We caught the bus to Siena up in the Tuscan hills, which took just over an hour.

When we arrived we strolled through the city where some rather interesting street art caught our eyes.

Then we made our way to the Piazza del Campo. 

It's paved in red brick and marble and is one of Europe's greatest medieval squares.  During the summer the famous Palio or horse race takes place here.

The Torre del Mangia (the tower) was built in 1334 and is the main focal point of the square. Adjacent is the Gothic Palazzo Pubblico, (town hall).

We enjoyed a delicious spot of lunch at one of many restaurants in the square.

Later in the afternoon we visited the Duomo (the cathedral) 

The black and white marble stripes on the walls and columns are very striking.

Florence

The Arno river has flooded Florence many times. To commemorate the last occasion, the famous flood of 1966, various rescue vehicles from that time were displayed in the Piazza della Signoria.

John next to the big red fire engine.

We spent a pleasant afternoon in the beautifully landscaped Boboli gardens.

Fiona and April at Neptune's fountain.

Whilst John and I grin at the camera April considers life's bigger issues!

The Kaffeehaus pavilion is a great place from which to admire the views of Florence and the surrounding Tuscan countryside.

See the photos from our visit to Florence last year and our visit to Florence, Verona and Lake Garda in 2011.