After some bags left by AirItalia in Rome and some misguided TSA advice, we have settled in to Siena. The weather has been mild and mostly sunny, the streets have been bustling with after Christmas sales, and the food – both at the host family homes and at the innumerable Siena restaurants – has been both delicious and plentiful.
On the first Thursdays, students all gathered at the apartment of the program leader (aka my apartment), overlooking the Piazza del Campo, for a welcome aperitivo. We had, by this point, taken our placement exams, had our first Italian class, and even sampled some of the nightlife in Siena.
Siena is a UNESCO world heritage city, one of the best preserved medieval cities in the world, and the sense of Siena’s history – its status as one of the most powerful and richest cities in Europe in the 12th century – is palpable.
starting at the Campo
Although we have all been wandering the city throughout this first week, our guided tour took us to several new places in the south of the city. The site above is one of the most famous piazzas in the world, Siena’s Piazza del Campo, with the huge tower and city hall in the background.
Siena lies in the middle of Tuscany and even in January, the area around the walled center-city provides stunning views. The tour was the first of several ‘urban treks’ we’ll do throughout the semester, each getting a bit more in-depth as our familiarity with the winding streets and small urban nooks grows. Even with five hours of Italian a day (which lasts for three weeks), we’ve all found ourselves wandering the city, alone and in small groups, throughout this first week. More discoveries await.