Mapping SIENA

Matera has won the title of European Capital of Culture and even though we're disappointed in Tuscany, this is a well deserved victory. From the start of the competition Matera has been an eye-catcher. The bottom-up approach of its bid was impressive and once the city council married the idea of Matera's candidature (it had initially been born by a private group of people), the committee was swift in connecting the young and creative local scene to European and international forces. Hang on there, this party isn't over yet! #Siena2019 In regard to digital involvement Matera was the benchmark for the other Italian candidate cities with its great website and busy interaction on every possible social media channel from day one of the competition.  But what must have been most important to the jury, Matera put together a soundproof bid book called 'Open Future/Open City', which has already started to infuse the people of the Basilicata (once mainly known as Ita...

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...

I'm busy helping prepare our Tuscan village's Festa dell'Uva , the harvest festival 2014. But if I wasn't turning moldy medieval cellars into improvised bars stacked with Montecucco wine I'd be giving a hand in Siena today. Not just Palio horses and Renaissance art. Join Siena's Magenta Day! MAGENTA DAY: FRIDAY OCTOBER 3, 2014 If you explore the Tuscan city today skip Duccio, Pinturicchio and the cathedral for a change and join some contemporary pink frenzy instead. From 10 am the Magenta Day takes over Siena's town center and no matter whether you're a local, an American tourist or one of the refugees who arrived this summer - everybody is invited to join in. Participate and experience for yourself how contemporary culture and innovation are - at last! - back in town. Siena is competing to become European Capital of Culture in 2019 - and judging from today's program SIENA 2019 is doing one hell of a job! Starting off with a ...

It can still get hot on piazza del Campo by the the end of September, but  the locals are already showing off their elegant autumn outfits (likely bought in one of these trendy shops )  whilst the tourists still flock around in shorts and straw hats. The start of school and university also brings the last people back from Castiglione della Pescaia (the lovely Tuscan seaside town where a lot of Sienese own their beach houses) and reopens the city's cultural life after all the summer heat.    Siena's wine bar and Jazz club Un Tubo begins the season this week with a concert of singer Barbara Casini (Thursday 25) dedicated to Brazilian rhythms and a  tribute to Kenny Wheeler (Friday 26). And from the beginning of October the weekly Jam session will take place every Tuesday evening. Entrance to all concerts is for free. For more info on the gigs this autumn check out Un Tubo's event calendar .  Classic music lover will have to bide their time since Micat...

After the frightening looking fall of the leading jockey of the Valdimontone (ram) neighborhood right at the beginning of the race, Aquila (eagle neighborhood) and its yellow wearing jockey seemed to be in pole position to win the Palio dell'Assunta in 2014. Nevertheless Occolé, the horse of the closely following Civetta (owl) had the better of them and won the race after leading it for the full last round, closely followed by the horses of contrada dell'Aquila and Chiocciola.  Andrea Mari (called Brio) riding the winning horse Occolé  for the Civetta neighborhood When visiting Siena this summer and autumn you will not just see the colors and hear the victorious chants of the members of the Civetta neighborhood , but also those of the members of the Drago, the neighborhood of the dragon which won the July Palio 2014 .  Want to celebrate along? Join one of the 30 victory dinners organized by Civetta all through the roads of their neighborhood until Tue...

Born last year, the Siena and Stars festival is in its second round and continues to bring more great live music to one of the most beautiful locations in Siena's city center. With a focus on some of Italy's greatest singer songwriters the festival opens with  Antonello Venditti (11/7) in piazza del Campo (concert for free!) followed by  Franco Battiato on July 15. The Sicilian pop star will be accompanied by Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, one of Italy's leading symphony orchestras.  The international highlight of the festival takes place on July 18 with the 'Balcan Party' by Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral band - a concert that should get everybody off their chairs. The same counts for the Tarantella night with Ambrogio Sparagna and the Orchestra Popolare Italiana on the 17th of July.  Getting ready for Siena and Stars  If you rather let other people do the dancing, come on the 22nd to admire the ballerini of Milan's teatro della Scala ...

You'll be hearing a lot of singing this summer from the neighborhood of the dragon (contrada del drago), which won the July Palio 2014. It was a clear victory with the horse Oppio guided by jockey Salasso dominating the race after overtaking the leading Aquila and runner up Pantera and Selva early on. Contrada del drago will celebrate 37 dinners this summer, one each for every victory (the first verified one dating back to 1650).   10 out of Siena's 17 contrade still have a chance to win a title this year. Set to participate on the 16th of August 2014 are: Drago (dragon), Giraffa (giraffe), Pantera (pantheress), Civetta (owl), Valdimontone (ram), Leocorno (unicorn), Aquila (eagle), Bruco (caterpillar), Chiocciola (snail) and Selva (forest).  In 2014 four contrade won't have participated in neither of the two Palio: Nicchio (Shell), Torre (tower) and Oca (goose) haven't been drawn whilst Istrice (porcupine) would have had the right to participate in the Augus...

If you happen to spend the longest day of the year in Siena, you're in the right town for some special events. Two recently born festivals celebrate summer solstice in the city of the Palio.  Siena's cathedral and the adjacent museum will stay open until midnight f or the third edition of 'Lux in Nocte' . Various concerts will take place in the baptistery, crypt and Piccolomini library inside the cathedral and the OPA museum.  SIENA CATHEDRAL - LUX IN NOCTE:  Saturday, June 21 2014  Events are included in the ticket price (11€).  To get a panorama view of Siena by night book the fabulous  Gate to Heaven tour  (30€) or climb up on the Facciatone (12€ on booking).  For bookings and more info click through to the Opera Duomo website .  As part of Tuscany's ' Arcobaleno d'Estate ' festival, the June solstice will also be celebrated in piazza del Campo with a special guided tour that takes visitors to the hidden rooms of the Civic...

Siena may not have a gay pride yet, but its first Bio Pride is a step into the right direction. At least if you agree that organic wine and food are the way forward. L'AIAB (Italy's association of organic producers) together with farmers and vineyards from  central Tuscany have initiated the Bio-Distretto. The idea behind these  organic districts is to move beyond the boundaries of a single organic producer and turn whole areas into production zones which follow the tenets of  sustainable and pesticide-free  agriculture.  The Bio Pride in G aiole in Chianti will showcase the majority of  wineries and farms involved in  the organic districts of San Gimignano, Gai ole and  Panzano /Greve in Chianti.  If you want to visit several vineyards in one,  explore the hills to the north of Siena (the historic Chianti Classico area) and stop in Gaiole in Chianti. Gr ab a glass and taste  your way through Tuscan wines which hail from...

The 10 contrade (neighborhoods) which are participating in Siena's Palio horse race on the second of July 2014 are:  Giraffa (giraffe) Chicciola (snail) Drago (dragon)  Tartuca (turtle) Selva (forest) Bruco (caterpillar) Aquila (eagle) Lupa (she-wolf) Pantera (pantheress) Onda (wave) Siena has a total of 17 neighborhoods out of which 10 can run in each Palio.  The seven contrade which couldn't participate in the July Palio in 2013 were already designated to run the July race in 2014. To make up the number ten three more contrade have been drawn a couple of weeks ago from the ones which had participated in the July race in 2013.  Two Palio are run each year, the Palio di Provenzano on July 2 and the Palio dell'Assunta on August 16.  For more info about Siena's neighborhoods, the history behind the Palio and the timing of its trial races on piazza del Campo read What is the Palio di Siena .