My name is Claudia, born and raised in Siena. I hold a diploma in Classics and a BA in Art History from the University of Siena. After serving as an intern at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, I attended a professional school for Tuscan tourism and became a licensed tour guide specialising in Siena and its provinces in 2015.
In 2021 I was awarded an additional license for trekking in the Tuscan countryside. I am a professional olive oil taster and I am about to become a sommelier. My family has owned the property Villa Santa Chiara since the early 1900s, and I am deeply involved in running the family business, including the production of olive oil, honey and the renting of holiday apartments located in the Villa.
Covid-19 Vaccinated on May 19th – June 29th – December 8th 2021
E claudiatuscanytours@gmail.com
T +39 339 6492770
Cynthia Herr’s review is a marvelous recap of my experience with Claudia. She showed me the marvels of Siena over one afternoon and the following morning as only a native of this amazing town can do. And then she spent two full days introducing me to the stunning beauty of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. We had wonderful meals in the most charming and remarkable restaurants. We tasted wine from her cousin’s vineyard. You will not regret spending time with Claudia. She is well-educated, informed, and personable. Your only regret will be NOT being able to spend MORE time with her.… read more »
My family and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with Claudia. She is passionate about her city and her outstanding background in art and history made the tour unique. We had a great time learning about the various contrade (Claudia is an Eagle) and how they all race for victory in the palio. In addition to her knowledgeable explanations of many aspects of the Duomo, we also appreciated her taking us to the smaller and lesser-known Basilica di San Francesco which was just beautiful. She made scheduling the tour very easy and she recommended restaurants and parking which was extremely helpful… read more »
FIVE STARS!!! My husband and I brought my children and parents to Italy for the first time, starting in Siena. Claudia is THE BEST tour guide. She knows so much about architecture, history, and artists that have contributed to Siena throughout history. She is such a proud Sienese citizen! We had Cofee in the building that her grandparents lived in for many years. She has many childhood memories there. She knows all the best places to eat, the best stores, the details of all hidden Siena gems. She was extremely patient and took time for my parents who have limited… read more »
Io e mia moglie, pur avendo già visitato Siena, abbiamo deciso di contattare una guida per conoscere meglio le bellezze di questa città. Abbiamo conosciuto Claudia, ragazza simpaticissima e, cosa più importante, preparatissima su tutto che che riguarda la sua amatissima Siena. Con lei la visita è diventata un meraviglioso mix di arte, cultura, mitologia ed il tempo è trascorso senza che ce ne accorgessimo. Veramente molto, molto brava. Consigliamo vivamente un tour con lei se si vuole conoscere appieno Siena.
Vincenzo e Elisabetta
Dear Claudia, we stayed October 2021 in your lovely and wonderful and so nice colorfull apartment. We had such a good time. And this was also because of the guided tour with you in your hometown Sienna. You know everything about your town, little things and the long history. We didn’t have a really good idea what’s the Palio means to Sienna und his people before you told us so much interesting things. Palio is not for us the tourist but it’s for the people who lives in Sienna very important. Thank you for giving us such a great impression… read more »
Claudia’s tour truly brought Siena to life for us! As someone who grew up there and still lives there, as well as a super-intelligent and charming tour guide with advanced degrees in art and history, Claudia was able to show us the places that illustrated her story of Siena’s ancient history, as well as Siena’s current day thriving character. Not only did Claudia show us Siena’s beautiful cathedral with its 14th century inlaid marble mosaics, but we stopped by the art studio and met her artist friend who has been restoring those marble mosaics for years! As Claudia explained the history of the 17… read more »
Quattro ore a Siena con la nostra Claudia ci hanno fatto scoprire angoli nascosti e storie di una città bellissima ancora legata alle sue più antiche tradizioni.
La visita inaspettata agli archivi di stato è stata una vera chicca.
Claudia è talmente innamorata della sua città, delle sue tradizioni, delle sue storie che non può che contagiarti con la sua passione.
