Siena Private Walking Tour: Traditions, Streets & Cathedral

4.5 (82 reviews) 2–3 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

82 reviews

4.5

Siena Private Walking Tour: Traditions, Streets & Cathedral — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Siena Private Walking Tour: Traditions, Streets & Cathedral, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Explore Siena on a private walking tour with an expert local guide and discover the city beyond the main tourist routes. Walk through the historic center, step into the city’s unique contrada neighborhoods, and learn about their traditions, identity, and centuries-old rivalries. Enjoy a guided visit inside Siena Cathedral (Duomo) with skip-the-line entry, and experience the city’s everyday life, artisan corners, hidden streets, and local food culture along the way.

Private walking tour of Siena with an expert local guide.
Historic center and Siena’s iconic contrada neighborhoods.
Skip-the-line entry and guided visit inside Siena Cathedral (Duomo)
Local food traditions, artisan culture, and hidden streets.
Choose a 2-hour intro tour or upgrade to the 3-hour extended tour.

-Available in English, German, and French language options.

Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Cultural Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours Culture Excellent Quality Short term availability

At a glance

Duration: 2–3 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: German, English, French
Operated by: Walks In Europe

Ages: Adults (7–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Private tour for a more personalized experience
Included: Pre-reserved skip-the-line tickets for the Siena Cathedral
Included: Option to climb the unfinished façade , at your own pace
Included: Option to visit the Crypt and the Museum with your guide
Included: Expert local guide with insider's knowledge of Siena
Included: Option to extend the tour 3 hours with the OPA SI Pass
Included: 2 or 3 hr walking tour at a relaxed pace depending on the option chosen

Not included

Not included: Transport to the meeting point

Itinerary

Siena

Passing by

On a guided walking tour, discover Siena, its famous monuments, and hidden treasures. Enjoy skip-the-line tickets to head in faster and start exploring more quickly.

Catch quiet moments in tucked-away squares and cobbled streets as you explore the medieval neighborhoods. Enhance your experience with an extended visit to the Cathedral Complex, Crypt, and Museum.
Piazza san Domenico

20 min

Meet your expert guide to walk the streets of Siena. Start exploring the medieval history of Siena and then walk the winding path that offers a beautiful of the Duomo and Torre del Mangia from afar. Stop here for a hot second for a lingering first glance of Siena!
Piazza del Campo

15 min

Discover how this seashell-shaped square (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most squares beautiful in Italy) was the result of an enlightened 14th century government.

Siena is a city with deeply-rooted traditions, none more notable than its Palio horse race which for centuries has divided the city into neighborhoods known as "contrade."

Learn about the contrade, which become like independent towns that challenge each other twice a year during the Palio!

Walk through one of the most typical contrada and be immersed in the authenticity of the atmosphere in Siena.

The city's past was glorious, particularly during the Middle Ages, and your guide will explain how even the local pastry reflects its prosperity during that era.

Ask your guide where to find the best local bakery that still uses centuries-old recipes to make typical Ricciarelli or Panforte.
Fonte Gaia

15 min

See the magnificent Fonte Gaia fountain which adorns the higher part of Piazza del Campo.

Take a break as to admire the sides of the piazza which are decorated with reliefs representing The Creation of Adam and The Flight from the Garden of Eden.
Torre del Mangia

20 min

Admire the striking tower standing tall in the middle of Piazza del Campo.

Listen as your guide explains the medieval politics of Siena which explain why its tower was built at the same height as the cathedral.
Stop 6

45 min Admission included

Our pre-booked tickets make entering the stunning Cathedral a breeze, and our small groups or private tours offer each of our guests a more personalized, intimate experience.

Skip the line to enter the cathedral with pre-booked tickets. Inside, you'll see the magnificent marble mosaic inlay floor and astonishing decorations by famous Tuscan artists.

Discover the medieval masterpieces by Duccio and Pisano, and the cathedral's renowned stained glass.

Inside are several other unmissable Renaissance highlights: Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini sculptures, and frescoes by Pinturicchio in the Libreria Piccolomini. Here is where Raphael, then a novice painter, took his first steps towards eternal fame.
Museo dell'Opera Metropolitana

one hour Admission included

Enhance your experience with the extended tour if you want a more profound knowledge of the cathedral’s complex. After a tour inside the Duomo with your knowledgeable guide, continue your adventure at the enchanting Crypt, a true medieval gem.

Marvel at the frescoes illustrating biblical episodes that had remained hidden for five hundred years, making the Crypt an authentic time capsule. Admire the vibrant colors, the level of detail, and the beauty of mural paintings.

Once outside, you’ll discover the intriguing tale of the unfinished Duomo Nuovo, a visionary project intended to build the largest medieval cathedral in Europe. Visit the Museo dell’Opera and marvel at the original cathedral sculptures by Donatello and Giovanni Pisano, as well as the original stained glass window by Duccio di Buonisegna.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

We meet at the steps in front of the entrance of San Domenico church. Your guide will have a signboard that says, “Walks In Europe.”

End point

Using your ticket

Please meet your guide at San Domenico Church under the big tree and start your tour.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please be aware the Cathedral of Siena is an “operating” church, and it can be closed to visitors for any liturgical reason, even without warning (for the funeral of a Cardinal, for example).
Access to the Facciatone depends on weather permitting.
Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.

Options

Private 2-Hour Tour in English

Duration: 2 hours

Intro Tour of Duomo: Choose this option for an introductory private Duomo tour in English.
Private 3-Hour Tour in English

Duration: 3 hours

3 Hour Extended Tour in EN: Choose this option for a 3-hour extended tour in English, including the OPA SI Pass.
Private 3-Hour Tour in German

Duration: 3 hours

3 Hour Extended Tour in GER: Choose this option for a 3-hour extended tour in German, including the OPA SI Pass.
Private 3-Hour Tour in French

Duration: 3 hours

3-hour Extended Tour in FR: Choose this option for a 3-hour extended tour in French, including the OPA SI Pass.