Art, great music, events not to be missed, unforgettable views, ancient flavours and itineraries in search of memories. This is what Siena is offering for 2008, a city where art is an evocative power and where in 2008 Renaissance becomes "Chicche" (Gems) to collect starting from the basilica of St. Dominic arriving at the Santa Maria della Scala complex and the Baptistry of the Duomo, and where summer lingers on the artistic musical notes of "Città Aromatica" (The Fragrant City),a musical review in which several musicians are called to discover the city through their notes, gathering its unique sounds, fragrances and colours.
In Siena, at the end of July, the streets echo with jazz notes due to the now usual edition of the Enoteca Jazz Club and the travelling show part of the "Jazz Festival … in 'Terre di Siena'" and where the musical offer is rich with notes from the concerts of the "Chigiana" Musical Summer.
A city to visit and get to know all year round where the narrow medieval streets suddenly open up onto surprising views of the countryside which majestically surrounds it, in which the art of the museums is flanked by the artisan workshops where it is possible to relive ancient crafts and flavours of tradition.
Exhibitions, concerts, plays, conventions, performances, reviews, tastings, sports moments. Whoever arrives in our city, in any day during the year, in 2008, can choose from an extremely vast offer of events amongst which the exhibition of Lindenau's "Sienese masters at the Altenburg Museum", an extraordinary collection of Sienese paintings of the Gothic and Renaissance period with works by Guido da Siena, Lippo Memmi, Pietro Lorenzetti, Martino di Bartolomeo, Domenico Beccafumi and many others. And yet again, "Terra di Libri" (Land of Books), the International Book Show dedicated to territories, to journeys, lands and itineraries in the world which from September to December will animate the heart of Siena, in the splendid framework of Piazza del Duomo, or the temporary and travelling exhibition of sculptures representing horses by the artist Mario Ceroli which from June to September will be positioned in various squares in the city.
And not only art and music. Who loves walking in discovery of the city can do it participating in Urban Trekking, the initiative, now on a national level, which in 2008 will be at the sign of mystery and will lead to the discovery of the most magical places of the city.
These are just a few tips, proposals we offer those who want to visit Siena to capture the evocative power of the alleys and the beauty of the landscapes, to those who want to discover a modern city which still carries history's fragrances. Maurizio Cenni Mayor of Siena

Maurizio Cenni
Mayor of Siena