Scene in Siena by Daphne Beames

Our journey into Central Tuscany began at the Villa Belvedere on the southern banks of the River Arno: a 1930’s hillside mansion set in 4ha of landscaped garden. This delightful residence, near the Porta Romano, is owned by a hospitable Firenze family and offers an impressive view of Brunelleschi’s magnificent dome. (It is highly recommended as one of Florence’s finest hotels.)

The evening before, we had dined at the truly amazing Sostanza Troia Trattoria near the Piazza Goldoni, north of the river. If you do nothing else - when you next visit Florence, track down this superb restaurant. Tucked away in a side street, with crisp white paper on the tables and a global clientele - it is surely one of the city’s best kept secrets. Accepting no reservations – Sostanza is famous for its traditional, tender Florentine steaks (Bistecca alla Florentina), wild porcini mushrooms, white beans and Vin Santo, or holy wine.

The S222 south, through the Chianti countryside, is flanked by pine-clad slopes where - during the warmer months - woodland cyclamen, milky white mallows and almond-scented, pale pink bindweed bloom on the forest floor. The road runs alongside alluring olive groves, through rich vineyards and past wonderful hill-top villages where flame-shaped cypresses stand sentinel. The fresh, green smell of the pines, the rich red of the wild poppies and the sound of ciçadas all invite closer communion and so we stopped beside a thick carpet of pine-needles to breathe in the delights of the enchanting landscape.

On a cloudless horizon, old Siena beckoned - her fortified walls streaked with molten gold and her tall spires towering over the characteristic, red-brown clay of the Chianti Classico region.

Siena is a noble name and the Hotel Certosa di Maggiano is its most noble hostelry. This 14th-century, former Carthusian monastery is close to the heart of the city and affords a panoramic view over ancient, terracotta rooftops. Its graceful cloisters (once a retreat for pilgrims and a centre for meditation) now offer delicious gastronomic treats. The gleaming, wooden floors glow with the patina of ages and the elegant rooms are tastefully furnished with rich tapestries, crystal chandeliers and rare paintings.

The next morning - with our sights firmly fixed on the tall campanile rising in the distance - we set out to explore the maze of narrow, cobbled alleys that surround the famous Piazza del Campo.

Siena, like Rome, is built on seven hills and steep streets, linked by flights of stone steps, transverse the sloping terrain. Eleven, pedestrian lanes lead to the central Campo (field) - suddenly the buildings part and the marvellous 12th-century Town Square lies open to the gaze. This is a breathtaking moment.

The huge, fan-shaped Piazza inclines at an unbelievable gradient; is surrounded by fine, Renaissance buildings, boutiques and loggias; incorporates the ornate Fonte Gaia (fountain) and is divided into nine paved sectors - symbolising the medieval Council of Nine. The first glimpse of the square is almost a déja vu moment as the striking prospect seems strangely familiar - having been the subject of so many early engravings and paintings.

The photogenic, Gothic Town Hall, or Palazzo Pubblica, supports the slender Torre del Mangio - a 102m high tower, the second tallest built in medieval Italy. (Climb the 412 steps to the observation platform for a sensational view over the Chianti countryside.)

July and August are the months of the ‘Sienese Corsa del Palio’: Siena’s famous horse race - and we had timed our visit to co-incide with this colourful pageant. (The race is run twice yearly on July 2 and August 16 so if you dislike jockeying for accommodation and jostling with crowds, avoid these dates.)

Since the first race was run in 1656, the 17 contrades (parishes or neighbourhoods) have competed in this cutthroat and dangerous spectacle - for which the Piazza del Campo is transformed into a death-defying, fast track.

Today this daring event competes with ‘Formula One’ for thrills skills and spills, and its celebrity status is such that the heart-stopping Palio will be featured in the new James Bond movie: ‘Quantum of Solace’. (During filming, Daniel Craig attended the 2007 race - as a spectator.) Siena, said to have been founded in Roman times by Senius, son of Remus - has entered the lists at the cutting edge of entertainment!

