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San Gimignano is a tiny Tuscan hill city simply an hour outdoors of Florence. Folks come to San Gimignano to take pleasure in its stone structure and medieval towers; its museums and views — oh sure, and one explicit gelato store.
San Gimignano is as touristy as Tuscany will get — however it’s nonetheless a enjoyable place to go to.
Earlier than you propose your go to to San Gimignano, you must know what it’s: a small city (inhabitants: 7,000) with an excellent smaller walled medieval metropolis. That’s the half you’ll go to, and this city caters nearly completely to vacationers.
What does that imply? To match it to close by Siena, Siena remains to be a metropolis the place common Tuscan of us reside and work. San Gimignano has one trade: tourism. Within the walled metropolis of San Gimignano, I didn’t see a ironmongery shop, a dry cleaner, a flea market — something that caters primarily to locals.
All of the being mentioned — I nonetheless assume San Gimignano is price visiting. Among the best causes to go to San Gimignano is for the pictures. The walled city is extremely photogenic, the views over the panorama are grand, and the 14 stone towers make up a “Medieval Manhattan” that’s distinctive in Tuscany.
It’s a bit furry to get to San Gimignano from Florence by public transit. Once I visited, I went with Walks on their Tuscany tour via San Gimignano, Siena and the Chianti wine area (they let me be a part of the tour at no cost, and I cherished it anyway). It was a straightforward and enjoyable method to see all three locations in a single day with out worrying about transit connections!
Let’s check out the most effective issues to do in San Gimignano. I believe you’ll take pleasure in this city!
This publish was printed in November 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Riana Ang-Canning.
Issues to Do in San Gimignano
Climb Torre Grossa for spectacular views
For those who’re on the lookout for these quintessential Tuscany views — a medieval city surrounded by lush, inexperienced rolling hills so far as the attention can see — you’ll love climbing the Torre Grossa in San Gimignano!
Torre Grossa, also called the Nice Tower, was constructed within the 14th century. At present, at simply 53 meters (177 ft), it’s the tallest tower in San Gimignano. To get to the epic view on the prime, you’ll have to climb 218 steps.
Your ticket to the tower prices 9 EUR ($10) and in addition grants you entrance to the museum and gallery within the constructing beneath.
Climbing Torre Grossa is a superb factor to do whenever you first arrive in San Gimignano because it’ll provide you with an summary of the town and appreciation for the place you might be in Tuscany.
And don’t be delay if the climate isn’t cooperating! It was grey and drizzly throughout my go to, and I nonetheless love how my images got here out.
Discover the medieval city heart
The historic heart of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site for 2 main causes. First, it was an necessary cease for pilgrims touring to Rome in the course of the Center Ages, and second, it was acknowledged for its spectacular towers — although sadly, solely 14 of the unique 72 towers survive right this moment.
Begin your exploration at Palazzo Comunale, also called Palazzo del Popolo, in San Gimignano’s principal sq., Piazza del Duomo. This municipal palace is the seat of native authorities on the town and in addition homes a museum and artwork gallery. It’s additionally the constructing beneath Torre Grossa, so you’ll be able to mix a go to to each the palace and tower.
Stroll from Piazza del Duomo to the related Piazza della Cisterna the place you’ll discover extra medieval towers, an historical metropolis gate, an historical cistern and a few world-class gelato (extra on that later!).
Recognize the gorgeous church buildings
Like most medieval European cities, San Gimignano has its fair proportion of lovely church buildings to go to.
Begin with the primary church on the town, Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta, also called the Duomo of San Gimignano. This church was constructed within the twelfth Century and had many necessary frescoes added to it all through the Renaissance interval. The outside is straightforward, however inside you’ll see plenty of architectural particulars and colourful art work.
Two different church buildings price visiting in San Gimignano are Chiesa di Sant’Agostino and Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Ponte. Chiesa di Sant’Agostino is the second largest church after the Collegiata and in addition homes some spectacular frescoes. Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Ponte is without doubt one of the oldest church buildings in San Gimignano and well-known for its artwork piece, Madonna with Youngster in Glory.
Well-known Italian painters Lippo Memmi and Benozzo Gozzoli each contributed frescoes to the Church of Sant’Agostino, Palazzo del Popolo and Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta.
Go to the museums & galleries
For those who’d prefer to be taught extra concerning the tradition and historical past of San Gimignano, you’ll be able to go to one of many city’s museums or galleries. Begin with Museo Civico (Civic Museum), situated within the city corridor of Palazzo Comunale, the place you’ll study San Gimignano’s attention-grabbing historical past, governance, and artwork scene. (Your ticket to the Torre Grossa will get you in right here.)
