Where to eat in Siena: pici, panforte and contrada cuisine
Siena has a hearty land-based cuisine of fresh pasta, ancient sweets and cinta senese pork: where to find it between the centre and the contrade.
Perituss, Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Sienese cuisine is among the most distinctive in Tuscany. Pici, hand-rolled pasta thicker than standard spaghetti, typical of the Val d'Orcia and the countryside around Siena, are traditionally dressed with aglione (tomato and garlic sauce), Chianti-style meat ragù, or a Tuscan take on cacio e pepe. Cinta senese, a native pig breed, often appears among the cured meats and main courses.
On the sweet side, Siena is the home of panforte — a spiced cake of almonds, candied fruit, honey and flour with roots dating back to around the year 1000, now IGP-certified — and of ricciarelli, soft almond biscuits. The trattorias of the historic centre, often tied to one of the city's seventeen contrade, are the most convenient starting point for tasting these dishes in an authentic setting.
Practical info
What's the best time of year to visit Siena?
April, May, June, September and October is ideal: those are the months with less tourist traffic.
Is Siena a crowded tourist spot?
Compared to the more touristy destinations, Siena is moderately busy.
What area is Siena in?
Siena lies in Tuscany.
Part of the complete guide
How to get there
- 🚆 Nearest station: Arbia ~7 km as the crow flies
- ✈️ Nearest airport: Aeroporto Firenze Amerigo Vespucci FLR ~56 km as the crow flies
Nearest points as the crow flies (source OpenStreetMap): actual times depend on the roads, often mountain ones.