Se state pensando di fare un tour a Siena dovete contattarla!!
Alessandra e Stefano.
Grazie Claudia!
Grazie per averci fatto conoscere Siena e la sua storia, per averci trasmesso L’amore per la tua città. Con il
Tuo modo appassionato abbiamo visto Siena come mai prima.
Ti consiglieremo a chi vorrà recarsi in visita in questo meraviglioso luogo
Giulia e Mattia
18/09/2021
Con un gruppo di amiche, ho visitato Siena, in compagnia di una guida d’eccezione: Claudia Cesa. È una profonda conoscitrice della città, colta e appassionata e ci ha fatto entrare Siena nel cuore, tanto che ci siamo scambiate la promessa di ritornare presto. L’amore che dimostra e che sa trasmettere per la sua città è da Siena meritato, veramente un luogo d’incanto.
Grande guida. Profonda conoscitrice della sua amata città che trasmette con grande passione.
Consigliatissima per vedere e conoscere una bellissima città non solo con gli occhi.
Brava brava
We were so lucky to have a 3 hours tour of Siena with Claudia. It was an amazing way to discover the city and its traditions. Claudia is definitely a part of the walls and speaks about her town and history with great passion. We were with our two teenagers and the four of us absolutely enjoyed this time with her.
Thanks a thousand Claudia for this beautiful time that made us appreciate even more your so so lovely city
Wow. We were referred to Claudia by a neighbor of hers and we spent three hours learning about Siena, the Palio, Duomo and many other things that only a local would know. Claudia’s knowledge comes from her being a native Sienese and she has the luxury of generations of knowledge. I would highly recommend Claudia as she lives and breathes Siena. Fantastic
We spend a lovely week at the Villa Chiara and met Claudia. She gave us a tour in Siena and this was one of the highlights of our summerholiday. We highly recommend going on a tour with Claudi, especially at the beginning of your stay, because in the days after the tour you’ll look at Siena with different eyes. Not only knows does Claudia tell a lot about the history she is also a local and her family is from Siena and she shares this experience too. This experience made me see the value of a good tourguide : to… read more »
Siamo ritornati a Siena dopo diversi anni e abbiamo deciso di visitare il Duomo accompagnati da una guida. Abbiamo avuto la fortuna di incontrare Claudia, empatica, competente, preparata, curiosa, innamorata della sua città.
Con lei la visita si è trasformata in un incontro speciale, dove arte, cultura, racconti mitologici, ma anche di artisti e opere, si sono intrecciati perfettamente.
Brava, brava, brava!
Consigliamo vivamente un tour con lei.
Marilena e Stefano
Siena, 12 luglio 2021
Ho visitato molte volte Siena. Alcuni giorni fa ci sono tornata con alcuni amici e abbiamo deciso di contattare una guida per fare un tour in città. Così abbiamo conosciuto Claudia che ci ha guidati in una visita molto interessante facendoci scoprire la sua città con dettagli e aneddoti storici che ci hanno affascinato.
Claudia è molto preparata e soprattutto ama la sua città. Consiglio a chiunque voglia scoprire Siena di contattarla.
Cristina
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Io e il mio ragazzo abbiamo avuto il piacere di visitare Siena per la prima volta accompagnati da Claudia. Guidati dai suoi racconti legati all’infanzia e alle tradizioni locali siamo subito entrati nell’atmosfera di questa splendida città e ci è sembrato di tornare indietro nel tempo contagiati dal suo entusiasmo. Grazie all’esperienza di Claudia in 3 ore siamo riusciti a visitare molto, dedicando un’oretta anche al Duomo. Se non fosse stato per lei sicuramente avremmo visitato la città con altri occhi, non dando il giusto peso alle sue antiche usanze legate al Palio e in generale alle contrade che… read more »
Io e i miei fratelli abbiamo avuto il piacere di esplorare le bellezze di Siena tramite l’esperta guida di Claudia. La mattinata e’ letteralmente volata; paseggiando per le viuzze della citta’ la storia e le tradizioni del posto ci venivano man mano raccontate. Un esperienza irrinunciabile per chi volesse immergersi nel fantastico mondo del palio, o volesse godere appieno dei tesori contenuti all’interno del Duomo.
