Monday we started the bus tour. We had one of the only two women bus drivers in Italy. As we left Rome I tried to read as many signs as possible - learning as many nouns as I could. Once we were well out of Rome, we started to see the countryside and the little towns that were once city-states. These were on top of hills where they could be easily defended. All of the buildings were 3 or more stories, tightly packed together so scooters were about the only things that could get around town.
We stopped for lunch in Siena pictured in the panorama above. Italy still practices the afternoon siesta. Shops were open from about 8-12 and then again from about 3-7. Usually, only cafes are open during these hours.
Siena probably started off as one of these cities atop a hill, but it was larger than most of those we saw. The bus parked outside the city and we walked in. It was possible for cars to drive on some of the streets, but most were too narrow for cars.
In the panorama you could see a tall black and white marble tower. At the base of that tower is a large square which is pictured above. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day.