by Sara Monaci

Siena is the most medieval of Italian cities. It's the homeland of Duccio di Buoninsegna, Simone Martini, Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti, and Iacopo della Quercia. It is the city of the Palio, the lightning-fast horse and jockey race that's over in under two minutes after a full year of preparation. Patron saint of Europe, Saint Catherine was born and lived here, and Siena hosts the oldest Hospital for receiving pilgrims on via Francigena, Santa Maria della Scala, active since before the year 1,000.

It's famous for having maintained its fourteenth century urban fabric, wandering through Siena's streets truly gives you the impression of going back in time. What's unique about Siena, is that compared with other medieval cities, it has also retained much of its social fabric, thanks to the 17 districts that vie for the Palio twice a year (July 2nd and August 16th) on Siena's shell-shaped Piazza del Campo where the slender Torre del Mangia stands. 

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Fonte: Italy24