Siena, surrounded by wine yards and olive groves, is spread out over three hills in the center of Tuscany. Its medieval atmosphere include picturesque houses and small streets, winding up to the Cathedral or to the charming Piazza del Campo.

Siena offers plenty of churches, monuments, and museums to visit. Some major attractions include the Museo Civico and the Duomo. Another interesting attraction is the Enoteca Italiana. This is a wine library" or "wine archive" including over 1,000 Tuscan vintages. Visitors get to  sample and purchase wines, leaf through wine publications, and marvel at the armories of Siena's 15th Century Medici fortress with its vaulted cellars and corridors.

Due to Florence's conquest of this city about 500 years ago, Siena may very well be Italy's most preserved medieval city. While Florence was preoccupied with the Renaissance, Siena was left alone untouched by other conquests yet not influenced by Florence's efforts to improve its own culture with the renaissance and thus today Siena still looks very much like it did back in the middle ages.

One interesting event that takes place twice and sometimes three times per year in Siena is the contrade. During the summer, Siena's neighborhoods compete in a horse race around the Piazza del Campo. The races  take place in an ambiance of medieval display.

Siena is a small town with most of its activities surrounding the Piazza del Campo. With its beautifully preserved gothic architecture, and quiet, low key atmosphere, Siena is a great place to visit for those who are enchanted with medieval history and want to learn more about it as well as the language in a small and relaxing environment.