The pièce de résistance is the Duomo. It stands in the oldest Sienese district: the Terzo di Citta and is linked to the Piazza del Campo by the Via di Citta. The commanding Cathedral, dating back to the 13th-century, is built in the form of a Latin cross.

The striking, polychrome façade is composed of black, white, green and red marble; the ornate interior is dominated by stripes of dramatic black and white marble; the intricate, inlaid mosaic floor was constructed over two centuries and the awe-inspiring, deep blue ceiling is adorned with bright, golden stars. (Open to the public daily. The Piccolomini Library, Baptistry and Museo dell’Opera del Duomo require separate tickets.)

Leaving Siena on the S2 in the direction of Colle di Val d’Elsa - the road winds towards the perfectly preserved walls of Monteriggioni. Sparkling like a small casket of gems under the Tuscan sun - this miniature hill-top town so impressed Dante that he immortalised it in his Inferno as ‘a ring-shaped citadel... crowned with towers’. Today, quaint craft shops, pleasant restaurants and a Romanesque church make this tranquil village a delightful diversion on the road to San Gimignano.

For centuries San Gimignano’s distinctive skyline - with its impressive array of belfries and towers - has welcomed pilgrims en route to Rome and today, the first sight of a cluster of stone giants dominating the horizon still occasions a sharp intake of breath. (Fourteen of the original seventy-two towers remain.) From humble, Etruscan beginnings in 3rd-century B.C. and originally named for the Bishop of Modena, this ‘Tuscan Manhattan’ rocketed to fame in 1999 when it was featured in Franco Zeffirelli’s blockbuster film: ‘Tea with Mussolini’.

We loved the PR banner strung across an avenue of overhanging trees at the entrance: ‘Welcome to San GimignAMO’, it announced triumphantly!

Ample parking beneath the fortified walls has thoughtfully been provided by the City Fathers and a short walk leads through a weathered archway and onto the time-worn cobbles of the Via di Quercecchio.

Straddling the old Via della Costerella and marking its territory by casting a proprietary shadow over the picturesque scene is the 14th-century Torre Grossa: the tower of the town hall (Palazzo del Popolo). Also called the Rognosa, this is the tallest of the windowless giants and the only one open to the public. A steep climb is rewarded by spectacular views over green hills and venerated stone. On the second floor of this municipal palazzo is the Museo Civico – a picture gallery filled with important frescoes and paintings by Sienese and Florentine artists.

Stop for lunch in one of the delightful, character-filled restaurants that line the narrow, pedestrian lanes and offer Tuscan specialities (try Ristorante Beppone); then head for the popular Piazza del Duomo. This vibrant square is at the heart of the charming village and the wide steps in front of the Collegiate Church serve as a meeting place and attract crowds of students and buskers. The plain façade of the Cathedral belies its ornate interior which boasts a series of outstanding frescoes by Ghirlandaio; striking blue and white striped arches and a decorated, vaulted ceiling.

The centrepiece of the adjacent, triangular Piazza della Cisterna is the carved edifice of a 1237 well, and is surrounded by impressive palaces and medieval houses with mullioned windows – among them the Sienese shaped Palazzo Tortoli-Treccani: the Palazzo Lupi (incorporating the ‘tower of the devil’) and the Palazzo Costesi.

Before leaving this Renaissance watering-place, indulge in a decadent San Gimignano gelato and then follow the tourist route through yet another arch and down the Via San Giovanni. Here you will find Becci’s arch and tower; the Pratellesi Palace, constructed in gothic brick and the San Francesco Church built in the Romanic/Pisan style.

Round off your trip with some speciality shopping - San Gimignano is famous for its white wines, crafts, jewellery and leather goods – and then check into the Hotel La Collegiata (located 1.5kms from the historic city centre) or simply sip an aperitif on a sidewalk and watch the passing show: the evening passeggiata.

Coloured in raw umber and verdigris; a blend of lush and austere under a cerulean sky - the land of Tuscany is unique.