The Museo Archeologico shows artwork and artifacts from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval intervals discovered within the space round San Gimignano. The Herbarium of Santa Fina (or Spezieria di Santa Fina) is ready up like an historical pharmacy, displaying vessels from the 15-18th Centuries.
Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea is a museum to go to for twentieth Century work.
San Gimignano additionally has various fashionable artwork galleries you’ll be able to discover, which makes a beautiful distinction to the traditional feeling of the city. Try Galleria Gagliardi or iSculpture for modern sculptures, Galleria Continua for large-scale modern artwork, and Nous Artwork Gallery for nature-inspired artwork.
Go wine tasting
You by no means should go far to seek out good wine in Italy — and that’s doubly true in Tuscany, which is residence to among the most strong reds within the nation. The hills surrounding San Gimignano are residence to some pretty vineyards you’ll be able to go to.
On this 2-Hour Wine & Connoisseur Tasting, you’ll be a part of an professional sommelier at a Tuscan vineyard close to San Gimignano as they lead you thru a wine tasting. You’ll be taught concerning the totally different varieties produced on this winemaking area of Italy and pair your wine tasting with snacks or lunch.
Another choice is a wine and meals tasting at a family-run, natural farm and vineyard simply outdoors of San Gimignano. Your go to will embrace a tour across the backyard, orchard, winery, olive grove, wine cellar and getting old room. You’ll then pair eight of the vineyard’s reds, whites and rosés with farm-grown snacks, similar to olive oil and native cheeses.
Tour Torre e Casa Campatelli or Torre Salvucci Maggiore
Torre Grassa isn’t the one tower on the town, and so most of the towers right here right this moment exemplify San Gimignano’s historic significance. Whereas solely 14 towers stay, San Gimignano remains to be nicknamed the “Manhattan of Tuscany,” “Manhattan of the Center Ages,” or “Medieval Manhattan,” because of its well-known skyline of medieval skyscrapers.
Torre e Casa Campatelli (Campatelli Tower Home) is a twelfth Century tower that stands nearly 100 ft tall. At present, you’ll be able to tour the tower home, the place the Campatelli household used to reside, and see genuine 18th century furnishings all through the flooring.
Or if you’d like an much more immersive expertise, try Torre Salvucci Maggiore, which stands about 140 ft excessive. This tower is ready up as a vertical condo throughout 11 flooring and is accessible for visitors to remain in in a single day. So long as you don’t thoughts stairs, this could be an unimaginable place to remain!
Be taught concerning the city historical past at San Gimignano 1300
Get able to time journey again to 14th Century Tuscany at San Gimignano 1300. This participating artwork and historical past museum recreates San Gimignano because it was within the 1300’s.
Inside you’ll discover a miniature clay reconstruction of your complete city within the 14th Century, in addition to separate dioramas displaying off metropolis life and the constructing of the towers.
Tour guides can be found to elucidate the town’s historical past and reply the query of what occurred to all of San Gimignano’s towers. Subsequent door you’ll additionally discover a modern artwork gallery and present store.
Try the native artisans and their shops
All alongside the squares and streets of San Gimignano, you’ll discover native artisans promoting meals gadgets, crafts, jewellery, clothes, and extra. In between touring the towers and church buildings, take a break to perform a little buying.
My favourite store in San Gimignano was Balducci Ceramica. Right here you’ll be able to watch husband and spouse crew Franco Balducci and Esther Vogeli craft their handmade pottery and ceramics, in addition to buy a bit of artwork to take residence. You’ll additionally see a few of Franco’s work round San Gimignano.
Different extremely rated retailers embrace Le Torri or Marri e Rossi for leather-based items, Pantani Arte for work and crafts, La Buca di Montauto for gourmand meals, and Macallè for jewellery.
Is it price buying in San Gimignano? As an Italy journey professional who LOVES to buy, I might store for high-quality, artisanal gadgets in San Gimignano at one of many shops listed above. I might NOT store for affordable, mass-market produced souvenirs right here, as these will likely be less expensive at markets in Florence.
Seize a gelato at Gelateria Dondoli
I like monitoring down the most effective gelato store in Italian cities I go to, and in San Gimignano, that’s Gelateria Dondoli! This gelato store is vastly standard and has gained plenty of awards. It’s additionally conveniently situated, proper on Piazza della Cisterna.
