Italy Tuscany

San Gimignano

Medieval skyline town in Tuscany, famed for its tower houses and encircled by 13th-century walls.

Tips from the community

Some say that San Gimignano is the most handsome town in the world, let alone only in Tuscany. Like a sprinkling of cinnamon between the cypresses, it’s draped over the low hills right in the heart of the region. It started as a small Etruscan settlement in the third century AD, but became powerful as a pilgrim’s stopover on the route to Rome. Warring families during the 13th and 14th centuries competed to create the highest towers in the center, which is why soaring summits crash above the piazzas. These days, though, tribal conflicts are put aside in favor of legendary gastronomy. From porchetta to saffron rice and crisp white wines, there’s all sorts on offer in the cozy local trattoria.

jrfrancis 3 years ago

It’s time to delve into the heart of Tuscany. San Gimignano is just that, draped like a blob of honey on wine-growing hills speckled with slender cypresses. A forest of 14 stone-built towers rise from the terracotta roofs to mark out the town. They were once the fortresses of warring families. These days, they lurch above piazzas and winding alleys filled with truffle shops and bodegas. Visiting on Thursday? Hit the Piazza del Duomo early for the food market. Stacks of olives, hard cheese, homemade pasta, porchetta – it’s all there!

jrfrancis 3 years ago

San Gimignano Guides

San Gimignano Articles

  • Tuscany Road Trip: 13 Stops Along the Way

    Oh, Tuscany! The stuff of Italian dreams, this region rarely fails to enchant. Sweeping from the Apuan Alps to the verdant valleys of Maremma and the sloshing waves of the Ligurian Sea, it covers some seriously gorgeous corners of the land (and is home to some of the best things to do in Italy). The […]

    Read more...
  • 41 of the Best Things to Do in Italy

    Oh, Italy— you boot-shaped beauty, you. With your pizza-spinning chefs, OTT hand gestures, truffle-scented tagliatelle and creamy gelato, there’s really nowhere else that can match. From north to south, you range from ice-capped Dolomites covered in snow to wave-lapped pebble coves baked in 80-degree sun. And between the two…well…let’s just say it’s a panini sandwich […]

    Read more...