Reasons Why Siena’s Piazza del Campo and Contrade Make for the Perfect Italian City

If you’re looking for the essence of Italy but don’t have days on end to see the country’s rustic countryside and small towns, where should you go? Venice, with its timeless palaces and charming canals? Rome and its millennia-old roads and architectural marvels? What about Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance that brought humanity out of the Dark Ages and into the light?

While all three of those places are must-see cities and unique in their own way, there’s another city worth considering. The medieval hilltop city of Siena in Tuscany is the place to go for that perfect Italian experience.

And what’s more, I think a day exploring Siena’s contrade followed by an evening in Siena’s famous Piazza del Campo will make you say to yourself: “This is Italy.” That’s what happened to me, and that’s what I’m going to share with you in this post. So, grab an Aperol spritz and your favorite aperitivo because we’re heading to Siena!

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What’s so Special About Siena

From the start of our brief time in Siena, it captivated me. Its history seemed to be etched in every burnt orange stone used to erect its buildings. Each winding lane unveiled another chapter in Siena’s long story.

Whether it was seeing young men practicing their flag waving for their contrada (sort of like the Sienese version of a neighborhood), a graffitied horse representing Siena’s proud tradition of horseracing or simply local Sienese people going about their business in a way that was more apparent than any of our other stops in Italy, it was all right there begging to be discovered.

Siena rewards intrepid travelers willing to step away from the tourist attractions and into the spaces that locals frequent. More importantly, the people living there have successfully held on to their past and heritage without letting tourists change the personality of their contrade as can happen in other popular places.

While you walk around, you get the sense that you are in someone’s home. It’s not that there is any type of anti-tourist sentiment, but rather, you clearly feel as if you are only a guest within the city. There’s no sense of anyone catering to you or going out of their way to create comfortable tourism.

The Sienese people don’t seem to care whether you like their city or not. It’s gritty, it’s vibrant, but most importantly, it’s real.

What’s Wrong with Venice, Florence and Rome?

Absolutely nothing! And yet, each of them just seemed to lack a certain something.

For instance, despite the premise of this post, Venice was actually my favorite place in Italy. It has this dreamlike quality that makes it feel almost otherworldly. The ornate architecture rising above those iconic canals is a surreal scene unmatched by most places on Earth.

Yet, despite falling in love with it almost instantly, those are the exact reasons it didn’t feel like the perfect Italian experience. It barely feels real, let alone the type of place you can picture real people going about their lives.

Then there’s Florence. I’ll add a bit of a digression here as I felt a little rushed in Florence. We spent so much time in its world-famous art galleries that we didn’t get to truly experience the city itself.

Nevertheless, Florence felt too metropolitan, too…European. That’s not a bad thing, but it just didn’t give off the Italian vibe I was looking for.

And finally, Rome. The Eternal City. Rome put Italy on the map and is its modern-day capital. It’s filled with Italian history and was vitally important in making Italy the country it is today. Surely, that should feel like quintessential Italy, right?

Unfortunately, no, but this one comes with a caveat. The major historic zone of Rome feels like what I expected Rome to be like; it does not feel like Italy, though. It’s amazingly grand and fills you with a sense of awe. However, it lacks any rustic charm and can feel touristy. Like Florence, those things aren’t necessarily bad. I loved my time in Rome and can’t wait to go back. There are simply better options if you want to get at what makes Italy so unique.

With that said, as you get away from the historic center, Rome has more simple neighborhoods that exude more of the Italian personality. For instance, we spent some time in Trastevere, a small neighborhood southwest of the historic sites across the river. Despite being a popular neighborhood, it conveyed a simpler personality than the historic area that felt more like Italy’s famous La Dolce Vita attitude.

Which Brings Me Back to Siena

Unfortunately, we only had two days in Siena. The first day was spent doing a couple main sights and walking around a couple contrade. The following morning, I set out early on my own to see what I could find.

I mostly wandered around aimlessly. My only frame of reference was Piazza del Campo, which I kept going back to before heading into a different contrada. The square is a convenient reference point since several contrade can be reached from some of the roads that branch off it. Think of it like a bicycle wheel where the roads are the spokes leading away from the hub. It makes it easy to visit different contrade without getting lost.

