Siena Life and Visitor Travel Tips

(Siena, Tuscany, Italy)

Full of traditional Tuscan charm, together with Romanesque and medieval architecture, the city of Siena is conveniently close to Florence and also the coastline, with neighbouring resorts including Cecina, Livorna and Piombino. However, Siena has plenty of its own attractions and visitors will find more than enough to keep themselves occupied here.

Much of local life in Siena revolves around its many open spaces and public squares, such as the Piazza del Campol, which is shaped like a shell and home to many gems, such as the Palazzo Pubblico. In recent years, sport has become a major pastime in Siena and football is especially popular, with regular soccer games taking place at the Stadio Artemio Franchi stadium. Useful travel tips are shown below.

Useful Contact Details

The Siena Tourist Office is full of useful information and centrally located on the Piazza del Campo, off the Banchi di Sotto and close to the Piazza Indipendenza. To the south-east, the nearby Piazza del Mercato is a useful point of reference.

Siena Tourist Office
Address: Piazza del Campo 56, Siena, Italy, IT
Tel: +39 0577 28 05 51
Website: www.terresiena.it
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 19:00

Internet Train (Internet Cafe)
Address: Via di Città 121, Siena, Italy, IT
Open hours: Sunday to Friday - 08:00 to 20:00

Meg@web (Internet Access)
Address: Via di Pantaneto, Siena, Italy, IT
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 23:00, Sunday - 15:00 to 21:00

Libreria Senese (Bookshop stocking English-language newspapers)
Address: Via di Città 62-66, Siena, Italy, IT
Tel: +39 0577 28 08 45

Language and Dialect

A local Tuscany dialect is very present with Italian spoken in Siena, although all standard phrasebook terms and phrases will be understood. The Tuscan dialect has been spoken for some 150 years.

• Hello. - Salve.
• Good bye. - Arrivederci.
• How? - Come?
• I do not mind - Mi è indifferente
• How much is it per night? - Quanto costa per la notte?
• Help! - Aiuto!
• I live in... - Io vivo a...
• I'm just looking. - Sto solo dando un'occhiata.
• I would like to purchase postcards, please. - Per favore, vorrei cartolines.
• How much is it? - Quanto costa?
• What does that mean? - Cosa significa?
• I understand. - Capisco.

Dos and Don'ts

• Cycling - many locals and visitors choose to cycle around Siena. However, be advised to always use a helmet and lights if necessary. However, you are not permitted to cycle on the autostrade
• Driving - autostrades in Italy offer a speedy way to explore the region outside and are signposted with a white 'A' against a green background, together with the relevant number underneath. You must always drive on the right
• English-Language Newspapers - international newspapers and English-language books are sold at the Libreria Senese on the Via di Città
• Launderette - tourists staying in Siena in need of laundry services will find the 'Wash & Dry' outlet on the Via di Pantaneto and also 'Onda Blu' on the Via del Casato di Sotto amongst the best on offer
• Main Post Office - for postal service, the city's main post office can be found on the Piazza Matteotti
• Web Access - those looking to access in Internet in Siena should pay a visit to the Internet Train cafe or the Meg@web, both of which are located on the Via di Pantaneto