During a holiday in Tuscany in the area of Siena it’s possible to choose among many touristic trails and do many activities. For example, lovers of good food can enjoy tastings of wine and typical products in the near area of Chianti; spa enthusiasts can choose among several thermal sites present in the province of Siena; those who appreciate beautiful landscapes can dive in the enchanting Crete Senesi and the Val d’Orcia; and those who are looking for entertainment and folklore can choose to visit Siena during July and August, months during which the famous Palio takes place.
An alternative and original idea, to strongly consider to spend a nice holiday in and around Siena, might be to visit the 4 Unesco World Heritage Sites in the province of Siena, which is currently the Italian province with the most Unesco sites.
The 4 Unesco World Heritage Sites in the province of Siena
With the precious assistance of the staff of the Garden Hotel in Siena, that helped in writing this page, we can discover these sites of the province of Siena that UNESCO has considered worthy of being recognized as World Heritage Sites, reminding us that the Hotel Garden allows to easily access every UNESCO site in Siena since this 4 stars hotel is located near the historic center of Siena (one of the 4 sites) and from there you can reach the other three sites in 1 hour at most.
In details, these are the 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the province of Siena:
– Historic center of Siena. To understand why Unesco awarded the prize of being classified among its World Heritage Sites to Siena’s historic center, you just have to visit Piazza del Campo, one of the World’s most famous squares, that also includes the famous Torre del Mangia. Besides Piazza del Campo, the historic center of Siena also features palaces, churches and other buildings of high architectural value.
– Val d’Orcia. The marvelous landscapes of the Val d’Orcia look like paintings inspired by the poetic line of the horizon. Unesco chose to include the Val d’Orcia among its World Heritage Sites for its extraordinary beauty of its territory. The beauty of the Val d’Orcia is also enriched by the presence of several thermal sites such as Bagno Vignoni and Castiglione d’Orcia.
– Historic center of Pienza. Located in the Val d’Orcia, Pienza might be considered a double award, since we are talking about a UNESCO site inside another UNESCO site. The historic center of Pienza has been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The top reason for this is the the high humanistic value of the historic center of this town near Siena, a splendid example of renaissance architecture. To sum up, ever since the Renaissance, the town of Pienza has represented an ideal, people-oriented, city model.
– Historic center of San Gimignano. The historic center of San Gimignano is one of those place there time seem to follow different rules. Unchanged and immutable, free from the flow of time, the typical town of San Gimignano is one of the most visited towns in the area of Siena and the whole Tuscany.
Visiting the Unesco world Heritage Sites in the province of Siena allows to discover much beauty. During trips and holidays in these universally acclaimed sites, you will discover surprises and emotions at all times, between fascinating landscapes, picturesque views and the best that mankind has produced throughout the centuries.
If you are planning Your holiday in Tuscany and are wondering where to spend more time, we are certain that your doubts are now over… Siena and its treasures are waiting!