Advertisement
Published: November 28th 2011
Edit Blog Post
It is hard to believe that almost 23 years have passed since I walked the streets of this beautiful medieval city as an exchange student taking a summer course, Renaissance Drama. Not much has changed; in fact, I am using the same map that I used when I was first here. I had forgotten how beautiful Siena is and I have pinched myself so often that I’ve begun to ask others to start doing it for me because doing it myself just wasn’t cutting it anymore.
I arrived on the overnight bus from Bari, to my relief, on a sunny and warm Sunday morning. Once off the bus, the first thing I needed to find was "un bar per un caffe" (a caffe for an espresso). My first stop was at the train station; that’s where the bus actually let us off and of course wherever there will be many Italians there you will also find a bar. I ordered my espresso and my "cornetto" (croissant) before taking a cab to my apartment. The distance wasn’t far, a mere 2.5km distance which would have been a real challenge to walk considering Siena is situated on a steep hill surrounded by
medieval walls and doors which are actually archways. The taxi went through Porta Ovile which opens up into Piazza San Francesco, which usually means that there is a church of some sort in that piazza. I was not disappointed to discover that this was not a mere church but a basilica. The Basilica di San Francesco, is a barn-like Gothic church that was intentionally built in this style in order for the Franciscan monks to preach and convert large numbers of pilgrims. And yes, I do hear the bells of San Francesco ring since my apartment is not only in the same piazza but is situated right next door. I mean literally, in fact, when I look out the kitchen window there is the exterior wall of San Francesco and the stained glass windows. (I know it’s just too much).
I was greeted by my landlord, Pino who came with offerings of a bottle of water and a bottle of his homemade red wine for me. You need to understand just what this means in la Toscana. Siena is not far from the Chianti Classico region and is situated in the Brunello region where the Sangiovese grape is grown.
So this homemade wine isn’t just any wine – it’s heaven in a bottle! He escorted me up the staircase to the apartment. As I climbed I looked up, I saw a fresco painting on the ceiling at the top of the staircase. He opened up the door to let me in and wow "un sogno" (a dream). This apartment isn’t just any apartment as my photos will attest to. It is an apartment with a story. It was built in the 1700s and was used to house Franciscan monks in the days when the piazza was actually closed off from the rest of the city. Pino’s family acquired it in the late 1800s and has been in the family ever since. As a child, he actually grew up in this apartment. When his parents passed, he and his sister inherited the apartment and then divided it into two separate apartments. One of which is where I am staying for two glorious weeks. He opened the door to the room that I would be staying in. I almost collapsed because it was like stepping back in time to the Renaissance. Although the room has the smallest twin bed I have
Basilica di San Francesco
My apartment is just to the left of this magnificient basilica. ever seen, most likely to discourage overnight guests, it is a huge room with turn of the century furnishings, double doors that open up onto a balcony with the most spectacular view of rolling Tuscan hills and not one but two bell towers and a firelplace. The only Ikea pieces you will find in this apartment are glasses and mugs. Pino also brought cornetti for breakfast. Apparently it’s a tradition of his to bring cornetti on the weekend for the students/tenants. So if you’re paying attention, this means that in a matter of half an hour I was already on my second espresso and second cornetto of the morning. When in Rome……
I spent the rest of the day walking the winding streets of the city centre with the other tourists and actually sat in Piazza del Campo. It is a shell-shaped “square” that dates to the 12th century bordered with elegant buildings. It’s focal point, is a beautiful fountain, La Fonte Gaia, a rectangular marble basin decorated with statues. The reliefs depict Adam and Eve, the Madonna and Child and the Virtues. Water is fed into it by a 25km aqueduct, which has actually brough fresh water into
the city from the hills since the 14
th century. Also in the main square is the Palazzo Publico and the Torre del Mangia. It was a glorious sunny day of 16C so of course, I had a gelato. When in Rome......or should I say in Siena once again...
Advertisement
Tot: 0.126s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 47; dbt: 0.0562s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Angie
non-member comment
OH, HAPPINESS!
Mina, It sounds wonderful! Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!