Happy holidays!!

It's that time of the year again. Time to wish all our friends, colleagues, visitors and Tuscany lovers all the best for this Christmas and holidays.

 

 

The market in the Campo

The Campo in Siena is probably one of the most beautiful squares in the world, and it has always been very special for the people from this city, because since the early middle ages all sorts of civil, religious, and festive events have take place - preachings, jostling, horse races, etc. Until a few decades ago there was the city market - still a great event for the citizens every Wednsday. And today and tomorrow we will be reliving the times of the market in the campo with local food of the area. There was a nice Christmas atmosphere. Items for every taste: handcrafts products, delicatessen, the traditional and delicious Siena’s Christmas sweets. As usual Siena is very generous: not only the city has offered to us its amazing beauty, but also its colors, delicious smells and music. Have a look at the pictures, and enjoy!

Photos by Monica Tarloni

November 30th Festival of Tuscany

We would like to share with you this interesting opportunity to people, who will be in the area of Florence tomorrow, but also to those who are planning a trip in the future (who knows you might get lucky and visit this beauty).

Friday, November 30, 2012
FESTIVAL OF TUSCANY: SPECIAL OPENING OF THE LARGE CLOISTER OF SANTA MARIA NOVELLA
The Large Cloister of Santa Maria Novella was built

in the 14th century, thanks to the generosity of a few noble Florentine families, and is decorated by a fresco cycle depicting the Life of St. Dominic and of other Dominican saints, executed between 1570 and 1590 by over 15 painters from the Accademia. Since 1920, it has been part of the Marshalls and Sergeants School of the Carabinieri and is normally closed to the public, but is viewable on the occasion of special openings and of community festivities. Access to the Large Cloister is included in the entrance ticket to the Museum of Santa Maria Novella.

Location: Museum of Santa Maria Novella, Piazza della Stazione 4, Florence
Contact: http://www.museicivicifiorentini.it/smn

Just a reminder about our history. Tuscany officially joined Italy in 1961 after an election, so there were no battles required like with the Kingdom of Naples or the Vatican State. Until that time there was the Great-dukedome of Tuscany, the first state ever to revoke capital punishment. We're proud of our heritage and proud to share it with people who come to visit.

Wine exhibition "Vino tra mito e storia".

Hello there lovers of wine, of beautiful landscape, art, history and traditions. Out here the autumn is raw, pouring rain and all. But let's not forget about beauty. The exhibition that will be on until May 5th 2013 in several museums around Siena might help in this hard winter times. It's an exhibition that connects wine with the history of Siena. Let's not forget that Brunello, Chianti and Nobile di Montepulciano all come from this area, so if you like red, you need to know all about them.

Click here for more info, and... see you 'round!

Look for the beauty around you

Especially during spring. Start looking out of the window, take walks outside, be in the sun. Get the most from this wonderful season. This is what spring brings us in Tuscany!

Snow

This is usually one of the best views of Siena but with this snow it's even better!
And following are some other cool pictures of our beautiful city in snow.

Best wishes for the Holiday Season

All of us guides from Guide Siena e Oltre wish you Italian food, art, and culture lovers all the best for this holiday season. We also hope all the best for your future.

Christmas is coming...

And there's lots of interesting activities and events in Tuscan and Umbrian cities and towns. Just as an example, here's a link to the official website promoting all events for this December in Siena. We hope you'll find something interesting for you!

Here's a picture of a recent event. A market commemorating the old tradition of the market in our beautiful Campo Square.

751 years later in Montaperti

Too late to hide the fact that the person writing the blog was born in Siena, and has Sienese blood flowing in her veins (though it's mixed with other Tuscan cities).

So, how else can I stress my origins if not by remembering the toughest battle that Siena had against its worse enemy, Florence, in 1260. It is the only battle that every average Sienese person knows, and the reason for this is that it's the only one in which we really and truly won.

Ok it was 751 years ago... But every year we remember what happened and we celebrate by staging a mock battle, which envolves the Sienese army and the supporting army of the Emperor Manfred, and the Florentine army. The latter being almost magically defeated after having threatened the destruction of Siena, if the governement of the city hadn't given up its independence to Florence.