Durante l’intero soggiorno Claudia si e’ dimostrata gentilissima e disponibile a consigliarci locali e ristoranti. Risultato: una esperienza positiva sotto ogni punto di vista
We were very lucky to have a 4 hours long tour of Siena guided by Claudia. Her knowledge of Siena is very deep, possibly also because her own family roots go back a very long time in the history of Siena. We are an artist couple from Latvia, we were curious about the history, art and also architecture of Tuscany. Claudia has a degree in the History of Art and she could answer all our questions in a great depth. We found particularly fascinating her accounts of a unique Siena tradition, Palio. There would be no chance to discover Siena… read more »
My husband, myself and two friends took Claudia’s tour last November. It was absolutely wonderful. We would never have seen all the beautiful sights in Siena and out in the countryside if we had tried to do it ourselves. Claudia’s knowledge of her city gives a great prospective of the history and the people. She was also able to connect us with a guide in Florence which made that part of our trip very special. We are thankful to Claudia for making our vacation a once in a lifetime experience.
Grazie Claudia !!! Visitare il Duomo e scoprire Siena con te è stato veramente un piacere, la tua competenza e la tua cordialità hanno reso perfetta una giornata già meravigliosa.
Ci siamo affidati a Claudia praticamente per ogni visita guidata che abbiamo intrapreso a Siena! L’ultima è stata ai pavimenti scoperti del Duomo ed averla fatta con lei ha fatto davvero la differenza! Sempre puntuale e preparata, mai noiosa e disponibile a raccontare tante curiosità sulle opere della nostra città!
Claudia é uma guia preparada, profissional, simpática e apaixonada por o que faz! Fala da sua Siena com intimidade apresentando aqueles pequenos detalhes que fazem o todo fazer sentido! E que me fez entender e lembrar de tudo! E além de tudo tem um sorriso sincero! Foi um dia incrível! Grazie Claudia!
Great job Claudia! Very professional and competent , ready for any question. Thank you!
My family and I had a wonderful day in Siena during Palio period. Claudia told us about the city and the stories of the local people showing beautiful sites and landscapes. She explained in an engaging and simple way. During our 4 hours tour we visited the most popular and unpopular places of the city. Thank you Claudia for the amazing day.
Io e la mia famiglia siamo stati a Siena a fine agosto,Claudia ci ha accompagnato nella visita a Siena, molto preparata ,cordiale , professionale ……grazie Claudia.. bellissima esperienza!!
Siamo stati a Siena soltanto un giorno, ma grazie a Claudia siamo riusciti, in poche ore, a visitare il duomo e i suoi pavimenti, e tutta la città.
È stata un’esperienza unica che è andata molto oltre le aspettative. Abbiamo scoperto la grande storia della città di Siena e le tradizioni secolari del popolo senese.
Grazie Claudia!
Our family of three visited in October and enjoyed a guided three hour tour of Siena with Claudia. We absolutely loved our time with her. The pride she has in her country, region, and province was very evident and contagious. From the flags on display to the uncovered marble floor in the cathedral, it was the perfect mix of walking, history, and tastings. Thank you for sharing your passion of the city with us, Claudia. We hope to return again soon.
We were in Siena in early June and had the pleasure of a tour of the city with Claudia as our guide. The experience was wonderful. Her knowledge and passion for her city was contagious, whether touring the cathedra!, discussing the Palio, or just walking along Siena’s beautiful streets. We plan on visiting Siena again, hopefully to see the Palio live. Thank you, Claudia!
