Ahhh, the morning sun is shining so brightly.

I'm on a train, heading to Siena - a city in central Italy.

The city of Siena is right there on top of that hill.

It's Historic Centre dates to the late 13th, early 14th century and is registered as a World Heritage Site.

Can hardly wait to see what I will discover today.

Very exciting!

Here I am at the station.

It's 10:00 AM.

There's not a cloud in the sky.

It's a beautiful day! I'm ready to go!

Wow, look at that archway!

It leads to Siena's Historic Centre.

Let me check the map.

Siena is surrounded by a wall.

I just entered through the gateway and now, I'm here.

Piazza del Campo, the city's historic medieval square, is located in the center of the city.

I think I'll head there first.

Look at all the people walking along these cobbled streets.

I'm going to follow them.

It's nice and quiet here.

Feels like I've wandered into the Middle Ages.

These brick buildings evoke a sense of the city's history.

This color is called "Siena Brown."

These houses were built 700 years ago, and people still live in them.

Amazing!

That man wearing red certainly stands out!

Good morning!

Morning.

This city is beautiful!

Lovely weather, too.

It really is.
It feels like spring already.

It's starting to get warmer.

What are you doing?

I run this restaurant, here.

Hm? Oh, that restaurant?

I was just chatting with someone here.
They've already left, though.

This seems like a nice place for a chat!

May I say, I think your moustache is amazing!

Did it take a long time to grow?

I've been growing this for six years.

6 years!

What made you decide to grow it?

It was for a bet.

A bet?

I said if I lost,
I'd grow a moustache.

That's how it started,
and I'm still growing it.

It's in its seventh year, now.

Wow, that's quite a bet to lose!

That's how I got this 'stache.

I don't have much hair,
but the moustache makes up for it.

I must say, it really suits you.

Thank you! Have a nice day.

You too!

I wasn't expecting that he would say he grew it because he had lost a bet...!

Hm?

What's that sound?

Oh, it's a cart.

Ah, he's going inside the building.

Is this some kind of a workshop?

Excuse me - hello?

Hello.

Is this a workshop?

Yes - just a small one.
We repair shutters and things.

Old furniture, things like that.

Are you two related?

Yes - father and son.

Ahh.

It's a family business.

How great!

Would you mind if I look around?

Sure.

Thank you.

We put sealant on this yesterday.

Just checking to make sure
it hasn't run.

Is that from someone's house?

Yes. They asked us to repair it.

I bet there are a lot of old budlings around here.

There are some new ones, but it's
mostly old buildings around here.

Many of them are historic,
and have had many repairs.

How old is this building?

It's from around the 1400's.

Our home is nearby, it's from 1300.

Wow, you've taken good care of it.

I want to preserve it
as much as I can.

It's not only the buildings, people here also take good care of their furniture, too.

Thanks for showing me around!

No problem.
Have a nice day.

Thank you - you too.

It feels as though time has stopped in the Middle Ages here.

It appears to have been carefully preserved, definitely not neglected.

Just look at all the people here.

Ah - this must be the Piazza del Campo.

Oh - hello!

I'm going to head down this way.

The Piazza is right down at the bottom of this slope.

What does the guidebook say?

"The Piazza has been the center of the city since medieval times and is still a symbol of Siena.

It is said to be the most beautiful Piazza in Italy, maybe even the world."

There are so many people here!!

This gothic architecture building was built at the beginning of the 14th Century.

It is now the City Hall.

And this is "Torre del Mangia" with a height of 102 meters.

Wow, that is a tall building!!

Looks like this is a nice place to hang out!

Hang on, there's something unusual about the ground here.

It's sloping downwards.

What does the guidebook say?

"Siena is spread over three hillsides.

The Piazza was built on the sloping ground at the place that all three meet, creating a basin-like shape."

Look, they're rolling down the hill.

Hey, wait! Watch out for the other people.

Well, they know how to have a good time!

Hm? What is this place?

Looks popular!

Some kind of round sweets.

Are they fried?

Ah - thanks for showing me.

How do they taste??

Absolutely delicious.

They sure look good!

These people have some, too.

Hello!

Hello.

Are those famous sweets?

Yes. They're called Frittelle.

Frittelle? Do people here eat them a lot?

Of course.

Is that an old tradition?

Well, from about 1950.

1950. That's fairly recent...

Before I was born, at least!

I see...

These are a local tradition.

