Italy - Siena

Ah Siena.  This was the first city we stayed in after Rome.  Siena  was one of our more enjoyable cities in Rome.  Why?  Not exactly sure, but it may have had something to do with the fact that we had a few hours to kill and all we did was have dinner at a restaurant sitting outside over looking Piazza del Campo.  Then we had some gelato and sat in the Piazza del Campo for a bit and watched the people.  Then we leisurely strolled down some streets on the way back to the hotel.  It was very relaxing.

One historical note: they run a horse race around the piazza every year.  It's three laps and whichever horse crosses first, wins.  It doesn't matter about the rider - it's the horse that's important.  The locals take it very seriously.

Piazza del Campo (we ate at the outdoor café under the dark brown awning in the lower right corner of the light colored building)
Another angle of Piazza del Campo
The bell tower of the church at the Piazza del Campo
San Francesco (where that big city in California is named for) from the garden at Moderno.
The outdoor garden at Moderno.