We traveled to Italy for the first time this Sept. and at the Frances and Franco from Frances Lodge, we took a private tour of Siena with Claudia. I must say, “She is the Best”!! She is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about everything Siena. Her warm personality, knowledge, and experiences were captivating during our whole 3 hour tour. We learned all about the Palio, and all the pride of every contrada. because Claudia introduced us to intimate details about Siena and Palio that we would not have experienced otherwise. She showed us classic structures and shared intimate details how the… read more »
We had the pleasure of Claudia giving us a tour of Sienna by recommendation of Frances Lodge. She has an indepth knowledge of the city, her roots are deep therefore she is well known in the community. She has a wonderful way of telling the story of the city and Palio days. She drew us in to a cultural experience that was incredibly unique and full of details but we could never quite understand since we weren’t locals. The locals are the gem and she helps you see that. Claudia is one of my favorite parts of the trip and… read more »
When the host of Frances Lodge asked us who was our guide for the Siena tour and we replied with Claudia, he announced, “oh! She is the best!” We strongly agree. Claudia introduced us to intimate details about Siena and Palio that we would not have experienced otherwise. She showed us classic structures and also hidden gems–people as well as structures and art. Her first-hand knowledge of the city is impressive, and her warm personality and impeccable repuration makes her and her guests welcomed by all. We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon with her! Even after we departed ways we followed… read more »
We were lucky to visit Siena at the end of September and even luckier to have a 3 hour private tour with Claudia, who in our opinion was the best!! She is extremely knowledgeable in everything Siena and even more enthusiastic to share her knowledge and experiences with us. We heard about St Katherine, the Palio, and all the pride of every contrada, but especially, Aquila! We met Amelio, who spent his career restoring the beautiful marble tile work in the Duomo. We saw the best views from inside the the walls! As a bonus, we even got to try… read more »
Bonjourno, Our tour with Claudia one the only one we didn’t book ourselves. She was recommended by our wonderful B&B hosts at the Frances Lodge. To say we were not disappointed is an understatement. First of all, it was pouring down rain and windy much of the tour. That didn’t dampen Claudia’s enthusiasm as our tour guide and her knowledge and passion made the tour so interesting and fun, rain and all. It was truly amazing as she led us through this wonderful city and we saw so much we would never have even thought to view had we not… read more »
Our family took a trip to Italy in May 2019, visiting Venice and Tuscany region. We had several private tour guides , mostly arranged by ourselves. Claudia was a wonderful surprise and the best one who was highly recommended by Franca and Franco of Frances Lodge Relais . According to this lovely couple, we’ll regret for missing a tour in Siena. So, they book a half-day private tour for us with Claudia and it was a joy. In addition to her friendliness, dedication and knowledge, it was her passion for Tuscany and Siena impressed us the most. We feel that,… read more »
Four of us were referred to Claudia by our hosts in Siena and their recommendation to tour with Claudia was spot on. We asked to concentrate on the Palio because our tour coincided with the celebrations surrounding the August race. But, in addition to touring the Contratas (neighborhoods) and learning about the traditions surrounding the race and festivities, we hit the highlights of the classical features of the city. The tour was enjoyable, so much so that the four of us adopted Claudia’s Contrata (Aguilar: Eagle) as our own to root for in next years’ two races (July and August);… read more »
We visited Sienna in May of this year, 2019, we a walking tour of the city with Claudia on May 15th .
the tour was great, she showed all over the city and into areas we would have never thought to visit, and really enjoyed the tour.
Claudia knows the city very well and has wonderful insight into the traditions and neighborhoods of Sienna.
We would highly recommend her for a tour of the city.
Our B&B host recommended Claudia and she exceeded all of our expectations. She was knowledgeable and thorough, while telling very entertaining stories. Our trip to Siena wouldn’t have been complete without her tour. She brought the city to life and helped us understand its unique culture, people and history. Don’t visit the city without taking one of her tours…you won’t be disapointed.