Traditional sweets.

Used for an annual celebration.

They can only be enjoyed
for one month.

Just one month?

Until March 19th.

March 19th?

St. Joseph's Day.

In the past, people would
only eat them on March 19th.

But things changed and
now they're available longer.

They're very tasty!
And people like them.

I got some for the children.

That must make them happy!

Thank you for talking with me!

Thank you.
Have a nice day.

You too.

Traditional sweets, huh! And only available for one month.

A tradition enjoyed during this time of year by the people of Siena.

Now I'm south of the Historic Centre.

Oh my, that sounds like drums!

And people are waving flags, too.

Wow, that looks pretty amazing!

And there are the drummers.

It looks like that guy is teaching them.

Look - they throw the flags up in the air...

Ah, they swapped flags!

Amazing - that was really cool!

Swapping flags is tricky!

It looks difficult.

- No, it's not hard.
- As long as you practice.

Haven't practiced outside in a while.

Really. You guys looked great to me!

Are you members of a school club?

Not a school club.

We're practicing for
a festival in June.

For the annual parade.

Siena has a festival in June?

It celebrates each contrada.

And after that we practice
for the city horse race event.

17 wards each known as a contrada?

The symbol for our contrada
is a tortoise.

A tortoise?

Oh look, there's a tortoise painted on the drum.

So that's the symbol for your contrada?

How long have you been drumming?

A long time.
Since I was two years old.

I'm 22 now, so I've been
drumming 20 years.

Two years old! Who taught you?

My father was a drummer.
He taught me.

Then I became a drummer.

How fabulous!

Thank you!

Hello there.

Are all of you participating also?

Used to, a long time ago.

A drummer? Or a flag waver?

A flag waver.

Wow.

Do all of the people in each contrada get together often?

We all meet up for a meal in winter.

In that season
we play sports.

Sometimes we organize basketball
or soccer tournaments.

We also set up a dance
for the younger people.

Seems like there is a lot going on.

Come over here.

Hm? What is it?

We're in the tortoise ward now.

Right.

Let's go a little further.

What is it?

See those carvings up there?

Huh?

Tortoise on the left,
waves on the right.

They are different contrade.

What do you mean?

Oh, I see!

The carving on the left has a tortoise on it, and he said that this one was waves.

There's a dolphin on it.

So the symbols are on the walls, too.

This is all so interesting! Thank you for showing me.

Thank you.

The contrada is meeting
for pizza tonight.

How about it?

Huh?

Would you like to join us?

Would that be okay?

Sure - let's have some fun!

Thank you!

See you.

See you later.

So, they meet for dinner, too.

Seems like there is a lot to learn about the contrade of Siena.

"Ciao," everyone -

I'm Giovanni, a local historian.

Here in Piazza del Campo, twice a year the famous Palio,

the horse race that the people of Siena look forward to all year round, takes place.

First of all, please watch this video.

The Palio di Siena is a horse race held between the contrade, dating back 800 years.

The people here go crazy over this traditional race.

The contrade originated as local battalions that served to protect Siena while it prospered during the 13th Century.

These became local wards, forming tight-knit community bonds.

There are 17 contrade in Siena's historic center.

They each have their own animals or symbols.

For example, the wave contrada has a dolphin.

The tower contrada, an elephant.

Everyone living in the center of Siena belongs to a contrada.

This is Siena State Archives.

There are some old materials here relating to the Palio and the contrade.

Here's a register from the Palio in 1560.

The names of all 17 contrade we see today are recorded here.

Then, just as now, the people living here every year looked forward to the Palio in July and August.

In the summer, people gather in the Piazza del Campo to watch the Palio.

And my whole life, I've always loved to watch it, too.

Be sure to come to Siena so you can check out this traditional race!

"Ciao!"

It's now 2 PM.

Okay, where's the map?

I visited the workshop repairing furniture here,

then stopped by the Piazza del Campo,

met the people from the Tortoise contrada,

now, I'm here.

I think I'd like to explore the streets of the Historic Centre a little more.

Hello!

Wow, they climbed up that hill.

And the hill continues going up.

It is clear that this town was built on hillsides.

This street is very quiet!

Ah - cyclists!

Let's go!

Amazing!

So difficult!

Now that is an uphill ride! Don't give up!

Oh, there are more?

He looks a little different, though.

And one more.

Come on, you can do it!

That's a really steep hill.

That looks tough!

It really is.

