October 3, 2018

A rest day should include extra rest. Ours did. Breakfast was at our hotel and included a nice variety of meats, cheeses, eggs, yogurt, fruit and pastries.

We signed up for a Viator walking tour so we could get some history on this beautiful city.

Our walking tour began inside the Basilica of San Domenico, where St Catherine’s head and index finger are kept, visible for everyone to see. Her head was mummified and is positioned as though in a painting. Very strange… no photos allowed of course.

The tour group meandered through the streets towards Piazza del Campo. Along the way we heard about how Siena came to be. Included were bits about how the banking business began in the 13th or 14th century, the first in Europe.

Siena grew to be about 50,000 population prior to the plague, and was one of the few large cities that did not have a river flowing through it. Piazza del Campo is an unusual square in that it is not flat. They chose to have it follow the natural geography and built a 2-level acquaduct system below the square to capture and contain water. During rain storms no water was wasted.

Site of first bank in Europe

The grand Piazza del Campo

Fountain in the square

We were given lots of info on the paleo horse race and the 17 families who represent them. How the races work etc. I needed to take notes to keep up! But I didn’t…

The winner of the horse race proudly flies their flag and their lanterns are displayed around the city. The Dragon won in July and the Giraffe in August. I’m not sure which light reflects which Contrada (the Sienese families comprising the 17 districts), but this is what I found. They’re fun and whimsical!

The Siena Cathedral is another story. I love stripes and there are plenty of the black and white variety inside and outside this cathedral.

Amazing stone work

Inside the cathedral was an entire feast for the eyes. Michaelangelo had four carvings and the floors, ceilings and everything in between were amazing.

The four carvings done by Michaelangelo

The tour ended and it was time to find lunch. Yesterday we noticed an interesting place situated on a steep incline with platforms built to allow outside seating. It was simple but good food. We sat next to a couple from New York who were amazed at what we were doing (walking). She was a hiker, he was not. It was nice chatting with them.

After lunch we realized we did not have a stamp for our credentials from anywhere in Siena. We had to walk back to the tourist info office near the Cathedral to get our stamp. You want one stamp from every city or town you have walked to.

That earned a Gelato! I haven’t had a bad gelato yet. Is there such a thing?

The rest of the afternoon was lazy. We have a somewhat long day tomorrow so don’t want to be on our feet all day today.

Sue napped and I reorganized and wrote for a while. Went out to grab cheese, bread, chips and water for a light dinner. Along with more magnesium-potassium packets for the rest of the trip. Those help on long warm days!

Heading out again tomorrow. Somehow even two nights in Siena didn’t seem like enough. How can that be?

Viewing Siena and the Cathedral

The tower in Piazza del Campo

#enjoythejourney #viafrancigena