MEET STEVE McCURRY IN SIENA

Steve McCurry at the press conference of his exhibition in Siena

For a change in front of the lens: Steve McCurry in Siena

Meet the man who made a photo go around the world. Tomorrow, Saturday 15th of June, Siena's Santa Maria della Scala museum opens the doors for Steve McCurry's Viaggio Intorno al Mondo.

Maybe National Geographic's best known photographer, Steve McCurry is in town for the opening of the show. His masterclass at Siena University was attended by 700 students from all over Italy.

You'll be able to meet McCurry at the museum for questions and book signing from 11 am to noon and from 4 pm to 5 pm.

The exhibition in the stunning setting of the medieval SMS museum complex concentrates on Steve McCurry's portrait work. Also part of the exhibition are the photo of the green-eyed Afghan girl and a short film by National Geographic, which documents McCurry's quest to find his famous model nearly two decades later. Which indeed he did.

The green eyed Afghan girl met again as a woman

Old friends: Steve Mc Curry's voyage to find the Afghan girl

Steve McCurry exhibition at Siena's SMS museum

A fabulous museum setting: The medieval tufa rock rooms of the SMS museum in Siena

Portrait of a minery worker by Steve McCurry

Portraits from Afghanistan by Steve McCurry at Siena's SMS museum

VIAGGIO INTORNO ALL'UOMO (TRIP AROUND MANKIND)

SIENA'S SANTA MARIA DELLA SCALA MUSEUM, piazza del Duomo, 1

15th of June to 3rd of November 2013

Opening times: every day from 10.30 am to 7pm,

Tickets: 10 Euro (incluscive audioguide), kids up to 11 years for free

The show has been prolonged till the 6th of January. Check detailed opening times on the SMS website.

BEST BIKE RENTAL IN SIENA

Villa Catignano: one of the many beautiful places an e-bike can get you to from Siena A few years ago, I interviewed an American writer , who during her month-long stay in Siena whizzed through the city on a bicycle. This was an unusual sight - vespas are the two-wheelers of choice in Siena's hilly town center, not bikes like in mostly flat Florence. But the invention of e-bikes is about to change this. The city of Siena has installed an electric bike sharing program which is functioning well. However, it's mostly aimed at locals and residents, as its set-up is a little complicated for visitors who only stay a couple of days in town. Hence, for tourists, the best bike rental options in Siena are with the privately owned shops which supply bycicles of every size and type for a day or two or an entire week. Giulia from Julskitchen.com cycling through the hills of Siena Siena Bike Shop rents out racing bycicles, hybrid and e-bikes and is a great optio...

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SIENA AS EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE IN 2019? AN INTERVIEW WITH PIER LUIGI SACCO

Every year the European Union designates at least two cities from different member countries to become European Capitals of Culture for a period of 12 months. Italy’s turn is up again in 2019 (together with Bulgaria), and Siena has joined the race as one of the candidate cities, which are competing to represent the country and the whole of Europe. Recently the website of SIENA 2019 has been launched in English, which gave me the opportunity to meet project director Pier Luigi Sacco to find out more about the reasons behind Siena’s candidature. Originally from Pescara the head of # SIENA2019 is professor of Cultural Economics at IULM university in Milan and of Creative Industries at the university of Lugano in Switzerland. No doubt a busy man, Pier Luigi Sacco nevertheless took proper time to thoroughly answer my questions. The interview took place at the headquarters of # SIENA2019, which are based in the fascinating underground maze of the Santa Maria d...

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Ambrogio Lorenzetti's frescoes and paintings

From toddlers to octogenarians, when in Siena I schlepp everybody to see Ambrogio Lorenzetti's 'Buon Governo'. The long title of the painting is 'The Allegory of Good and Bad Government in the City and the Countryside' and it is exactly that - namely an accurate depiction of daily life in medieval Siena. The detailed and elegant fresco cycle is a rarity not just in regard to Lorenzetti's style and technique, but mainly due to its subject matter. In the 14th century, paintings and frescoes focus on stories and characters from the old and new testament and not on the day-to-day tasks of builders and farmers. Medieval Siena depicted on one of the walls of Ambrogio Lorenzetti's fresco cycle in the Palazzo Pubblico (©Wikipedia) And this is exactly why it's so much fun to spend some time in front of the fresco cycle in the civic museum in Siena's Palazzo Pubblico. Whether its kids - or meat lovers - looking for the famous Cinta Senese pig ...

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