During this brief time, I found nothing of note. Nevertheless, at the same time, I found much of what makes Siena tick. What’s more, I got to experience the tranquility of Piazza del Campo as the sun came up over the mishmash of buildings encircling the plaza. While taking in the sights, I made plans to return to Piazza del Campo later that afternoon when we returned from a wine tour around Tuscany.

Siena’s Civic Pride on Display

One of the main reasons Siena feels so unique is the pride with which its citizens take in their respective contrade. A chance to see one of their gatherings is one of the top things to see in Siena.

The highlight is the Palio, a horserace around Piazza del Campo held between 10 of the contrade twice a year. The winning contrada gets the Palio banner and bragging rights, at least till the next race.

Besides the Palio, the contrade hold parades and rallies throughout the year to show off their neighborhood pride. Getting to see one of these is a spectacle unlike any other a visitor to Italy can have.

So, there we were in Piazza del Campo having a drink, talking about how I was disappointed that we didn’t see any of the contrada’s put on a parade when the sound of a drum began to rattle above the din of the crowd. What initially looked like a crowd of a hundred or so people started filtering into the square led by two people waving orange and green flags.

I thought it was just a small group doing a bit of impromptu flag waving, but after about a minute, it became clear that a contrada was holding a rally. The group was split, with men in the front and women following close behind. Each group had their own chant to perform while they danced along the perimeter of Piazza del Campo.

We were fortunate enough to have prime seats to this event. As they rounded the plaza, they started to gather on the corner right next to where we were enjoying our drinks. I have no idea what they were singing about, but it was exciting listening to their songs and watching them jump up and down in celebration.

Eventually, the group dispersed back to their contrada where they would presumably carry on the party. Meanwhile, the rest of us, tourists from around the world, were left behind to talk about what a special moment we just witnessed.

It was unlike anything else I saw during my time in Italy. It was hard to even distinguish between tourist and local in many places, yet here in Siena, the locals were flouting their citizenship directly in our faces. More importantly, it never once seemed like a show for those of us visiting their city. It wholly seemed like they were doing it for themselves, and the rest of us just happened to be there.

(I can be sure that it wasn’t a show for tourists because later that night, I was walking around their contrada and stumbled upon a boisterous party being held behind closed doors.)

Watching the Moon Rise Over il Campo

After the rally was over and we had dinner, Michelle went back to our room for an early night while I headed back to Piazza del Campo for some time to myself. More than any other of Italy’s remarkable piazzas, this was the moment where I realized how special these public spaces are to Italians.

I arrived with just the faintest bit of dark orange sunlight hanging in the sky. I considered grabbing a beer, but then I decided I didn’t need it. So, I headed over towards Siena’s Fonte Gaia where I could grab a seat on the wall. With my journal in hand, I cozied up next to a couple from somewhere in Italy and just took in the scenery.

At first, there wasn’t much going on. A young couple stealing some private moments together. Swallows gradually returning to their roosts in the square’s tower. Tourists chatting away excitedly under the eaves of the various cafes.

As the sun fully set and the moon starting to come up, a change occurred around the piazza. Maybe it was just the blue glow from the Fonte Gaia and the uplighting on all the buildings, but something magical was in the air. Time seemed to stop as the moon hovered over the palazzo and locals and the odd tourist filtered through the square.

Children kicked a ball and forth to one another while their parents chatted and lazily looked on. At one point, an American child joined in without any of the other kids even skipping a beat. An elderly couple stood back while they looked on, possibly reminiscing about their own younger days and how their paths brought them to this point. The passionate couple sitting nearby…well, they were still locked in each other’s arms but now with the moon lighting up their faces.

Other people came and went while my thoughts drifted from one thing to the next. All the while, the whole scene was beautifully lit by the lights reflecting off years upon years of Sienese architecture. In that instance, I felt like I reached a better understanding of Italy’s culture than what any of the museums or ruins could teach me. Whatever concerns everyone had, they were left behind when we entered Piazza del Campo that night. We were all vitally present in that moment to simply enjoy life’s little pleasures.

For myself, by the time I walked away from the piazza, I was able to say: “This is Italy.”

Planning on visiting this perfect Italian city now? Here’s my guide on how to spend your time in Siena!