Siena

Siena (often mispelled "Sienna") may be the best-preserved medieval city in Italy, thanks to its conquest by Florence nearly 500 years ago. While the Florentines were busy launching the Renaissance, the Senese played the role of country cousins--and as a result, Siena (or at least the walled portion of the city) still looks much as it did in the Middle Ages.

 

Many tourists regard Siena as being worth a day trip from Florence or a half-day stopover on a tour of rural Tuscany. That's a mistake. You should allow at least two days to visit Siena's major churches and museums, plus another day simply to enjoy the unique atmosphere of this historic but lively university town.