Updated in September 2026, this Torre del Mangia guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, transport, accessibility and what to see.
Torre del Mangia is Siena’s 87-metre medieval tower, rising beside the Palazzo Pubblico on Piazza del Campo. Tickets that include the tower cannot be booked online and must be bought in person on the day, a detail that catches out visitors used to reserving Museo Civico tickets in advance.
Quick facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | November–February 10:00–16:00 (last entry 15:15); March–October 10:00–19:00 (last entry 18:15) |
| Ticket prices | €10.00 standalone tower ticket; combined museum tickets from €15.00 |
| Address | Palazzo Pubblico, Piazza del Campo, Siena |
| Nearest transport | About 10–15 minutes on foot from the bus station at Piazza Gramsci |
| Typical time needed | 45 minutes to 1 hour |
Torre del Mangia opening hours
From 1 November to 28 February, the tower opens 10:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:15; it is closed on Christmas Day, and opens 12:00–16:00 on New Year’s Day. From 1 March to 31 October, hours extend to 10:00–19:00, with last entry at 18:15.
Ascents run every 45 minutes, limited to 25 people per group, and tickets can sell out. In summer, ascents depart at 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 13:00, 13:45, 14:30, 15:15, 16:00, 16:45, 17:30 and 18:00; in winter, the last four of these times are dropped.
Torre del Mangia ticket prices
A standalone tower ticket costs a flat €10.00; a family ticket (two adults plus minors over 11) costs €25.00. Entry is free for Siena residents and children under 11.
Combined tickets include the Museo Civico and Torre del Mangia together for €15.00 (one-day validity), or the Museo Civico, Torre del Mangia and Santa Maria della Scala together for €20.00; a family combined ticket covering all three costs €40.00. If you buy a combined ticket, your first entry must be to the Torre del Mangia.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in September 2026. Unlike standard Museo Civico tickets, any ticket that includes tower access cannot be reserved online and must be bought in person at the Palazzo Pubblico ticket office or the nearby Dear Guests shop on the day of your visit. Cumulative tickets are also suspended on the first weekend of each month.
How to get to the Torre del Mangia
Siena’s bus station is at Piazza Gramsci, about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the Palazzo Pubblico. The railway station is roughly 2 km away; walk, or take urban bus line 520 (Ferrovia–Piazza Gramsci).
Parking at the Torre del Mangia
The historic centre lies within a limited traffic zone, so cars cannot reach the Palazzo Pubblico directly. Drivers arriving from the north or south should exit at Siena Ovest for the Duomo or Santa Caterina car parks, or Siena Sud for the Il Campo car park.
How long to spend at the Torre del Mangia
Most visitors need 45 minutes to an hour for the climb and the views from the top.
Accessibility at the Torre del Mangia
Reaching the top involves climbing about 400 steps from the level of Piazza del Campo, with no lift available, so the tower is not accessible to visitors with motor disabilities. The climb is strongly discouraged for anyone with a pacemaker, heart or respiratory conditions, claustrophobia, vertigo, diabetes, or mobility difficulties, and for pregnant visitors. No animals are permitted inside, including guide dogs, though blind or low-vision visitors may enter with a companion; the tower is accessible to deaf visitors. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Inside the Torre del Mangia: what to see
At 87 metres (about 102 metres including its lightning rod), the tower ranks among the tallest surviving medieval towers in Italy. It was designed from 1325 and mainly built between 1338 and 1348 by the Sienese architect Agostino di Giovanni together with the Perugian brothers Minuccio and Francesco di Rinaldo.
Its height was deliberately matched to Siena Cathedral’s bell tower, a symbolic statement that the city’s civic government held power equal to that of the church.
The tower’s name comes from its first bell-ringer, Giovanni di Balduccio, nicknamed Mangiaguadagni (“profit-eater”) for his spendthrift habits, shortened by Sienese townsfolk to “Mangia.” After his role ended in 1360, a mechanical automaton was built in his memory to strike the bells; its remains are displayed in the Palazzo’s Cortile del Podestà.
The great bell at the top, known as the Campanone or Sunto (for its dedication to the Madonna Assunta), was installed in 1666 and weighs around 6,760 kg; it still rings out for the city’s most important occasions, above all the Palio horse race.
At the tower’s base stands the Cappella di Piazza, a loggia first built in 1352 as a votive offering by Sienese survivors of the 1348 Black Death, rebuilt to its present form in 1378 and decorated with sculpture. According to local legend, the tower’s corner foundation stones were inscribed with Hebrew, Greek and Latin characters to protect it from lightning and misfortune.
A free audioguide app covers the adjoining Museo Civico across three floors, with roughly 50 minutes of content available in Italian, English, French, German and Italian Sign Language.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Arrive early in the day, since ascent slots are capped at 25 people and can sell out. |
| Crowds | Because tower tickets can’t be booked online, expect a queue at the ticket office in peak season. |
| Layout | If using a combined ticket, visit the Torre del Mangia first, as the rules require. |
| Entry process | Buy tower tickets in person at Palazzo Pubblico or the Dear Guests shop on the day. |
| On-site logistics | Wear comfortable shoes for the roughly 400-step climb; there is no lift. |
Frequently asked questions about the Torre del Mangia
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Torre del Mangia suitable for children? | Children under 14 may enter only when accompanied by an adult. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Torre del Mangia? | No — in fact, tower tickets cannot be booked online and are sold in person on the day. |
| Is the Torre del Mangia open every day? | Yes, except Christmas Day, with shorter hours on New Year’s Day. |
| Is the Torre del Mangia wheelchair accessible? | No. There is no lift, and the climb involves about 400 steps. |
| Why is it called the Torre del Mangia? | After the nickname, “Mangiaguadagni,” of its first bell-ringer. |
Things to do near Torre del Mangia
- Museo Civico: Siena’s civic museum, inside the same Palazzo Pubblico as the tower.
- Piazza del Campo: the shell-shaped square at the heart of Siena, right at the tower’s base.
- Siena Cathedral (Duomo): the city’s striped Gothic cathedral, a short walk away.
- Santa Maria della Scala: a former hospital turned museum complex, opposite the cathedral.
- Fonte Gaia: a monumental fountain at the top of Piazza del Campo.
Alternative attractions
- San Gimignano: a hill town famous for its surviving medieval tower houses, about 40 minutes away.
- Palazzo Vecchio Tower, Florence: the Arnolfo Tower overlooking Piazza della Signoria, about 1 hour away.
- Leaning Tower of Pisa: Italy’s most famous bell tower, about 1.5 hours away.
- Two Towers of Bologna: the Asinelli and Garisenda towers, about 1.5 hours away.
- Ghirlandina Tower, Modena: another UNESCO-listed civic belltower, a longer trip further north.
More Tuscany travel
Other Tuscany travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Visitor guide to the Villa Reale di Marlia near Lucca.
- Why do hot air balloon flights in Tuscany leave so early?
- What to expect at SuprEvo, Tuscany’s interactive olive oil museum.
- How long are the queues to see Michelangelo’s David?
- Florence attraction guides: Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Palazzo Vecchio, Bargello Museum, Medici Chapels, Museo de Medici, Uffizi Gallery, Galleria dell’Accademia, Museo Galileo, Florence Synagogue and Museum, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.
