Siena Old Town, Piazza Salimbeni to the Cathedral: free self-guided walking tour
Quick answer. A free self-guided walking tour through the old town of Siena: 4 stops, about 1.4 km, about 20 minutes of walking plus about 26 minutes of listening. Start at Piazza Salimbeni, where the Monte di Pietà, the ancestor of the Monte dei Paschi bank, was set up in 1472. Walk to the Basilica of San Domenico, the red-brick Dominican church begun in 1226, where Andrea Vanni's fresco is held to be a true likeness of Saint Catherine. Go down to Piazza del Campo, whose nine sections fan out toward the Palazzo Pubblico, and finish at Siena Cathedral, beside the Facciatone of the new cathedral left unfinished in 1357.
- Stops:
- 4
- Distance:
- about 1.4 km
- Walking:
- about 20 min
- Listening:
- about 26 min
Two ways to do this walk
Siena with Mappu
Walk Mode, in the free Mappu app
It knows where you are, tells you about everything you pass between the stops, answers your questions and keeps you on the route. Your phone stays in your pocket.
A 2-hour live walk, €4.99.
50 credits from the Starter pack. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Self-guided audio walk. No guide accompanies you. Not affiliated with the sites.
Free: the audio guides
Listen to each stop’s audio guide in your browser and find your own way between the stops.
Walking directions in Google MapsSiena Old Town, Piazza Salimbeni to the Cathedral: how long does the walk take?
About 46 minutes in all: about 20 minutes on foot over about 1.4 km, plus about 26 minutes of audio at the 4 stops. Time inside the sites is extra.
Siena Old Town, Piazza Salimbeni to the Cathedral: in what order should you visit the stops?
Follow the stops in this order: Piazza Salimbeni, Basilica of San Domenico, Piazza del Campo, and Siena Cathedral. The longest stretch between two stops is about 0.6 km, about 8 min on foot.
Route and map
Indicative route. While you walk, watch where you're going, mind the traffic and follow local signs and rules. The map is an aid, not a safety guide. Terms
Follow Mappu’s map: the route runs along the streets from stop to stop, and the stories keep playing as you walk.
To get to the first stop, or if you’re far from the route, Google Maps has walking directions through every stop.
Stop 1
In 1472, the Sienese authorities established the Monte di Pietà in the Salimbeni palace. That institution is the ancestor of the Monte dei Paschi.
about 6 min of audio
Next stop: Basilica of San Domenico · about 0.4 km, about 6 min on foot
Stop 2
Andrea Vanni's fresco of Saint Catherine is held to be a true likeness, since Vanni was one of her disciples.
about 6 min of audio
Next stop: Piazza del Campo · about 0.6 km, about 8 min on foot
Stop 3
Lines of white travertine create nine sections that fan out toward the Palazzo Pubblico, giving the Campo its famous shell shape.
about 7 min of audio
Next stop: Siena Cathedral · about 0.4 km, about 5 min on foot
Stop 4
Work on the new cathedral finally ceased in June 1357. The Facciatone, the standing facade of its nave, now serves as a panoramic viewpoint over Siena.
about 6 min of audio
The stop stories are AI-generated audio guides and can contain mistakes. Check opening hours and tickets on the official sites.
Planning a trip to Siena?
Get your plan
Mappu sketches your days free in the chat, no account needed. Then take the full plan with you:
- Weekend trip, €9.99: Your day-by-day plan plus 2 live walks
- Save your trip’s free guides on your phone in the Mappu app: they play with no signal
Before you go
- Check opening hours, tickets and access on each site’s official page before you go.
- Distances and times are estimates: the walking route between stops, from OpenStreetMap, at 4.5 km/h. Your route on the street may differ.
Route checked by Mappu on October 26, 2026. Stop descriptions come from each place’s published Mappu audio guide. Mappu is a Fenutech product.