've seen.

Well, there you are. Thirteen hours of historical and educational fun!

I'll tell you what! It was quite a day, and we were more than ready to tuck in when we got back home!