The rolling Tuscan countryside is an ideal stage for numerous outdoor activities, including cycling, horseback riding and ballooning (a favourite with children). The local football team regularly plays matches at the stadium at the city centre. Meanwhile, the city’s botanical garden is open daily for visitors seeking time to reflect and unwind.

Ballooning
A sublime way to take in the Tuscan landscape, ballooning over Siena and the surrounding countryside is the perfect getaway for couples or families with children. Rides typically last a little over an hour, and it is possible to hire English-speaking balloonists who can narrate the journey as you pass over groves of olive trees, vineyards and historic villages. The ride is usually followed by a light champagne brunch when the balloon sets down.

Cycling
This is a wonderful way to tour the old city or the Tuscan countryside. Many travel agencies offer day-long excursions led by experienced, English-speaking guides. Road bikes or mountain bikes (along with essential equipment) can be rented at hourly, daily or even weekly rates, giving you the freedom to tour Siena according to your own schedule.

Football
Siena’s football team is in the A series. Matches are held at the stadium adjacent to the Piazza San Domenico in the city centre. Italians take football very seriously and any visiting football enthusiast will want to be sure to catch a game if possible. 
Phone: +39 577 280 937 (Siena Football Club).

Horseback Riding
Equestrian centres throughout Tuscany host organised tours over a variety of trails that cater to individual skill levels. Riding lessons are available for beginners and children, and many of the organised tours are accompanied by picnic lunches. Horses can be hired at hourly and daily rates.

Orto Botanico dell'Universita
First planted in the 1500s, these gardens have grown to three times their original size. The original purpose of the garden was to provide doctors from the nearby Santa della Scala hospital with access to medicinal herbs. The garden grew in scope to include exotic plants from around the world and gained its affiliation with the university. Today the gardens are a popular retreat from daily life in the city.

Siena is an historic city with a wealth of cultural attractions to offer visitors. The Museum of Metropolitan Work and the Civic Museum in the Palazzo Pubblico both have excellent displays of local artwork. Other important works of art can be found in the Santa Maria della Scala Museum. Meanwhile, the Siena Palio, held every summer in the Piazza del Campo, is the largest horse race of its kind in the nation.

Museum of Metropolitan Work
This museum is found within a building that dates to the 1300s. Oddly, the building was slated to be a cathedral during its early days of construction; however, this was never realised. Today, it serves as an archive of local treasures, many of which originated in the city's Duomo. The Duccio di Buoninsegna sculpture, della Maestà, is one of the most popular exhibits.

National Picture Gallery
Housed in the Palazzo Buonsignori (constructed in the 1300s), the Pinacoteca di Siena displays a variety of paintings sourced from the 1200s to the 1500s. Among these works of art are paintings by Italian masters, including Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Duccio di Buoninsegna and Pietro. 
Phone: +39 0577 46052

Palazzo Pubblico
Construction on the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall) was completed in the late 1300s. Overall, the Palazzo displays medieval architecture with Gothic hints. Each room has its own collection of frescoes, the most important of which is Ambrogio Lorenzetti's three-panel series in the Sala della Pace. An interesting historic fact, every work of art in the Palazzo was commissioned by the government, rather than by the church.

Palio Horse Race
The Palio di Siena horse race dates to the 1300s, when locals organised a city-wide race that ran from Porta Camollia to the Duomo. The race grew in popularity and was confined to the Piazza del Campo in the 1600s. Today, the horse race is the most famous palio in all of Italy, held twice in July and August. Jockeys ride bareback in this 10-horse event, accompanied by a great deal of pageantry and period dress.

San Francesco Basilica
Built in the 1200s century and later enlarged, this church boasts a Romanesque core with substantial Gothic revisions. Inside are two sepulchres from the 1300s and some large (albeit damaged) frescoes: Sodoma's Nativity and di Pietro's Incoronation of the Virgin. Several other works of art (most of which date to the 16th century) are found inside of the church.

Santa Maria della Scala
Once a hospital but now a museum, this building has benefited from an impressive (and recent) restoration campaign. The hospital was originally a project of the neighbouring cathedral, built to house French pilgrims. Some of the hospital's original artwork remains and is on display alongside more modern works. Three chapels inside have also been restored: the Capella della Madonna, the Capella del Manto and the Capella del Sacro Chiodo. 
Phone: +39 577 224 811; www.santamariadellascala.com  

Siena Jazz Festival
Every summer, this two-week jazz festival takes centre stage in Siena's medieval town squares. Performers range from well-established jazz masters to emerging prodigies. Live jazz performances are complemented by the International Jazz Workshop that assists students of jazz music in finding their voice on the modern stage. 
Phone: +39 577 271 401; www.sienajazz.ir/en.html

The atmospheric city of Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is overflowing with quaint trattorias (informal restaurants) and classy, upscale restaurants serving local specialities. During the summer months, many of these establishments offer al fresco dining within site of the city's most popular sites. Of particular importance is the Piazza del Campo, with several eating establishments within close proximity to the Duomo and Palazzo Pubblico.

Wild game features heavily in local cuisine, ranging from poultry and hare to wild boar. Traditional dinners begin with an hors d'oeuvre such as wild game crostini. Soups follow, often featuring lentils and local game such as pheasant or frog. Wild boar is a popular main course, served hot or cold and often seasoned with rosemary and garlic. Popular Siena sweets include ricciarelli (almond biscuits seasoned with vanilla and honey) and panforte (almonds, candied fruits and spices served on a wafer).

Siena's shopping scene covers high Italian fashions, jewellery, furnishings, antiques and handicrafts. The latter became an important local trade in the 1000s when the first guild of craftsmen was founded. Today's artisans continue the tradition, crafting everything from gold and silver jewellery to embroidered tapestries and terracotta tiles.

Popular items include terracotta candleholders and jugs, lampshades and tapestries embroidered with Renaissance prints, and souvenirs from the Palio horse race. Siena confectioners (such as the historic Nannini Store) sell locally made pastries and candies, and many tourists return home with a bottle of Chianti or extra-virgin olive oil. The best collection of fashion boutiques is found on Via Branchi di Sopra.