In 2021 I was awarded an additional license for hiking 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.
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Hello. My wife and I met Claudia during a personalized tour of Siena. She was very outgoing and knowledgeable of her city, its region and the history involving the two. Not only did we learn a lot from her about this, but also about daily life in Siena, its people, local shops and customs. We look forward to visiting Siena again to take another tour with Claudia and to stay in the beautiful home/apartment that she runs with her family.
Claudia totally exceeded our expectations by leading us through an intimate tour of Sienna that truly bought the city to life, its history and culture. We highly recommend Claudia and thoroughly enjoyed our time spent with her!
Quando avrete la fortuna di visitare Siena, considerate una grandissima fortuna poterlo fare con Claudia: sorridente, precisa, premurosa, è la quintessenza della senesità più solare. Non c’è must see, curiosità o posticino di pregio che le sfugga. Sa davvero tutto. Di recente, poi, ha persino in serbo qualche sorpresa molto… contradaiola. E vi farà pensare che, forse, trasferirsi a Siena… e perché no?!
We SO enjoyed our tour with Claudia. It was the highlight of our visit to Sienna. Claudia’s knowledge of the art, architecture, and history of her hometown was deep, personal, passionate, and fascinating. She is an extraordinarily talented guide and made us feel that we were welcome in Siena.
Con un gruppo di 11 amici abbiamo prenotato la visita guidata al pavimento del duomo di Siena tramite Opera laboratori e guide siena incontrando Claudia Cesa che ci ha introdotti alla storia e meraviglie delle tarsie ed altre straordinarie opere d arte del Duomo che ci ha molto emozionati ! La sua grazia competenza e passione ci hanno incantati! L abbiamo invitata a venirci a trovare a Genova per i Rolli days, perche’ la sua amicizia ci rende orgogliosi. Grazie di cuore! Patrizia & friends Genova With 11 friends we met Claudia Cesa for a guided tour of the splendors… read more »
I have been on two wonderful day tours of Siena with Claudia and she is just amazing!! So full of knowledge, passion and love for her city and work. I could not recommend her more highly. You will get a real insite into the true Sienese people and their amazing heritage that still now plays a big part of everyday living in Siena. This is an experience not to be missed.
We traveled to Italy with friends of ours in Sept 2021. We stayed at the Villa Santa Chiara and had Claudia as a our tour guide for two days in Siena. We can not say enough good things about our stay or our time with Claudia. Her local knowledge is unbeatable, as she was raised and still lives in Siena. Her grace, humor, charm and friendliness were amazing. She is a wonderful lady. We would highly recommend using her for tours of Siena and the surrounding region, and we are already planning our return trip and hope to be back… read more »
My husband Jim and I took a tour of Siena with Claudia. She is such a wealth of knowledge and so passionate about her city, her people and her culture. It was absolutely infectious. She is so knowledgeable about Italian and specifically, Sienese history. We only had a few hours but we will be back. Her family roots run deep in Siena and her goal is to share the beauty and magic of this captivating city with all that she comes in contact with. Thank you Claudia! We look forward to spending time with you again – hopefully hiking in… read more »
I visited Siena in August of 2021, and Claudia was our guide for the day…what a lovely and brilliant young lady, and so willing to share all of her knowledge! I even asked to purchase some local honey from her when I discovered that bees were kept at her family villa, and so kindly and generously, she delivered them to the hotel where I stayed. I remembered this gift recently while reviewing some photos from the trip, and contacted her to thank her, as I was not present for the honey delivery…better late than never. You will love doing business… read more »
We had a wonderful day with Claudia in Siena. Fun , interesting and very knowledgeable of the City and its history. Highest marks!
Famiglia Accame
Abbiamo avuto la fortuna di avere come nostra guida per la città di Siena Claudia.
é stata una guida preparata e professionale.
Abbiamo fatto un giro molto interessante e Claudia è stata disponibile a farci vedere posti più insoliti e particolari per il turista.
La consigliamo vivamente!!!
I have been meaning to put this review from an email I sent to you in May on your website! My husband Steve and I had a private tour with you on May 5th. We had a wonderful day. Your knowledge and expertise was truly a highlight of our visit to Siena! We would have never known about Siena’s Palio Contrada Neighborhoods & the Horse Races (July2 &Aug16) as an example! We went back and purchased a box of the delicious Almond Cookies from IL Magnifico. Many thanks again for a great day. Would love to come back and stay… read more »
Would highly recommend Claudia! She was great with our elementary age kids. Because of her tour Siena was one of our family’s favorite spots!! It was such a great experience. Thank you!
