Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
174
the local university to create an authentic medieval menu, and they don't shy away
from the unusual, such as braised peacock or pork cold cuts with “aromatic lard.”
Kids will enjoy the Dungeons and Dragons setting (a 14th-c. castle with thick stone
walls, stained glass, and medieval art) and costumed waitstaff, and I think you'll
enjoy the food. Set menus for
23 include spiced wine, salted onion tart, and bit-
tersweet duck with cheese ravioli. The more common primi run from 5 to 10,
while main courses are
8.50 to
13. It's a trip, but a colorful, historical one.
€€ The touristy but good La Vecchia Taverna di Bacco (Via Beccheria, 9, near
the Campo; % 0577-41299) has primi averaging 8, secondi from 10 to 12,
served in a crowded set of rooms below a wood-beamed ceiling. The patio dining
is popular. Try a Tuscan pasta dish with garlic sauce.
(Via Pagliaresi, 6; % 057-333879)
is Siena's finest restaurant. The interior is peaceful and intimate, with candlelit
tables and modern art on the walls. Chef/owner Paolo Senni's menu changes with
the seasons but if tagliata di fesa di vitella with zucchini is being offered, be sure
to order it; simpler but still delicious is his homemade spaghetti with fresh tomato-
and-basil sauce with local olive oil and greens from their garden. Set menus
approach 50 per person, so it's not cheap, but if you want a night on the town,
this is where to go. Reservations are necessary.
WHY YOU'RE HERE: THE TOP SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
Siena boasts some of the finest art and architecture in Italy. Ideally, you should
have 2 days to tour the sights, and even that will be a busy time. With a single
day, treat yourself to the Duomo, the Duomo Museum, and the Museo Civico.
On the second day, be sure to add the Ospedale di Santa Maria, the Pinacoteca,
and San Domenico Church on the north edge of town.
You should start your visit, as people have been doing for centuries, at the
breathtakingly beautiful Piazza del Campo
555
The high-end Cane & Gato
€€€€
555
. This large square is a logical
gathering place, the site of the Palio race, and a perfect spot to sit, have a gelato,
and watch mobs of tourists, street musicians, and locals enjoying the scene. Siena's
ruling Council of Nine had the piazza constructed in its present form from 1290
to 1349. The council divided the area into nine segments as a tribute to them-
selves. The nine white dividing lines actually serve as gutters to funnel water into
the grate at the bottom of the sloped area. Fonte Gaia, the “Happy Fountain” at
the peak of the piazza, is topped with a goddess of the seas, and framed with the
Virgin Mary flanked by the Virtues. It's a 19th-century reproduction of the 15th-
century original.
The Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall), at the base of the piazza, is an expression
of Siena's civic power and pride, constructed in the early 14th century. The 95m
(315-ft.) Torre del Mangi ( 6; Mar-Oct 10am-7pm, in winter closes 4pm) jutting
up from the structure is climbable and offers spectacular views over the city and
surroundings. The view from the tower on top of the Museo dell'Opera is nearly
as good, and admission to an art gallery is included in the
6 fee. The clunky
structure sticking out from the front of the Palazzo is the Cappella di Piazza,
meant as a religious offering following the end of the Black Death in the late
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