It was a cruel and fierce battle. Even our Dante Alighieri wrote about it in the Divine Comedy saying that the water of the nearby river Arbia turned red because of all the blood of the Florentine soldiers dying in the battlefield.

After the 4th of September 1260 Siena became the "capital" of Tuscany, or rather, the most influent city in Tuscany. This period didn't last long though. But shhhhhh, don't tell all those proud Sienese people, who don't know what happened just a few years later... So let's keep dwelling on this memory for another 751 years, and maybe even more. We in Siena are used to looking at the past glories, and forgetting the present.

For those who read Italian, following is a piece, which describes what happened.

La battaglia durò passato il vespro. Era tanta l'uccisione che i sanesi facevano dei nemici che non potevano più combattere per la stanchezza e la moltitudine dei morti "che tute le strade e viotoli corivano sangue e fu alora"- narra il cronista-che la Malena "corse sangue de' fiorentini". I sopravvissuti si dettero a una fuga disperata, ma erano inseguiti, braccati, incalzati e raggiunti dai tedeschi che li mettevano al taglio della spada. Un tal Geppo, un taglialegna per conto di Siena con la sua scure ne scannò 25: un fiume di sangue correva per le vie e sui campi.
Dalla torre intanto l'annuncio della vittoria: I fiorentini sono stati sconfitti.

A picture, so that we all have an idea of how it might have been...

And finally a link for more info.

Little beauties

Lippo Memmi, Madonna del Popolo

Tomorrow the author of this post is going to have a guided tour in Siena. While revising for it, since it's going to be a "new" itinerary, she found this beauty, and couldn't avoid sharing it with you. The Madonna del Popolo was painted by Lippo Memmi, brother-in-law of the great Simone Martini (and great himself I reckon), around the 1330s. A careful visit in Siena shares this and many other beauties with visitors interested in something "off the beaten path"...

Our lovely sweets

I've always said they're special, though I don't always like them, because when they're industrial made their quality drops horribly... But when you go to the right shop and buy them (being prepared to spend a bit more for them than usual), you'll have a taste of heaven.

Now the at the EU they must have had a few of them, and they've realised that these sweets should be protected just like many other Italian culinary products. So one other reason for coming to Siena: RICCIARELLI!

For news on the EU's decision click here.

 

For info on the Ricciarelli click here.

The worst thing that could happen in our beloved Palio

It just happened this morning. The thing that every Sienese person hates to see. What we dread, what we hope never to see. And it happened during a practice, not even during the actual race. It might have been the ground (the stones are covered with compacted sand), which had been soaked by yesterday's rain, or it was just the strength of a horse, which was too much to control.

We lost one horse today, Messi was his name. He ran for the Chiocciola (the Snail). Now it's raining again, storming actually.

Looks like a really strange and sad Palio for us this year.

p.s. Sorry for this strange post, but who's writing is very emotional at the moment.

Palio, June 2011

Yesterday, in the Cortile del Podestà in Siena, the mayor presented this year's Palio, made by Tullio Pericoli, and dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. Below, you can see it in the picture. And here you can find detailed informations about it (in Italian though).

The Palio is the prize given to the winning district (Contrada, in Italian) of the horserace, which takes place every 2nd of July and 16th of August. It is made of silk and handpainted by an artist. Traditionally, but not always the Palio it's painted by local artists in July, while in August it's made by a "foreigner" international. In the past, we've had universally known artists such as Botero (here is a list of the artists of the 20th century).

The Palio (dedicated both in July and in August to a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary, e.g. the Virgin Mary of the ascension in August), must include the image of the Virgin Mary, the coats of arms of the City, the Province, and of the People of Siena, and the colours of the Contrada, which are taking part in the Palio. So this July we have: CHIOCCIOLA, CIVETTA, LUPA, OCA, PANTERA, TARTUCA, VALDIMONTONE, DRAGO, BRUCO E ISTRICE (snail, owl, she-wolf, goose, panther, turtle, ram, dragon, caterpillar, and porcupine).

Stay tuned! We will keep you posted on this week's horserace!