From the moment we met Claudia, her passion for Sienna’s heritage and Il Palio was evident. She greeted us with warmth and enthusiasm, immediately setting the tone for what turned out to be an unforgettable adventure. Her in-depth knowledge of the city’s history and traditions was impressive, and her genuine love for the members of her community was beautiful. She went above and beyond to help organize an experience for us to eat dinner with her contrada the night before Il Palio. It was an experience my family and I will never forget!
We visited Siena for Il Palio and Claudia was such a wonderful hostess. She gave us a tour of the city that was very informative. She is so knowledgeable about her city and we were lucky enough to be introduced to a local artist, Emilo, who has spent his life restoring the marble floors of Siena’s great Cathedral. She also gave us an incredible education about the Palio. The entire Palio week is fascinating and it was such a pleasure to hear about this from a local. It is hard to explain how important this event is to the local… read more »
We had the most informative and interesting tour with Claudia on Thursday 13th July. Her knowledge is immense, historically and culturally but not only that she made the 2 hours spent with her walking around Siena fun. All the questions we asked she knew the answers without hesitation also growing up in Siena she was so helpful in making us make the best use of our time in her glorious city. A gem of a guide and person.
We took the classic Siena tour with Claudia a few weeks ago and highly recommend her tour. This was our first time ever doing a walking tour of a city and we were a little hesitant, given we had already walked the town and thought we had a good understanding of it. Seeing Siena through her eyes was a completely different experience. We had no idea how much we were missing without the expertise of a knowledgeable tour guide.
We met with Claudia the day of the Paleo and it added so much to the experience. Her knowledge of the traditions of the event and personal experiences really made the Paleo that much more special. She was also able to navigate us around the city, with all the shortcuts so we were able to embrace many special moments of the day as she shared the rich history of it with personal passion. And she successfully navigated us to the last entrance of the race before the start – excellent tour!
We had an excellent tour of Siena with Claudia! Her knowledge, storytelling ability, and passion for her hometown are unmatched. You will finish the tour feeling very immersed in the culture. Thank you, Claudia!
My family had the pleasure of recently taking a Siena tour with Claudia! She was so informative and really opened our eyes to the Palio culture and the competitive pride each neighborhood has. She was also helpful with parking and restaurant recommendations! She speaks perfect English.
Claudia’s tour was just amazing! We didn’t have any prior knowledge of Siena and she really helped our family fall in love with her city. She had so much pride and passion telling us all about Siena’s history, their Contrada and their Palio, it was infectious. One day we hope to be back to experience the Palio is person!
We were visiting Italy for our Honeymoon, and it would not have been as magical as it was without Claudia. She was incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about Siena, and her tour was truly one of our favorite days. She gave us a true glimpse into the beautiful and rich history of Siena, and even told us about some local spots to enjoy after the tour that we would not have found without her! She is so kind and warm and we had an amazing time with her, we would recommend her to anyone visiting the area, it’s so worth it!
Had a great tour with Claudia today. We loved Siena 😍
A big thank you to Claudia for giving myself and my students such an informative tour of Siena. The tour was filled with great information and detail, and Claudia really did go above and beyond in providing insight to such an amazing town. We will definitely return to Siena and hope to work with Claudia again! Many thanks! Dave Brown
We had no preconceptions about our tour of Sienna, and I don’t usually write reviews. But Claudia’s passion for her town and culture was palpable, and I must encourage you to spend the time to tour with her. Claudia opened up a whole world that was unknown to us. She wove centuries of rivalries, religion, sports, tradition and family together in a very personal tour. Highly recommended. In fact, I would almost say it is mandatory to appreciate your stay in Sienna fully.
Lisa and J-M, Canada
17 maggio 2023. Siena, piove a tratti ma le parole di Claudia sono solari, chiare, professionali, appassionanti. Brava Claudia continua così avrai molto successo professionale.
Claudia took our family of 6 on a 2 hour private tour Siena. She shared the history of the Duomo and then the contradas. She did a great job at telling the stories of the city and was able to answer any and every question we had. She was extremely knowledgeable and engaging. She has provided suggestions for other towns we’re visiting and been a gracious host. Thank you Claudia!
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour around Siena with Claudia. It felt personal and tailored just for us. Claudia is an absolute delight, full of knowledge and knows every inch of the area having grown up in Siena. It was a fascinating and enjoyable 2+hour tour and I would highly recommend Claudia as a tour guide of choice.
Claudia ci ha portato a S.Quirico e Pienza ed è stata davvero brava. Parla benissimo inglese, è molto preparata, spontanea, empatica e spiega in modo divertente ed entusiasmante. Consiglio vivamente!!
Buonasera,
desidero fare un sentito elogio alla guida Claudia per la visita al Duomo del 4 aprile 2023:
professionista molto preparata che ha permesso, a me e ai miei amici, di arricchire le conoscenze d’arte. Inoltre, l’incontro casuale con l’artista M. LIPPI, è il ricordo che ci porteremo nel cuore in ricordo di Siena.
