Skip to main content

SIENA FOR KIDS: STORYTELLING AT THE LIBRARY

If you are an expat living near Siena, you may already have checked out the city's beautiful library. If you're also a parent with kids, you may want to go back. In 2006 Siena's library opened a colorful and lovingly furnished children's section that may turn the most football crazy 7-year-old into a bookworm. 

But that's not all. Every Saturday in autumn and winter Siena's library organizes storytelling sessions for kids (in Italian only). Newly acquired books are presented to children of all age and laboratories are hold to introduce the kids to the works of Sienese master Duccio (but also Giotto and Mirò). Two age groups exist: 4-6 and 7-10 years old. Check the  library's timetable for the different events (there are even a few ones for toddlers). 

So, let's drop the kids and in the meantime explore the library's newspaper section or start a quest for the rediscovery of some ancient book. 

BIBLIOTECA COMUNALE, Monday to Friday 9am-6.30pm, Saturday 9am-5.30pm
Via della Sapienza, 3, 
53100 Siena
Phone: +39 0577 28 29 72
Email: biblioteca@biblioteca.comune.siena.it

No kids but curious to know more? Siena Festival 2012 organizes a guided visit in Italian to the Edificio della Sapienza. The 7000 square meters of the 'building of wisdom' have been housing the library since 1758. With the strangely sounding name of Libreria degli Intronati, the library would make for the next great location for a Dan Brown book.
Saturday 13th of October, 10am. Visit for free, but booking necessary: +39 392 8319892
Labels:
Location: Biblioteca Comunale, Via della Sapienza, 5, 53100 Siena SI, Italia

Popular posts from this blog

WHAT IS THE PALIO? SIENA'S HORSE RACE IN A NUTSHELL

The twelve must-knows for people wanting to impress fellow travelers with their thorough knowledge of the Palio di Siena, the world’s oldest continually hold sporting event.  1. WHAT IS THE PALIO? Italy's most famous horse race takes place twice a year o n piazza del Campo, Siena’s shell shaped medieval square. 2. WHEN IS THE PALIO?  Each year on the  2nd of July and the 16th of August . The July race called  Palio della Madonna di Provenzano  starts at 7.30 pm, the  Palio dell'Assunta  in August at 7 pm. However, both races are proceeded by a pageantry procession, so prepare to access piazza del Campo three to four hours before the start of the race. The festival lasts for a total of four days each time, which are made up of trial races and neighborhood dinners. Piazza del Campo and Palazzo Pubblico during Palio  3. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? Siena has 17 neighborhoods ( contrade  in Ialian), but only ten of them can ...
Read on...»

SECRET SIGHTS IN SIENA: HIDDEN FRESCOES AT PALAZZO PUBBLICO AND CO.

Fresco by Sano di Pietro in one of Palazzo Pubblico's six secret rooms STANZE SEGRETE / SECRET ROOMS at PALAZZO PUBBLICO, piazza del Campo Upcoming dates:  March 22/23, 2014;  May 21/22, 2014 If you've been to Siena countless times, you may think you know it all. But you don't. Because you couldn't. Not even I - the famous writer of an arty-farty blog about Siena - have seen all of the Renaissance frescoes at Siena's civic museum yet.  For a reason. Palazzo Pubblico in piazza del Campo may be one of Siena's main sights (think famous frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti and Simone Martini), but many of its beautifully adorned rooms are normally off-limits to the general public. Unless you happen to be in town for one of the guided visits which take place only a couple of times a year and grant you access to the hidden rooms with frescoes by Sienese masters like Sano di Pietro, Lippo Memmi and Il Sodoma.  Guided visits at: 1 0:30 - 11:30 -   12:30 - ...
Read on...»

VINTAGE MARKET AND 1930s PARTY IN SIENA: Saturday April 5, 2014

Considering how much Italy's image is linked to its 20th century icons (from Sophia Loren, Fellini and Marcello Mastroianni to Vespa and Fiat 500), it always surprises me how difficult it is to find a decent vintage store.  Gucci and Fendi outlets may be thriving in Tuscany, but  y ou're better off in London or Zurich, if you're after  a dress Gina Lollobrigida or Eleonora Duse could have worn.  Whether baby clothes or evening gowns, the majority of Italians prefer new to second hand, and whilst antique furniture markets are a monthly staple of many a Tuscan town, garage sales and vintage stores have never really gotten off the ground in this country.    In Siena Aloe & Wolf is an exemption to the rule. The vintage shop in via Porrione has become a well loved staple in town and has every reason to celebrate its successful 10th year in business (yes, Kate Moss stopped and shopped here too).  SWINGING ON PORRIONE: SATURDAY 5th of APRI...
Read on...»