I was just filming in the cathedral of Siena, my head spinning with its amazing art. Suddenly my Siena guide, Roberto, points out a tall, 750-year-old wooden post near and dear to the hearts of the Sienese people. As if it happened yesterday, he explained, “It was booty from a battle won at 8 a.m. on September 4th, 1260 — the last time we beat our arch rivals — the Florentines.”

This is Day 13 of my 100 Days in Europe series. As I research my guidebooks and make new TV shows, I’m reporting on my experiences and lessons learned in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Romania, and beyond. Find more at blog.ricksteves.com.