Gelateria Dondoli is greatest recognized for his or her handmade gelato utilizing wealthy, native components. This has resulted in some distinctive flavors similar to Crema di Santa Fina (with saffron and pine nuts), Champelmo (pink grapefruit with glowing wine), and combos like cheese and olive, chestnut and rosemary, and pumpkin and chocolate.
For those who’re a very massive fan, you’ll be able to even take a gelato class with Sergio Dondoli himself!
I warn you, although — this place is BUSY and you may anticipate lengthy strains, even on drizzly days just like the day I visited. You probably have restricted free time in your day journey to San Gimignano, give yourselves quarter-hour or so to attend in line right here. Maybe longer in the summertime.
Need gelato, however don’t have sufficient time to attend? There are a couple of different cafes on Piazza della Cisterna that serve common gelato.
Go to Parco della Rocca & Citadel at sundown
For those who’re on the lookout for the proper spot to catch a sundown in San Gimignano, head to Parco della Rocca, simply close to Piazza Duomo. This park is known as for Rocca di Montestaffoli, a 14th Century fortress on the town partitions of San Gimignano. At present, solely ruins of the partitions of the fortress stay.
Apart from being an important place to observe the solar go down over the vast fields of Tuscany, Parco della Rocca is commonly used for reveals and occasions in the summertime.
The park hosts Giostra dei Bastioni, a jousting competitors between medieval knights, and the Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine Expertise La Rocca for wine fans.
Get pleasure from a dinner with locals
Among the best methods to find the scrumptious meals and great hospitality of Tuscany is by eating with a neighborhood. With these experiences, you’ll be able to take pleasure in an important meal with good firm and even attempt your hand at making an Italian dish.
On this Eating Expertise at a Native’s Dwelling you’ll be invited into a neighborhood’s residence for a non-public meal. You’ll take pleasure in a present as your hosts put together household recipes proper in entrance of you. As soon as the cooking is completed, you’ll take pleasure in a four-course meal paired with native wines, and take residence a memento apron.
Be taught to make pizza or pasta
For those who’re going to learn to make pizza or pasta, Italy is the place to be taught! Whereas pizza isn’t a typical Tuscan dish, in case you’re not visiting Naples in your journey, Tuscany will do exactly positive.
On this 2-Hour Pizza Class & Wine Tasting, you’ll head to Tenuta Torciano Vineyard simply outdoors of San Gimignano to be taught to make pizza the old style means. The main target will likely be on contemporary, native components and studying from an professional pizza chef. After your cooking class, you’ll benefit from the fruits of your labor alongside extra Tuscan specialties and a wine tasting.
Or try this non-public pasta-making class at a neighborhood’s residence in San Gimignano. It doesn’t get extra genuine than making handmade pasta in a neighborhood Italian residence! You and your host will put together three forms of pasta and luxuriate in consuming them paired with sauces and native wines.
Go truffle looking
One of the vital iconic experiences you’ll be able to have in Tuscany goes out on a truffle hunt. Tuscany is without doubt one of the extra dependable areas in Italy for truffle-hunting. It’s exhausting to not get excited as your professional truffle-hunting canine sniffs their method to underground gold!
On this Truffle Looking with Lunch & Wine Tasting Tour, you’ll be a part of knowledgeable information and skilled canine as they hunt for truffles in a forest close to San Gimignano. Your information will clarify how truffles are grown and located in Tuscany and — in case you’re fortunate — your canine will hit the jackpot!
After your hunt, you’ll calm down again at a neighborhood vineyard the place you’ll take pleasure in a scrumptious Tuscan lunch, olive oil tasting, and wine tasting led by a sommelier.
Pattern the native delicacies
You’ll be able to eat properly anyplace in Italy, and that’s very true in San Gimignano! You probably have time for a meal right here, you’ll want to pattern some specialties distinctive to Tuscany and San Gimignano itself.
This a part of Tuscany is massive on cinghiale (CHEEN-ghee-AH-lay) — wild boar. Whereas you will discover it throughout Tuscany, it’s one of many native specialties of San Gimignano.
My favourite go-to wild boar dish is pappardelle al cinghiale, which is thick-cut pasta in a wild boar meat sauce. It’s the sort of dish that sticks to your ribs, in a great way!
You an additionally attempt wild boar sausage as a part of a salume platter (an enormous plate of cured meats served earlier than a meal), and wild boar stew is an alternative choice.
