We grab the opportunity of the most important annual event related to slow tourism, that is, the 12th edition of Urban Trekking National Day, recommending a series of routes to follow throughout the year in Siena to better know this town, fall in love with it and be amazed each time for new discoveries.
First, however, we suggest the event on Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November, this year dedicated to the meaning of food in Senese art, in other words an original key of reading historical works of art to find out how the kitchen utensils and food reflect the eating habits over time and what is the food route from farm to fork.
The tours begin at 3:30 pm on Saturday and will last about three hours: among the masterpieces that will be explained according to this unusual point of view, we mention the Allegory of Good and Bad Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, the Feast of Herod by Donatello and frescoes of Pellegrinaio hosted at the Santa Maria della Scala.
At the end of the guided tour there will be a wine tasting at the Cortile del Podestà, to savor the best of Senese DOC wine production, wines that can rival the art masterpieces.
In the evening there will be a DJ set at Cortile del Rettorato, a funny idea to celebrate the urban trekking dancing in the heart of the historic center.
On Sunday 1st November there will be two cooking shows that will enrich this edition of Urban Trekking Day: the first at 10:30 am, organized by the Scuola di Cucina di Lella, devoted to soups and seasonal vegetables, during which you can cook together with the chef Lella; the second at 4:30 pm, as proposed by The International Cooking School Chef Academy of Tuscany, and focused on the main seasonal food, the yellow pumpkin.
On both occasions there will be tastings of typical Tuscan dishes, furthermore these cooking shows are free but reservation is required, so we recommend making it in advance.
Concerning the guided tours, Centro Guide Siena organizes daily thematic visits, such as Classical Siena, an itinerary focused on the must see in town, as the Public Palace with the Torre del Mangia, the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, fronted by the ancient hospital Santa Maria della Scala, through the Corso, the ancient way followed by pilgrims and bankers, not to mention panoramic views of streets and insights about Contrada.
About urban trekking, if you wish to join it in other times of the year, the Centro Guide organizes guided tours by reservation for groups, dedicated to lesser-known aspect of the town: “The history of Siena through its rocks and its plants”, trekking activity lead by an experienced guide, including stops at the botanical garden and the Orto de’ Pecci; “Dante in Siena” a tour in search of traces of the Senese characters mentioned in the Divine Comedy; “Gente vana alla ricerca della Diana”, an amazing route dedicated to the medieval sources and “bottini”, an ingenious water-supply system.
You may have guessed that walk in Siena can become a special activity that allows you to learn more about its history and appreciate its eternal charm. So we think that the urban trekking is ideal for the city of Palio!
All information and contacts to book tours are online here: www.trekkingurbano.info
Credits immagini: Copertina via http://www.flickr.com/photos/flissphil/6416813/
Siena panorama: By Lew (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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