Living the medieval times in Monteriggioni, Siena

Late spring and early fall have always been times of the so called Sagre. A Sagra is a local festival usually taking place in smaller villages and towns rather than cities. Most of them are dedicated to a special kind of food, like pasta, fish, artichokes, cardoons, frogs (yes we do have this Sagra). Some are related to a theme, like the middleages, a time, which characterises our area, and which attracts so many tourists, who want to have an idea of how people lived 700 hundred years ago.

One of the best organized, and the most well-known (also abroad), is the one held in Monteriggioni the first two weekends of July. This year for example, the festival is dedicated to "war and peace". (See the link below)

But, however small a Sagra is, what's important is to eat well, that is enjoy the food and the wine, to have fun with friends, maybe meet some people, and dance or sing during the free concerts, which are always a must in these events.

For some information on the Sagre in the Province of Siena here are some of them. (Not much information in English unfortunately!)

www.monteriggionimedievale.it
www.sagradellapastasciutta.it
www.festaincollina.com/
www.serremaggio.it

Curiosities on Duccio di Buoninsegna

I was looking for some info on this fabulous Sienese artist of the 13th and 14th century, when I found this little rarity, which stamp collectioners might know about already. It is a stamp that Poste Italiane (the Italian post), issued in 2003, the year of Duccio's great exhibition in the Spedale Santa Maria della Scala in Siena.

It is a good example of the fine details, which characterise Duccio's paintings, of the sweetness of his faces, and of the beauty and poetry of what he left us.

I hope you enjoyed as much as I did when I found it!

700 years after Duccio's Maestà is brought to Siena's Duomo

Yesterday at 6:37 pm it was exactly 700 years after the largest painting on wood ever done in the history of art was brought into Siena's cathedral in a great procession from the artist's workshop.

GSO was there and took some pictures of this exciting moment for the history of art and for the history of our city. Have a look at the picture to get a tast of what happened on June 0th 1311.

End of Christmas Holidays

In Italy we have a saying "L'Epifania tutte le feste si porta via", which in English reads "Epiphany steals all the holidays away". And this is very true because the 6th of January was the last holiday on our calendar. We won't have any of them until next Easter, in 4 months time. Because of this, the cities and towns of Italy have gone back to the "normal" routine, and this is the best time to visit us.

Another plus are sales! From the 7th of January all cities in Italy have officially started sales which go from 30 to 50 or even 70% off. No need to say that you shouldn't miss this opportunity of visiting a city that's free from the numerous tourists and with lots of bargains to look for.

Why not visit our website at http://www.guidesienaeoltre.com/ to get some ideas of the places you can visit?

Also, stay tuned for calendars on the winter events in Tuscany and Umbria!

Licenced Tour Guides

Hello!

Before the end of this wonderful year for GSO, I want to make some remarks regarding having licenced tour guides.

• What is a licenced tour guide?

A person that has passed a regional or local exam that authorises him or her to work with tourists and to show them around the different cities and towns, which are within that geographical borders (i.e. the Province of Siena, of Florence, of Pisa).

• How can I tell a licenced tour guide from one who's not licenced?

A licenced tour guide must carry visible proof that he or she has passed the regional or local exam. In Italian this document is called "patentino", on this document there must be written "Guida autorizzata per Siena" (if we consider the Province of Siena).

• What's the difference between a licenced tour guides and a non-licenced tour guide?

The licence that we all carry hanging around our necks when we work is proof of quality. It guarantees the clients that we will treat our tourists well, that they will enjoy the visit, and get the most from the places they visit.

No need to say that in Guide Siena e Oltre we are all licenced tour guides, and we only work with licenced tour guides, who can guarantee the best services.

Look at the picture of one of our founding members, and please comment if you have any question related to this topic, we will be happy to answer to them.

Christmas in Tuscany

This is the enchanting atmosphere that surrounded the cities and towns of our Provinces after the great snowfall of Friday the 19th of December.
Everything was still!
Guide Siena e Oltre wishes You all marry Christmas and a happy new year and hopes to welcome you soon in Tuscany and Umbria!