With its medieval towers, fortified 13th-century walls and winding, narrow streets, San Gimignano is the literal embodiment of charming rusticity. Popular with day-trippers from nearby Siena and Florence, this hilltop city has everything you could want from a visit to the beautiful Italian region of Tuscany.
San Gimignano has an abundance of eye-catching architecture, but the undeniable showpiece is its millennia-old towers that encompass the beautiful square of Piazza del Duomo. It’s here where you’ll also discover the Collegiata, a Romanesque cathedral known for its lifelike frescoes portraying events from The Bible and the life of the city’s patron saint, Fina.
The Tuscan jewel of San Gimignano is home to a variety of civic museums that showcase the city’s incredible history and majestic works of art. The Palazzo Comunale houses significant frescoes such as the ‘Virgin and Child’ by Lippo Memmi, but also gives access to the Torre Grossa (meaning big tower). You can take in soaring views over the Tuscan countryside from the top, but be sure to visit the small on-site museum before you leave. It’s also worth discovering the interactive experience at the San Gimignano 1300 museum, which features a faithful restoration of the city as it was in medieval times.
San Gimignano serves all the Italian staples you’d expect, with innovative ice-cream flavours served at Gelateria Dondoli and a native white wine in Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Traditional Tuscan dishes to try include wild boar or tagliatelle served in truffle sauce.