In some circles, Siena, our final destination, is considered the rival to Florence as the preeminent city of the Tuscan region. But that would be like comparing oranges to tangerines; related but with their own distinctive flavor. Siena was the unexpected star of our tour. It had the throngs of tourist and beautiful cathedrals like the capital city to its north but it also exuded a sense of both intimacy and manageability; at no point did we feel overwhelmed by the place.
Most spectacular of all was the Palio di Siena, the annual horse races (July 2nd and August 16th) around the city’s gently sloping town center (Piazza del Campo). Take that Florence! Had we been there just a month earlier or came a week later, we might have been able to partake in the festivities. I guess daydreaming that we were in the crush of excited spectators would have to suffice.
The contestants of the race hail from the 17 contrade or “districts” of the city, each with other own representative animal or symbol. It was from these that we were first inspired to buy some patches to sew onto our carry-on bags; a tradition we have maintained for every country we have visited.
