Siena,Italy

Historic adversaries, the Siena–Florence rivalry continues to this day, as every traveller seems to strongly identify with one over the other. It often boils down to aesthetic preference: while Florence saw its greatest flourishing during the Renaissance, Siena’s enduring artistic glories are largely Gothic – though there’s also the eternal question of who has the best patron saint (Siena, obviously).

One of Italy’s most enchanting cities, Siena’s medieval centre bristles with majestic buildings. Its profusion of churches and small museums harbour a wealth of artwork, though equally your day can be effectively filled by simply wandering the snarled lanes of the historic centre, a Unesco World Heritage Site, spending nary a euro on admission fees – or untold hours standing in queues.