Skip to main content

SIENA FOR KIDS: THE GUIDEBOOK EVERYBODY NEEDS

Have you ever joined a guided visit for children in a museum? Or at least eavesdropped on one? It's in those situations that I realize why kids have the time of their life, whilst the adult visitor is yawning his way through yet another painting. Clever information is presented to the little ones in a playful way and complicated concepts are explained for everybody to understand. 

In this sense guided tours are similar to guidebooks. The hard facts are served appetizingly to the kids, whilst adults churn their way through lists of historic data prone to be forgotten immediately. As if academic and entertaining couldn't go together!

No surprise then that my favorite Siena guide has been written with, exactly - kids in mind.
Best Siena guide for kids

My kids' (and their cat's) favorite reading material
Explore and Discover Siena and Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport

Explore and Discover Siena. A Guidebook to the City Especially for Children is exactly what the title says: a guide to Siena for children, but luckily for adults too! It will take its readers to the city's main sights (Cathedral, Piazza del Campo, Palazzo Pubblico, etc), but it will also show you the Siena most tourists miss out on. 

The guide manages to be concise and in-depth at the same time. Siena's important moments in history are a leisurely read, as much as all the interesting background information. Sections like 'How to Make a Panel Painting' or 'How to Make a Stained-Glass Window' will be interesting and fun for the whole family. In fact the kids may have a hard time getting the book out of their parents' hands. Or did you know about the importance of choosing the right garment for a pilgrimage to Rome, or how to tell apart one medieval monk from another? 

Last but not least there are eight pages about the Palio, with plenty of photos and queer facts about the world's most spectacular horse race. 

The book is lovingly designed and illustrated, and small enough to fit in your handbag. The whole family will enjoy browsing through it. Not just in Siena, also on the sofa once back home. Considering that this is my favorite guidebook to the city of the Palio, buy it anyway - even if you travel without kids. 

EXPLORE AND DISCOVER SIENA. A GUIDEBOOK TO THE CITY ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN. 
Text: Mèsy Bartoli, Barbara Latini
Illustrations: Monica Verdiani
Betti Editrice. 
Right now the English version of the book is still unavailable on Amazon or Kindle, but waiting for you at the main bookstores in Siena and at the well stocked Opera del Duomo and Santa Maria della Scala museum shops. 
Price: a well invested 12€. 

Labels:
Location: 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...»