Grazie …
Garofoli Marino
Claudia was an amazing tour guide! She is knowledgeable, personable and very fun! She toured us through Siena and San Gimignino ! She is the BEST! And, definitely added to the wonderful experience of the trip!
We had Claudia for a two hour morning tour. Her passion for the life, art, people, and history of Siena made the city come alive for us. We would definitely recommend her for your tour.
We hired Claudia for a 3 hour tour of Siena. Claudia took me and my family to various different sites within the city in which she provided a detailed history of them all. Claudia is super friendly, knowledgeable, and was a joy as a guide. We would definitely re-book Claudia the next time we visit Tuscany.
Buongiorno,
Io e Daniela siamo stati a San Gimignano a Luglio 2022, bellissima cittadina, “la citta’ delle torri”.
Siamo stati anche molto fortunati ad avere come guida turistica Claudia che ci ha fatto apprezzare la citta’ facendoci vedere luoghi che soli non li avremmo mai visti. Ci ha spiegato la storia della cittadina e le sue caratteristiche, sembrava, durante la sua spiegazione, di vivere quell’epoca.
Brava Claudia, complimenti. In primavera del 2023 io e Daniela andremo a visitare Siena e sicuramente chiederemo a Claudia di farci da guida.
So I spent the day with Claudia, she is a wealth of knowledge and a pleasure to be with. Seems like she knows everybody and everybody knows her. Her knowledge of the history of Siena is amazing .would highly recommend her and she was definitely great to have as my tour guide.
Claudia is an amazing guide for Siena. She kept the adults and children engaged through an incredible knowledge of Siena, its history, culture and stories. As a true local, she bring you into her world and experiences and helps you understand this amazing place through her own family experiences and history. Thank you Claudia!!
Claudia led a great tour for a group of us visiting Sierra as part of a cultural, wine tasting and walking holiday (with Exodus). She brought the history of Sienna alive, explaining about the contrada and the lives of the people as well as the beautiful sights.
It was lovely to hear about her own family connections.
Thank you Claudia – Tina
Claudia is an exceptional guide.
We so enjoyed the tour.
It was informative and highly entertaining.
We look forward to returning to Sienna next year.
Un tour davvero magnifico: alle sue grandi conoscenze storiche e artistiche Claudia ha saputo unire il suo amore per Siena, portandoci, nelle tre ore in cui siamo stati insieme, ad assaporare il gusto unico della “vita di contrada” che è l’essenza stessa del vivere in questa straordinaria città.
We enjoyed a wonderful tour of Siena with Claudia! She is very knowledgeable about the history of the Duomo one of this ancient city’s jewels and gave us so many interesting details about it. We loved learning about the traditions of the neighborhood contrades and the Palio. 🦅The sense of family is so special and unique. I would recommend Claudia’s tour because you gain some understanding about all the historic things you are seeing.
Claudia is a wonderful tour guide, she’s very passionate about her city and knows how to transfer this passion, we loved the two hours spend in her company and I recommend her for your Sienna visit
Me and my friends stayed at Claudia’s wonderful place villa Santa Chiara for one week, and also had a guided tour of Siena with her. We could not be happier! She is an amazing tour guide, so much knowledge both of the history of the city, and of the life of the city and area today. Her personal approach and stories from her life and her family’s history, made it to be an adventure to walk along this exciting city. She is also a very nice and lovely person. If you have the chance, book a tour of/and stay at… read more »
Claudia’s tour was a highlight of our family vacation! Her personal approach, vast knowledge and passion for sharing the history and culture of Siena and its neighborhoods is a must. We absolutely fell in love with Siena and were amazed by it’s architectural beauty and traditions. She brought the tour to life with sharing stories from her childhood, of her family, and how the traditions are still strong to this day. Claudia is the perfect guide to take you through the city. We plan to return and will set up additional tours with her as our guide. Claudia, thank you… read more »
Tre amiche in viaggio scelgono Siena per la loro vacanza. Il caso o la fortuna vogliono che la loro guida sia Claudia. Un pomeriggio di sole, tanta meraviglia e, a volte, anche un po’ di commozione grazie alle parole e all’entusiasmo di Claudia.
Così le tre amiche scoprono che per visitare Siena non basta un giorno…. E che avere una guida preparata, disponibile e appassionata fa davvero la differenza.
Eccezionale guida appassionata ed appassionante. È stato un tour in cui ci siamo immersi nella Siena dal 1200 ad oggi. C’è chi dice di averla vista ad una cena nella contrada della Pantera. Nulla di più falso una cittina dell’aquila non frequenta quella contrada! Consigliatissima. Grazie dalla Fam. Manca
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 »