Skip to main content

EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2019: AND THE WINNER IS....?


Siena's historic town center seen from the Valdimontone neighborhood

Today is the big day. The European and Italian jury meets in Rome to proclaim Italy's European Capital of Culture 2019. Two cities in Europe will share the title; Plovdiv has already been designated to be Bulgaria's ECoC city in 2019 whilst Lecce, Perugia/Assisi, Cagliari, Matera, Ravenna and Siena are still in the race for the title in Italy. 

Until 5 pm today that is, when the jury chosen by the European Union will supply the name of the Italian winner. In Siena the press conference will be followed via live streaming in piazza del Mercato (the square below piazza del Campo). From 3 pm members of the Siena 2019 team will meet voluntaries, locals and supporters of Siena's bid in the former market square. Join the crowd for a party with events and live music and keep your thumbs up.

Pier Luigi Sacco and his team have worked hard on an inspiring bid book. If Siena wins the title, every single project in it will be put into practice over the next years culminating in 2019. But whatever the jury's final verdict, be assured that Siena's #ECoC2019 journey to bring back the creative forces into town can't be stopped!

Read on about the objectives of #Siena2019 on the official website or find a summary of the projects in Siena's bid book on this blog



Popular posts from this blog

EMIGRATION VS. IMMIGRATION: A MEMORY OF ITALY IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Understand a bit of Italian? This is the night to figure out how much regarding a topic that seems a bit removed but actually isn't at all.  Italy entered the first world war exactly a hundred years ago on the 24th of May 1915. 600'000 Italian soldiers died during the war. Many of them were 'Italians' born in Brasil or Argentina who traveled to Europe as young men to fight for a country they had never put foot on before. 150'000 of Italy's soldiers in the first world war had been born in Brazil, Argentina and other  countries their parents had had to migrate to for a better future abroad. An important fact to consider when we read the daily headlines regarding todays incessantly growing immigration to Italy and Europe via Lybia.  'La storia quasi vera del milite ignoto' is told by Emilio Franzina, the writer of the book with the same title, which tells the story of a young soldier born in Brasil to Italian parents of Venetian heritage.  ...

SIENNA MILLER IN PALIO TOWN: TERRA DI SIENA FILM FESTIVAL 2012

Latest news: Sienna Miller will attend the Siena film festival (she would have to with that name, wouldn't she?) for the premiere of Rachid Bouchareb's "Just Like A Woman".  Wednesday 3rd October, 9pm -  Hotel NH EXCELSIOR, piazza La Lizza. Entree is for FREE, but come early to be sure to get a seat.   The Terra di Siena Film Festival is in its 16th edition. Being much smaller than the Venice or Rome film festivals, Terra di Siena nevertheless manages to bring important world premieres and an impressive flock of Hollywood stars to the city of the Palio. Past editions saw stars like Colin Firth (who's married to an Italian) and Susan Sarandon participating. Telling from the festival's website, it seems that the 2012 edition may even bring to Siena the presence of Robert Redford. San Galgano abbey: location of the festival's opening ceremony

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...