Are you training for a race or something?

No, just out for a ride.
This hill is just really steep.

Yep, it is a very steep hill!

Yes.

This hill is the last part
of the local bike race.

First one to the top here wins.

So you're training to win?

Of course not!

Looks good for your health, though.

How did you get on?

Not so bad.
I'm tired now, though.

But it's really nice
to be able to ride through here.

It's part of the race course.

But it's also part of our city.
It all adds to its history.

That's great.

That also makes it feel nice
to cycle around here.

Are you two related?

Yes, we are.

That's nice.

Well, thanks for stopping to talk to me!

Thank you!

See you.

They seem to have great love for their hometown!

Even so, that's quite a hill.

And here I am and there's another hill to climb.

This must be the Siena Cathedral.

The sunlight on the stained-glass window looks amazing!

According to the guidebook, it was built from the 12th to 14th Centuries in the gothic style.

Just look at the way it's decorated.

So stunning!

That striped design doesn't look old fashioned at all.

Next, I am going to head in this direction.

That looks like a road on the left.

I'm going to check it out.

Oh, what a nice little street!

Look at all those arches overhead.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Four arches.

They look so great!

This is a really steep hill, too.

Another road off to the left...

And an even steeper hill!

I feel sorry for that woman.

Excuse me!

Do you often walk up this hill?

Yes.

Wow, that's rough!

It is! I park my car down there,
so I climb it every day.

Every day!

This is a really enchanting part of town.

The arches are quite beautiful.

They really are.

But they weren't just
made to be pretty.

The buildings here had problems
after an earthquake 200 years ago.

It happened just before
the festival in 1798.

So the buildings were strengthened
with these arches.

They're not for improving the view.
They support the buildings.

The people who lived in the olden days were quite ingenious, weren't they?

My house has arches like this, too.

Oh, where do you live?

Here.

Here— Here?

This one, with wooden planters
and no flowers.

When was this built?

The base dates back to the 1200s,

but the upper floors
have been rebuilt.

There were earthquakes and fires.

It was rebuilt after those occurred.

But the foundations are very old.

Are you heading home?

You want to see inside, right?
Okay, let's go.

That would be delightful! Thank you!

Pardon me.

Oh, a horse-racing picture.

It's really pretty.

The ceiling's pretty low here.
Let's go upstairs.

Okay, thanks!

Wow, really nice up here.

Look at these.

Ah!

These are what I was talking about.

These five arches
strengthen the building.

Five of them?

The design allows the weight
to be spread along the curve.

So adding them makes
the building stronger.

It's the same upstairs.

Wow. Do they really help?

I sure hope so!

Which contrada's area are we in?

The Goose contrada.

Their flag is white, red and green.

But I don't belong to the Goose.
I moved here a little later.

You're born into a contrada.

I'm part of the She-Wolf.

So it never changes, for your entire life?

Take a look at these.

They're from July and August, 2016.

The winning shots from the Palio.

2016 was special. The She-Wolf won
both the July and August Palio.

Both of them!

Here's me running in to celebrate.

Wow - you look happy!

This is the Piazza del Campo, right?

So do you watch it every year?

Of course - you have to.
There's no missing the Palio.

You have to go and watch.

It's part of life in Siena.

It must be tough to live in a different contrada's area, though...

It's not tough.
It just takes patience.

If they win the Palio, I just need
to be quiet, and watch.

But if they don't win,
it's no problem.

That's interesting - so what if the She-Wolf win?

I can hang my flag
from the window for 15 days.

Then I have to take it down,
out of respect for the area.

Oh, is that a rule?

Yes, a contrada rule.

If my contrada wins,
I can fly my flag.

That's really interesting, and very supportive.

That was cool.

Thanks for showing me!

No problem. Thank you!

Bye!

It seems that someone's contrada can be discovered

by seeing the flags they display after the Palio.

The contrade have been around for centuries,

so there is so much history to be discovered.

"Ciao!" I'm Stefano, a chauffeur with 35 years' experience,

and I know all about Siena's local food.

Today, I'll show you some traditional Sienese specialties.

Ready to go!

Italy is famous for pasta, but in Siena, Pici is the one!

It originated here. Let's go get some.

Third place is Pici all'aglione.

Pici is a thick pasta, about the size of Japanese udon noodles.

Minced garlic is stir-fried in olive oil, and then they add tomato sauce.

The taste and aroma of the garlic is nice and powerful here.