Le Vecchie Mura, within the heart of San Gimignano, is a pleasant spot when you’ve got time for a leisurely lunch.
Different Tuscan specialities embrace ribollita (a stew of bread, beans and greens), papa al pomodoro (a bread, bean, and tomato soup), bistecca fiorentina (an unlimited steak accomplished uncommon), and naturally, loads of deep, strong Tuscan crimson wines.
How A lot Time to Spend in San Gimignano, Italy
San Gimignano is a REALLY small city, and today, it caters primarily to vacationers’ wants. For that motive, I believe you solely have to spend a couple of hours in San Gimignano.
Only a morning or a day needs to be sufficient time to discover San Gimignano; you might stretch it to a full day in case you booked a cooking class or wine tasting journey or did some critical gallery-hopping.
Since you solely want half a day to take pleasure in San Gimignano, it pairs completely with one other Tuscan city as the proper day journey from Florence. I believe that Siena and San Gimignano make an ideal pair, as they’re shut to one another and have straightforward transit connections between them.
And as soon as once more — I actually loved my day journey from Florence to Siena and San Gimignano, which was straightforward, well-paced, and left me feeling like I had skilled each locations fairly properly.
How you can Get to San Gimignano, Italy
Most individuals go to San Gimignano on a day journey from Florence or as a part of an extended street journey round Tuscany.
For those who’re planning an extended Tuscany street journey, you’ll positively need to lease your individual automotive. Lots of the small little cities and wineries have restricted public transport connections, and San Gimignano isn’t any exception.
From Florence, it’s an hourlong drive to San Gimignano, or you’ll be able to take a bus to the city of Poggibonsi (50 minutes), then change to a bus to San Gimignano (20 minutes).
From Siena, it’s a 55-minute drive to San Gimignano, or you’ll be able to take a bus on to San Gimignano (1 hour and 5 minutes).
For those who’re solely visiting San Gimignano on a day journey from Florence, I strongly advocate reserving the Siena and San Gimignano Day Journey from Florence that I took with Walks. It was a very nice day and SO a lot simpler than navigating the general public transport.
The place to Keep in San Gimignano, Italy
For those who do determine to remain in a single day in San Gimignano, listed below are among the greatest locations to remain:
- Prime-rated funds resort in San Gimignano: La Fornace Di Racciano is a family-run B&B on a country property simply outdoors of San Gimignano. Get pleasure from swimming within the outside pool and admiring the wooden beam ceilings.
- Prime-rated mid-range resort in San Gimignano: La Locanda di Quercecchio is situated inside San Gimignano and presents plenty of genuine Tuscan appeal. One other nice choice for a mid-range funds is Leon Bianco, situated on the primary sq. in San Gimignano and mixing the trendy with the standard.
- Prime-rated luxurious resort in San Gimignano: Lodge Bel Soggiorno is centrally situated in San Gimignano and presents lovely views of the city and Tuscan countryside from its terraces and on-site restaurant.
Discover offers on locations to remain in San Gimignano right here.
Finest Time to Go to San Gimignano, Italy
You’ll be able to go to San Gimignano year-round — and loads of folks do — however anticipate greater crowds throughout excessive season, from late spring to early fall. Nowadays, it looks as if excessive season in Tuscany retains getting longer and longer. There have been wall-to-wall crowds in Florence in March!
However in case you’re on the lookout for the optimum time to go to Tuscany, I personally love visiting within the fall, particularly mid-to-late October. It’s a bit much less crowded, the temperatures are extra affordable, you get to see some altering leaves, and it’s time for the harvest.
Whereas some folks go to San Gimignano within the winter, you must know that among the companies on the town shut in the course of the winter months. You’ll be able to nonetheless take pleasure in your journey — simply know that it will likely be a lot quieter than common.
Is San Gimignano Price It?
Completely, San Gimignano is price visiting. It’s a captivating small city with sufficient to do, see, and eat to entertain you for a couple of hours.
However — and this can be a massive however — I wouldn’t advocate constructing your complete journey round San Gimignano, and even spending a full day right here. It’s greatest paired with a second vacation spot, like my tour from Florence to Siena and San Gimignano.
Make your journey to San Gimignano actually price it by pairing it with a close-by Tuscan metropolis, like Siena, to profit from your day journey!
Extra on Florence and Tuscany:
Planning a Journey to Italy:
Cool Locations in Northern Italy:
- Three Weeks in Northern Italy: An Itinerary
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Better of Southern Italy:
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Have you ever been to San Gimignano? Share away!
