Photos: Massimo Catarinella, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Livioandronico2013, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ввласенко, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Massimo Catarinella, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Livioandronico2013, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ввласенко, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Torre del Mangia, seen from below
Your local guide
Chiara Vanni
View profile
Highlights
- One of Italy's tallest towers, once
- A height tied deliberately to a rival
- A bell chamber explained from below
- Civic pride built in stone
- A tower studied without climbing it
About this tour
This session studies the Torre del Mangia from street level rather than climbing it. You see the tower's full height from below, and the bell chamber near its top explained in some detail. The camera holds steady to let the height register properly.
We spend real time on the tower's original height ranking, since it is easy to underestimate from photographs. I explain the deliberate rule tying its height to the cathedral's tower as we look up, and take questions throughout.
It suits anyone interested in medieval civic rivalry expressed through architecture. It also pairs well with the wider Piazza del Campo session.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Siena before heading out.
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Tower base 15 min
The camera tilts up the full height of the Torre del Mangia, and I explain how it ranked among the tallest towers in Italy when it was finished.
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Bell chamber 15 min
Near the top, I point out the bell chamber, and explain the rule that required it to stand no taller than the cathedral's own tower nearby.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Siena: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Ricciarelli (almond biscuits) and Terzo di Camollia, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Rome time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Siena, showing you Tower base and Bell chamber live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Siena live with my phone.
Times shown in Rome time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 10 Nov · 8 seats left From 21,00 €
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