Add the Pici, and it's ready!

Here's your Pici all'aglione.

"Bon appétit!"

Thanks!

The al dente texture of the pasta is great.

And the combination of tomato sauce and garlic is really good.

In second place, grilled Cinta Senese.

Cinta Senese is a breed of pig reared in semi-wild conditions,

where they are left free to pasture in woods planted with small shrubs.

Raising them requires a lot of effort.

For seasoning, just salt and olive oil.

Then, when you grill it...

It sears nicely!

Mmmm, so sweet and juicy!

And it goes very well with red wine.

But sadly, I can't drink it, because I'm driving.

At number one, is a dessert loved by the people of Siena since the Middle Ages - Pan forte!

It's flavored with spices, like pepper and cinnamon.

In the 13th Century, it used to be made by apothecaries that used a lot of spices.

It has a long history.

Pan forte, is a traditional Sienese pastry.

When you come here, be sure to try it!

It's 5 PM now.

The sun is about to set.

I just want to take a look at the map.

I saw the people on their bikes here,

and, then went past the cathedral,

checked out the house with the arches,

and now I'm here.

There should be a place with a view over the historic center.

I'm going to head over there.

Wow, just look at that beautiful sunset!

A very romantic setting!

Looks like those people have come to see the sunset, too.

Siena under the setting sun.

Look at all those buildings, they are so close together.

Ah look, they're sharing a drink.

Good evening!

Hello!

May I ask what you're drinking?

No, I don't understand.

Are you a tourist?

We're here for ERASMUS, for a semester in Siena,

and we just wanted to enjoy the view.

I see.

It's pretty, right!

Yes, it is.

Great place to enjoy champagne.

We're going to a party tonight - an ERASMUS party, so we're...

starting.

Ah, enjoying an aperitif!

Yes.

Yes.

That's nice!

Well, shall we raise a glass to the beautiful Siena sunset!

Enjoy your party!

"Ciao!"

"Ciao!"

Ah, the sun is sinking...

Oh - that reminds me!

It's time to meet the Tortoise contrada for pizza.

The lights are on over there.

Is that the place?

Ah, I think I'll ask that couple.

Excuse me.

Is this the place for the meal with the Tortoise Contrada?

It sure is.
Tuesday is Pizza!

This afternoon, I was invited.

Sure. Come on in!

Thank you.

Eh, looks like people are already here.

Please, come in.

Thanks!

Looks like it's already started.

Huh? They're eating pasta...

I thought we were going to be eating pizza.

Good evening!

Good Evening.

Thank you for inviting me.

Thanks for coming.

What are you eating?

Pasta with cabbage and bacon.

Looks delicious.

- It really is.
- Would you like some?

Thanks!

Was this delivered from a restaurant?

Nope. A friend is
cooking it up in the kitchen.

Really?

Do you often meet with each other?

Yes. Once a week for pizza.
Once a week for pizza and pasta.

It's an old tradition.

What a nice tradition.

We're like family, you see.
You eat with your family every day.

That's true!

So what do you all talk about?

Well, we're like a big family.

So we talk about
what happened today,

or general things like that.

But if it's nearly time
for the Palio...

Of course, we talk about that.

It might be strategy, or what
horses and jockeys will be racing.

And about the other contrade, too.

Of course, the Palio is important.

Ah - here's the pizza.

One pizza per person?!

So those living in the contrada are like family!

And these girls will always be members of this contrada.

The contrade are really important to the people living in Siena.

Of course.

It's the most important thing
for people here.

Those local bonds are very strong.

Not just around the Palio,
but all year-round, too.

The contrade are a part of life.

There might be other towns
like this all over the world.

But none where so many people
think like this, in the same way.

Ahh, an important part of the lifestyle.

We love Siena, and our contrada.

You're born into them, after all.

We're part of the Tortoise,
so it means everything to us.

How wonderful to have such pride in your contrada.

Thank you so much for inviting me today.

Thanks for coming!

Thank you!

"Ciao!"

Wow, they are all one big family!

That's a lot of people living in this contrada.

I wonder if that is a shot of the winner?

Siena is divided into 17 contrade, that bind the local people together,

and they protect the city as they always did.

I'm back at the Piazza del Campo.

Ahh, Siena is a world heritage city.

The architecture and art have been wonderfully preserved

due to the way the people who live here feel about living in this city.

This has been an amazing day!