Siena in 1 day
The cathedral at 10 on a pass that takes about 2 h, the Palazzo Pubblico and the tower after lunch — and the other way round on Sundays, when the Duomo opens at 1.30.
- Tickets
- OPA SI Pass €14
- The cathedral
- 10 to 19 from April to October
- The tower
- 1 Mar–31 Oct: 10–19 (last entry 18.15)
A one-day plan for Siena rests on three sets of opening hours. The cathedral opens at 10, or 10.30 from November to March, and only at 1.30 on Sundays. The last climb up the Torre del Mangia starts at 6.15, and as early as 3.15 from November to February. The OPA SI Pass route takes about 2 h, so on a weekday the morning belongs to the cathedral and the afternoon to the Palazzo Pubblico on the Campo.
The cathedral in the morning, the Palazzo Pubblico after lunch
The Duomo at opening, on the OPA SI Pass (€14, €16 while the floor is uncovered). The whole route takes about 2 h: the cathedral and the Piccolomini Library, then the Museo dell'Opera with the climb onto the Facciatone, the crypt and the baptistery.
A break for lunch. The pass is valid for three consecutive days, so whatever is left can wait until tomorrow.
The Museo Civico in the Palazzo Pubblico, on the Campo itself: the Sala dei Nove holds Lorenzetti's frescoes of Good and Bad Government of 1338–39, and the next room Simone Martini's Maestà of 1315. The museum alone is €10; with the tower it is €15.
The Torre del Mangia, in the same building. It cannot be booked; the last climb is at 6.15.
The Campo, then through the contrade to dinner.
Winter shortens the afternoon
From November to February the tower takes its last visitors at 3.15 and the museum at 5.15, while the cathedral opens 10.30 to 5.30. The order changes: the Duomo from 10.30 to 12.30, the tower straight after lunch, around 1.30, and the Museo Civico after the tower. Leave the tower for the end of a winter day and you find it shut.
WFoodWhat to order, and why the food here is not Florence's:What to eat in Siena →
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How long does the OPA SI Pass route take?
The whole route takes about 2 h. The pass is valid for three consecutive days, so the Museo dell'Opera or the baptistery can wait until tomorrow.
Is the combined Museo Civico and tower ticket worth it?
Yes: €15 instead of €10 for the museum and €10 for the tower. The tower cannot be booked, so you buy at the door.
When is Siena cathedral open on Sundays?
From 1.30 to 6 from April to October, and until 5.30 the rest of the year. Last entry is half an hour before closing.
Ready for Siena?
Where to next
Day trips from Siena
→Monteriggioni is twenty-odd minutes by bus, San Gimignano a full day with no changes, Montepulciano a train…
San Gimignano · 30 km
→Walls with fourteen surviving towers out of what was once seventy-two, seen from the road before you even reach the gate.
How well does Siena suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
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