**Today I updated http://bridgetsitalypics.shutterfly.com/ with pictures from this trip**
Yesterday I traveled with two of my friends to Siena for a short day trip. We left in the morning at 8:50 on a bus that dropped us off right in the middle of Siena. We had no map or really any information on Siena except that we should visit the duomo there so we just wandered around. Our first stop was at a little shop that had a cafe downstairs and a pizzeria upstairs. Jessica and I both got pastries and they were amazing! Hers was a croissant filled with nutella and chocolate on top and mine was an apple turnover. I never did decide if it was better than Pedretti's bakery turnovers, but it was close! We then wandered into il campo which is where they hold the pallio every year. The pallio is a huge horse race that they have and it is a very large city tradition.
After walking around there we managed to find the duomo (it helped that there were signs everywhere!). We decided that we might as well by the E10 all-inclusive ticket so that we could see everything. It was really cool! We got to see all of the original sculptures that used to be on the outside of the the church but were brought in to be preserved from the elements. We also got to climb the tower and get a BEAUTIFUL view of the countryside. I took pictures that look like they're straight out of a travel book. It was simply gorgeous.
After we looked at some of the artwork and climbed the tower we took a break for lunch. We went back to the place we got the pastries and went upstairs to the pizzeria. Jessica had a HUGE calzone, Lori had a pizza, and I had mushroom stuffed tortellini with bits of ham in a cream sauce over it. Mine was amazing and I think the other girls liked theirs for the most part too.
After lunch we went back to il campo and laid down on the brick to rest for a while. Once we were rested up and had let our food digest for a while we finished our tour of the church. We went into the baptistery, the main cathedral and the crypts. The church there is HUGE and full of very detailed art. It was really spectacular. It was definitely worth the E10.
Once we were done with the church we wandered around the streets for a little while. We found a candy shop and I bought the most amazing chocolate bar I've ever had in my life (and I've had my fair share of good chocolate!). It was heavenly. Then we decided that we were all pretty tired so we headed back. We only ended up being in the town for 5-6 hours but we saw a lot and were satisfied with the trip. It was pretty cheap for the bus tickets too so it worked out.
Arrivederci!
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