Siena celebrates the fine arts in an exhibition starting March 26, 2010 until July – a collection of 300 amongst the most precious works of art from Jacopo della Quercia to Donatello, all early renaissance artists.

The art exhibition will take place at Santa Maria della Scala. Several itineraries within Siena from the Duomo to the Museo dell’Opera will guide you through carming Siena, along with several other initiatives involving other museums:

• San Gimignano
• Montepulciano
• Buonconvento
• Asciano
• Pienza

The difference between this and former art exhibitions lies in the selection of works on display, a selection organized in cooperation with London and Paris.

Name of the art exhibition:

“Da Jacopo della Quercia a Donatello. Le arti a Siena nel primo Rinascimento”

Opens on March 26^th 2010 and will remain open until July.

One of the finest hotels in Siena is Hotel Campo Regio. Located in the central Via della Sapienza, Hotel Campo Regio is an ancient residence situated in the historical centre of Siena, with an elegant entrance of the XVI century offers two splendid terraces and wide windows on Camporegio valley and a view on Torre del Mangia, the Duomo, the sanctuary of Santa Caterina and the church of San Domenico. Hotel Campo Regio was already mentioned in the cartographies of 1500, it has been for long time a noble dwelling.

When booking we advise you to ask for room #6

Hotel Campo Regio information, bookings and rates

Late last year in December 2008 a restaurant named Il Porto di San Donato opend for business at San Donato in Perano, Gaiole in Chianti (Siena). The name is an anticipation of the menu offered by this fine restaurant: “porto” in Italian is a port on the seaside where boats come in with fresh fish.

This is what you’ll enjoy eating here: the finest, freshest fish you can eat: a light exquisite mediterranean cuisine.

Il Porto di San Donato is opened every day all day.

The restaurant is articulated in different ambients with a fireplace making the atmosphere warm, relaxing, intimate, and ideal for a superb meal after a day out on excursions visiting the Chianti countryside.

Il Porto di San Donato is open from April to October every day – From November to Easter, and is closed on Mondays.

For further information and bookings: +39.0577 744104 (telephone and fax)

Santa Maria della Scala in Piazza del Duomo – Siena, hosts an art exhibition featuring 300 masterpieces of Van Gogh, Kirchner, Munch, Guttuso, Ligabue and other world famous artists.

The art exhibition “Arte genio, follia. Il giorno e la notte dell’artista” will be inaugurated by the art critic Vittorio Sgarbi on January 31, 2009 and will remain open to the public until May 25, 2009.

This event is the result of a cooperation amongst major European Museums and Italian Psychiatric Centers to illustrate the “dark side of art” and how madness finds expression in the arts.

More information on the exhibition at artegeniofollia.it – Plan your Stay in Siena at Hotel Certosa di Maggiano, or other selected hotels in Siena

Christianity celebrates Nativity. The tradition of nativity scenes dates back to the 13^th century.

St. Francis of Assisi in mid-December 1223, prepared a straw-filled manger complete with animals in a natural cave in the town of Greccio. That was the beginning of a tradition handed down through the centuries to our days.

Bettolle, a town of the municipality of Sinalinga, celebrates the 14^th edition of “la mostra dei presepi”, a very popular Italian tradition, second to none this time of the year and just as popular in the province of Siena and Tuscany.

These works of art will be on display every day starting December 22^nd through January 9^th, from 10:00 to 12:30 in the mornings, from 15:00 to 19:00 in the afternoons/evenings on holidays and pre-festivity days. other week days opening hours are from 15:00 to 19:00.

On December 21^st Santa Claus will arrive from the sky and on Christmas Day there will be music and Christmas Carols.

Bettolle is almost certainly of Etruscan decent, easily reachable from the Autostrada del Sole A1 Rome- Florence

More information and videos of the Presepi at http://www.presepi-bettolle.it/

Photo by virruzza on Flickr

Si è Natale a Siena is this years slogan used on city billboards mapping all the interesting events taking place in Siena for the Christamas Holidays.

• Lyrics
• Ballet
• Music
• Performances for children
• Exhibitions and outdoor markets
• New years eve with a concert in Piazza del Campo

The height of the Christmas season events will take place on December 31^st starting at 22:30 with the free outdoor concert in Piazza del Campo featuring Antonello Venditti, the well known Italian singer. That same afternoon another live concert featuring Siena Rock will take place in the Fortezza Medicea di Siena.

On January 1^st at 17:30 the traditional new years day concert at the Teatro dei Rozzi with the Napoli Mandoli Orchestra will take place. On Saturday December 27^th at 17:30 a play written by Lewis Carrol is scheduled at that same location.

On January 2^nd acrobatic entertainment by the Kabardinka Ballet will delight the public.

January 6^th, the Epifany, a concert with Soprano Cristina Ferri will wrap up the Christmas holidays.

These are the major events, but other smaller more fun things will be happening as well … things children like most !

There will be street theaters with clowns, small concerts with animation for children, performances with elfs and puppets to keep the Christmas spirits high.

There will be a later appointment here in Sinea on January 31^st with a new art exhibition wanted by Vittorio Sgarbi “Arte Genio e Follia” located in Santa Maria della Scala.

In the Giardini della Lizza there will be ice skating starting on December 14^th and inaugurated by a charming and unusual concert of bell ringers from Bergamo featuring typical repertoire from the Alps. The ice skating rink will be open every day until January 18^th both morning and afternoon. On new years eve it will remain open all night long.

The Christmas outdoor market will be open in Viale XXV Aprie every day up until January 6^th. The Fiera Mercatino in Piazza Matteotti will also be open during the same period.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Hotel Relais.

Halloween in Siena is a new initiative that will make your travels to Tuscany during this time of the year even more fun. Just picture yourself in Siena chasing ghosts, dressed in your halloween costume !

Confesercenti and Confcommercio in cooperation with the restaurants of Siena have organized “Esploratori a caccia di fantasmi” – explorers hunting ghosts, to celebrate October 31^st, the 5^th national Urban Trekking event

A great way to discover Siena in all it’s beauty.

For more information: assturismo@comune.siena.it

and

Urban Trekking (only in Italian, but with itineraries and photos of Siena)