Tuscany in June Siena Day 1

The next day, after carefully studying opportunities for free parking in Siena we set off early to arrive at about 8.30 when hopefully local people will have left their overnight parking and tourists and workers won't yet be looking for spaces. The plan is to head for the free parking near the cemetery in Via Laterina but in the end we see some spaces on the side of the road up to Porta San Marco which suit us just fine. In five minutes uphill we are inside the walls and heading for Piazza al Campo, puffing a little due to the combination of fast walking uphill, fresh morning air and our masks. Siena is waking up for the morning, people on the way to work, deliveries, local people waiting to buy bread, just another couple of tourists we note. The mostly deserted Piazza al Campo on this quiet post-Covid June morning is as majestic as I expected and deserves the I am here feeling reserved for those beautiful places I've been wanting to visit for ages which are actually as beautiful as I expected. 

The splendid moment is a little dented because as the clock tolls 9 a.m. I simultaneously realize I'm going to be late for ringing to check on my parents and I haven't got my phone because my phone is in my small shoulder bag on the back seat of the car in full view. Oh dear. Fast forward quarter past ten and still a little out of breath we are waiting, complete with bag and phone, in the carefully distanced queue outside the Duomo

to pick up the free tickets booked online to avoid queuing.....yes, well, the system probably needs to be improved a little, since it also requires everyone to download an app and scan a QR code on the spot (to ensure distancing, but which people get quite close to each other to do) something which could have been done beforehand. Going into the cathedral we sanitize our hands and listen to a somewhat confusing announcement which reminds us to distance (no problem, there are about 6 people in the whole cathedral) and turn off mobile phones (but aren't I supposed to be using the App?).

Finally, we can turn our attention to the cathedral which is really beautiful, from grandiose marble inlay floors,

  starry ceiling,

 cupola, 

pulpit by Nicola Pisano

....we spend nearly an hour inside and then go to visit the Museo dell'opera situated in the north aisle of the so-called "New Cathedral" on which construction began in 1339 but was stopped after the Black Death of 1348.The ground-floor rooms host the 14th century statues from the Cathedral façade, 

including Sibyls, Prophets and Philosophers of Antiquity, by Giovanni Pisano as well as the original large Stained-glass rose window made by Duccio di Buoninsegna to fill the round "oculus" opening above the Cathedral's chancel between 1287 and 1290.This is an excellent opportunity to admire close up the intense and almost dazzling  blues, yellows, reds, purples and  greens of the stained glass figures.

The first floor offers the Madonna and Child Enthroned by Duccio di Buoninsegna also known as the "Maestà" originally painted for the high altar of the Cathedral, a masterpiece of early 14th century Italian art. The altarpiece, dating back to 1308 - 1311, was painted on both sides with over forty figures on the front and almost eighty in the stories on the back, which is divided up into twenty-six different scenes, recounting the story of the Passion of Christ. 

Next stop is the Treasury with its over two hundred objects associated with the sacred liturgy of which the golden rose is particularly unusual. The top floor has three main rooms hosting a rich collection of paintings on wood and on canvas depicting religious themes painted for the Cathedral between the 13th and 19th centuries.Many are beautiful, we particularly like the almost modern feel of the two large panel paintings depicting St. Bernardino Preaching painted by Sano di Pietro in the 1440s.

By the time we come out it is decidedly lunchtime, and, unfortunately since the plan is for a picnic, decidedly wet and raining. After some indecision we retreat back to the car to eat in the dry and also for a welcome forty winks.

After coffee from the flask the sun has come out again so we head back to the Cathedral square for the visit to Santa Maria della Scala the former hospital. The free ticket allows us to Cappella del Manto, Sala del Pellegrinaio, Sagrestia Vecchia, and an art exhibition entitled “Una Città ideale".

It's quiet inside, very few visitors and after a short look at the art exhibition we see Cappella del Manto where there's also a fine panel by Sano di Pietro, and then take our time in the Sala del Pellegrinaio with it's fascinating and colourful frescoes documenting the building of the hospital and daily life.

It's enough for one day, the rest of the afternoon is spent strolling up and down and around the centre, 

 we stop for a slice of my homemade cake sitting in Piazza al Campo, 

still just a few people around, and just enjoy looking around the historical centre

 and planning what to explore the following day.

By the time we get back to the car it's about five thirty and the dual carriageway quickly takes us back to our quiet apartment for a relaxing supper of local steak sitting outside near the tiny olive tree. A very nice day, Siena did not disappoint.