My husband and I were on a trip to Italy in Mat. We stayed in Siena and our hostess arranged a tour for us with Claudia. She was the sweetest young woman and by far the best tour guide we have ever had. She was so full of knowledge…we learned so much. She let us take as much time as we wanted in the churches and museums. We would highly recommend Claudia to everybody that wants to take a tour!!!!! We hope to return to Italy someday and if so we would love to say hi to Claudia once again.
We visited Sienna during May of this year and were so fortunate to be able to get a tour with Claudia at the last minute. It was total amazing. Her energy , pride and knowledge of Sienna made it an incredible experience. We have been on many, many tours across the globe and I can honestly say Claudia’s ranks as one of the best anywhere. She was able to answer so many questions that were above and beyond the “normal” sightseeing routine. She has a very deep understanding of the history and the people of Sienna. I highly recommend her.
Claudia is the best!! We had a rainy day in Siena and we had such a good time with her we barely noticed! It was wonderful to hear all about Siena from Claudia, who knows her city so very well. You cannot get a guide with more knowledge of the history and traditions of the city. Wonderful!!
Our tour with Claudia came highly recommended from our BnB host, saying our time in Sienna would be incomplete without it. After our time with Claudia, we could not agree more. The information we learned truly opened our eyes to the beauty and history of Sienna that we would have completely missed. Claudia, herself, was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and pleasant to spend our afternoon with. We can not recommend her enough. We left Sienna already longing for our next visit back.
Claudia was an amazing tour guide. She shared so much history about this wonderful city it was a perfect tour. Anyone visiting Siena should hire Claudia, there is so much to learn enriching one’s time spent here.
Claudia is by far the best tour guide we have ever met. She is incredibly knowledgeable about everything she showed us, and introduced us to so many wonderful people in Siena. We would recommend her to anyone that loves history, and wants to learn more about this beautiful city and its traditions, like the Palio.
Yesterday we spent our morning with Claudia exploring the beautiful city of Siena. She was the ultimate tour guide. Her knowledge of the city was outstanding. We visited all of the well know sights as well as little hidden streets that were rich with history. Thank you Claudia for sharing your wonderful city with us.
We were very lucky to have Claudia guide us around her beautiful hometown and Cathedral. Her knowledge, enthusiasm and pride gave us a fantastic insight into Siena that we really enjoyed. You will not be disappointed to have Claudia guide you.
Claudia was our guide for the Dome Pavement. She was delightful and knowledgeable. The visit took only one hour but we enjoyed very much her company. I recommend her as she knows every corner of the city…great experience! Antonella
Claudia was recommended as a tour guide by the place we were staying in Siena, Frances Lodge. She provided a tour for us in the center of Siena. She was very knowledagble about the area and the history of the fascinating city. The tour was about 3 hours and it flew by, she kept us entertained well! We recommend her!
Claudia was delightful and knowledgeable guide for our 2019 Palio adventure. She was very involved with the Contrada to which we were assigned and her enthusiasm for Siena and the events surrounding the race greatly enhanced our experience. We enjoyed her insights and company. I would whole-heartedly recommend her to anyone visiting Siena.
Our family could not recommend Claudia too highly. She was our last and the very best guide in our two weeks in Italy. She is friendly, bright, articulate,, deeply knowledgable about both history and art, but there was more. Sienese herself, with a centuries-long heritage in the city, she has a deep and infectious pride in Siena that brings its history to life and draws you into the local ambiance with her. No one guided by Claudia will be disappointed.
My brother and I recently enjoyed a half day tour of Siena with Claudia, which ended with a delicious olive oil tasting gathering at her home. The next day she gave us a tour of the wine country from Montepulciano to Pienza and back to our bed and breakfast. The following day my brother and I left Siena and drove west to Lucca, via Voltera and we both lamented to each other how much we missed having Claudia with us to enlighten our experience….. if I were to do it again I would have booked a third tour. If you… read more »