The Italian Style Diaries | Siena

Ah, beautiful Siena. This stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site was absolutely the highlight of our trip.

It offered just as much culturally, visually and atmospherically as Florence, but it was much less frantic and crowded with tourists - it felt like we got to enjoy the city on our own terms.

It's a place of winding, narrow passages steeped in shadow which suddenly give way to brilliant sunny squares filled with beautiful buildings. The perfect balance of vibrancy and tranquillity.

The centre is still very medieval, with stunning architecture - I felt just like I’d landed in Romeo and Juliet (Yes, I know that’s Verona, another city I love!). It really gave me a sense of what life during the Renaissance must have felt like.

The Siena cathedral is a Romanesque-Gothic dream with jaw-dropping ornate carvings, and I adored sitting in the Piazza Del Campo with a coffee watching the world go by.

Printed Silk Sundress | Twenty8Twelve

Nude jelly flats | Melissa x Vivienne Westwood

‘Covet Waverley’ bag | Stella & Dot 

‘Daydream’ sunglasses | Quay Australia

As we’d been in Italy a while, I felt brave and suntanned enough to pop on a strappy, flirty silk sundress for strolling around what has become one of my new favourite cities. The mosquito bites on my legs weren't quite as chic, but we’ll gloss over them!

I love the blue-gray colour, vibrant abstract print and detailed cut out straps on this little dress, and it has a great cut which nips you in at the waist. I paired it with my comfortable nude flats and felt very 60’s all of a sudden ( one of my favourite ways to feel!) so I popped my hair up into a beehive to complete the effect.

Like all of the outfits on my Italian getaway, this felt easy, simple and stylish, although the dress could also be layered up with a slim polo, tights and ankle boots for autumn in England.

It truly was a Dolce Vita moment!