Tour itinerary including Florence's medieval small town, which was the most satisfying

1️⃣Medieval City of Siena (Photos 1-5) ▫️Piazza del Campo It's said to have been the site of a Roman forum and marketplace. The Siena Council built the square in 1293 for the citizens. Today, the Palio, an equestrian race, is held here, and the locals seemed incredibly interested. ▫️Siena Duomo This Romanesque-style duomo is said to have been built over 200 years, starting in the 12th century. Construction began with the intention of rivaling the Florence Duomo, but work was halted by the Black Death that spread across Europe in the 14th century. I only remember that the Black Death swept through the area, but I couldn't recall anything else, so I looked it up again.💦 📝Siena is said to have the world's first bank. It's said that money transactions took place at a table in the Piazza del Campo. These tables are called banco or banca in Italian, which is said to be the origin of the word "bank." The word "bankrupt" is said to derive from the Italian word bancarotta (meaning "broken table"). It's said that when someone went bankrupt in a financial transaction, they would break the table they were using, which was called a bancarotta. 2️⃣ Pienza (Photos 6, 7) This is home to the Palazzo Piccolomini, famous for being the filming location for Romeo and Juliet. It's also known as the Michelangelo Hill of Tuscany. Personally, it was by far the best small town I've ever visited. (Separate post to follow) 3️⃣ Val d'Orcia Plain (Photo 8) This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see on any Tuscan tour! 4️⃣ Cypress Lane (Photo 9) This is also known as the house of Maximus in the movie "Gladiator." This is another must-see on your Tuscan tour. 5️⃣ Bagno Vignoni (Photos 10-12) A spa village. It's small, but charming, and worth a visit. #TravelPlanning #EuropeTravel #Florence