Siena and its Cathedral — Private Tour
Discover the medieval city of Siena, and its magnificent cathedral with an exclusive official guide, a tour of the historic center of Siena, of its monuments with a tour inside the cathedral!
PRIVATE GUIDED TOUR: Siena and the Cathedral of the Assumption
A guided tour will let you discover all the wonders of Siena, walking through the squares and narrow streets of this historic Tuscan city. The complete guided tour includes a tour of Siena's famous Cathedral of the Assumption.
Siena stands in the heart of Tuscany, embraced by the surrounding hills. An art city with great food and strong traditions, over the centuries, Siena has stayed true to its medieval origins, developing into a unique cultural center.
In the darkest years of history, art and great artists burst forth and brought Siena to shine. The Sienese school of painting flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries, keeping pace with great Florentine art. Great artists active in Siena in this period included Duccio di Buoninsegna, Simone Martini, and Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. The walking tour will show you all the masterpieces of this period, its great monuments, icons of the city, and the fascinating stories behind these great works.
Details of Private Tour of Siena + Cathedral
Duration: Approx. 2 hours
Availability: Every day except New Year's Day, Christmas Day, May 1, and August 15.
Hours: 10:30 am to 4:00 pm. On religious holidays and Sundays, the tour can only be taken in the afternoon starting at 1:30 pm.
Language: Italian or major language chosen by the visitor
Price includes: Tour with private guide of about 2 hours, booked admission to the Cathedral, headsets for groups of more than 10.
NOT included in the price: Tour of the Cathedral's floor available only at particular times of the year and only by reservation.
Children: Under 6 participate in the tour is free. No other discounts are offered.
Itinerary of the walking tour of Siena with private guide
The first stop on our walking tour of Siena takes us to the Cathedral of the Assumption.
The Cathedral is an undisputed jewel of Gothic architecture and holds within famous works by Michelangelo, Donatello, and Bernini. Before we go inside the Cathedral, we can't but stop to appreciate the beauty of its facade. The lower area came out of Romanesque architecture strongly influenced by Gothic styles, designed by Giovanni Pisano. The obvious star of the upper part is the rose window, surrounded by busts of patriarchs and prophets and reflecting Siena's sky for a magical, ethereal effect like no other.
The interior is also breathtakingly beautiful with its alternation between white and black marble creating an awe-inspiring effect, almost as impressive as the artworks inside. The first masterpiece to stop and examine is Nicola Pisano's pulpit. Made between 1266 and 1268, it was the first work of art made for Siena and is the oldest structure in the Cathedral. In the Gothic style that Nicola had already used for the Cathedral of Pisa, the pulpit's figurative message is about the doctrine of Salvation and the Last Judgment, heightened in its power by the powerful dynamism and expressive power of its ceilings. You will discover what a treasure trove the Cathedral truly is.
Our tour continues along Via Francigena where we'll come across some buildings key to Siena's history, including its more recent history. Our licensed guide will tell you the history of Europe's oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi, as you continue to Palazzo Tolomei and Palazzo Chigi Sacaracini. Palazzo Tolomei, considered the oldest private home in the city, was home to the Tolomei family, whose Pia was mentioned by Dante in Purgatory for her very tragic story. Palazzo Piccolomini has gone down in history for its invaluable art collection and its prestigious Chigiana Music Academy.
Saving the best for last, we come to Piazza del Campo. This is the living heart of Siena, completely unique for its shell form, divided into nine segments marked out by white stripes on the terracotta pavement. The Palazzo Pubblico stands in the center of the square, where the lines converge along with the gazes of the thousands of tourists who visit it every year. The square is also the main stage of Siena twice a year for the most important competition in its history, the Palio of Siena. Just a few Palio numbers: 17 "contradas," 2 dates, and more than 800 years of history. Piazza del Campo fills with thousands of visitors, die-hard fans and tourists, fascinated by this centuries-old tradition.
For the cancellation policy for this tour, click here
Our guides
All Italy Travels guides are licensed by the Province of Siena, have extensive experience, and work at the highest levels of professionalism, skill, and excellence. Our staff is committed to always providing top-notch service to our clients. We offer our guests the best guides working in Siena Most of our guides are art historians and teachers in the humanities. Private tours with admission to Florentine museums always include tickets with bookings that let you.
