Skip to main content

URBAN TREKKING IN SIENA 2013

The Urban Trekking movement started in Siena 10 years ago and managed to spread to over 40 Italian cities in the last decade. A reason to celebrate the round anniversary with 10 days filled to the brim with events focusing on slow travel in Siena. 

The cultural highlight of the festival are the guided visits to some of the rooms of Palazzo Pubblico in piazza del Campo (11€ per person), which have always been off limits to the general public. A more adventurous take on Siena are the early morning balloon flights over the city of the Palio (180€ per person). Both events are on reservation only. 

Siena's backroads
Discovering a lesser known Siena during the Urban Trekking Days 


Looking for a freebie? Join a free guided visit to the Museo dell'Acqua and discover the history of Siena's 'bottini', the meandering underground tunnels, which during the Middle Ages were dig into the hills of the city for the daily supply of drinking water. Or walk along with the night time guided visit called Tempo Zulu, which follows a trail of contemporary art in the midst of a medieval city. 

Brought your climbing shoes? Forget rocks and cliffs and try your skill on the facade of a couple of Renaissance buildings. Chiodofisso, Siena's climbers association organizes a street boulder open to everybody ready to climb up the steep walls around piazza del Mercato, Fontebranda, the hidden away Castello degli Ugurgieri and yes - even the famous Cortile del Podestà, the courtyard inside Palazzo Pubblico. 

TREKKING URBANO 2013 - October 25 to November 3
For detailed information on timing and booking of events, visit the tourist office in piazza del Campo or check the daily festival program on the website of the municipality of Siena. 
Special visits and walking routes are available for families travelling with kids. Most initiatives are in Italian, but info@sienaguide.it should be able to tell you which events are suitable for English speakers too.  


Popular posts from this blog

SIENA AND THE MONTE DEI PASCHI CRISIS

The world's oldest banking institute (founded in 1472) has made it into the media big time since 2012. But not because of its longevity.  Wondering what the financial nigh tmare is all about? I'm still trying to figure it out - just as everybody else who's living in Southern Tuscany.   The crisis of the Monte dei Paschi bank isn't just about MPS employers losing their jobs and museums their funding (which on its own is already bad enough). But it's also about research, universities and even kindergartens. Basically every age group in and around Siena will be affected in some way or another by the drying up of the streams of money that supported most social and cultural aspects of Southern Tuscany.  Right, I would look worried too. Palazzo Spannocchi, part of the MPS HQ in piazza Salimbeni Want to know more?  The art newspaper has published a well researched article in April, which explains some of the artier effects of the bank's crisis.  

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...

DRIVING IN ITALY AND ROAD FINES IN SIENA

Thought if the Italians do it, you can do it too? These were the good old times. Speeding, bad parking and drink-driving are no longer part of the Italian way of life. Okay, the rules of the road still aren't as strictly followed as in Northern Europe, but things have definitely changed during the past decade.  With driving being more strict now, it's only right that paying your fine should become easier too. Siena and many other of Italy's tourist destinations have finally installed online payment. Click through to the website of Siena's town council  to get done with it right away.