Want to relax and bask in the tranquility of an Italian hillside? How about taking it one step further and enjoying a uniquely Italian historical experience as well? Look no further than Siena, a city atop three hills crowned Italy's best medieval city experience by Rick Steves, a European travel expert. Siena is one of the must-visit spots in Tuscany and the capital of Siena Province, its namesake.

Its origins date back to around 900 B.C. when the Etruscans were the Western Mediterranean's first "superpower." Two millennia later, Siena reached a golden age under the Lombard kings in the 12th century. During this period, the city became an important commercial and banking center, competing with the prosperity of its historical rival, Florence, located just 30 miles north.