To visit the historic center, we advise you to leave your car in the parking lot of Villa Alba.
In about 5/7 minutes you will reach the center avoiding to park in public parking lots for a fee. If you prefer you can also reach the village by public transport, the bus stop is right in front of Villa Alba.
The historic center of San Gimignano offers medieval masterpieces including the famous towers that still stand out on its panorama and which have earned it the definition of "Manhattan of the Middle Ages". Of the 72 towers today there remain 16, the oldest is Torre Rognosa, 51 meters high, and the highest is Torre del Podestà of 54 m. The heart of the town is Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Duomo, full of buildings and palaces such as Palazzo Vecchio del Podestà and the Palazzo Comunale and Palazzo della Propositura, the headquarters of the Opera Archives with important 15th century manuscripts. The Duomo, on the other hand, preserves valuable works by great Tuscan artists.
Also the city perimeter has historical treasures and several famous churches with many frescoes, such as that of S. Pietro, S. Jacopo, S. Bartolo, the Collegiate of S. Maria Assunta, and S. Agostino. Also worth seeing is the fortress of Montestaffoli. The Etruscan Museum, the Pinacoteca, the Wine Museum, the Santa Fina Spezieria, the Museum of Torture and the city walls dating back to the 13th century are also important.
A few kilometers from the medieval town is the Natural Reserve of Castelvecchio, a large wooded area rich in Mediterranean flora. In the reserve there are the archaeological ruins of Castelvecchio, the medieval fortress of Etruscan origin. The view from the lookout tower sweeps over the valley.
The countryside around San Gimignano is definitely worth exploring.
Vineyards, cultivated fields, farms and farmhouses are the expression of the Tuscan countryside.
In the farms it is possible to taste the typical wine grown in our area directly, that is the "Vernaccia di San Gimignano", but also other wines and the typical Tuscan sweet wine the "Vin Santo".
CERTALDO
About 20 minutes from Villa Alba you can reach the city of Certaldo, birthplace of the great poet Boccaccio, writer of the Decamerone. From the main square of Certaldo you can reach, through a funicular, the ancient medieval village that is truly a marvel. This is an excursion that you can also do for half a day.
VOLTERRA
About 45 minutes from San Gimignano, you can reach Volterra, a city definitely worth visiting.
In Volterra history has left its mark with continuity from the Etruscan period until the nineteenth century, with artistic and monumental testimonies of great importance, which can be admired simply walking through the streets of the historic center, but also visiting the city's museums: the Museum Etruscan, the Civic Art Gallery, the Museum of Sacred Art, the Alabaster Ecomuseum
MONTERIGGIONI
Surely you will go to Siena. Routes about 20 km of Freeway that will take you to the city of the Palio, you will notice on a hill on your right a wall. That is the small medieval village of Monteriggioni!
Monteriggioni occupies the summit of a gentle hill with slopes planted with vineyards and olive trees.
The castle was founded in the second decade of the thirteenth century by the Republic of Siena, with the main purpose of creating a defensive outpost against the rival Florence. For centuries the settlement fulfilled the function for which it was created, repelling from time to time a myriad of sieges and attacks
COMPLESSO DI SAN GALGANO
If you spend a few days in San Gimignano we suggest you to visit the Complex of San Galgano. (Km 52. Time around 1:02)
The marvelous complex is composed of the Rotonda di Montesiepi and the ruins of the great Abbey of San Galgano, it is one of the most evocative places in Tuscany and has been the set of numerous Italian and foreign films.
In the Rotonda di Montesiepi is found, stuck in the rock, the Sword of San Galgano.
San Galgano was a bold and dissolute knight born in 1148 who converted and became a servant of the Lord by deeply sticking his sword into the rock, so as to make a cross with the hilt.
The friars Circestensi, after his death from 1220 to 1268 built the great Abbey that after various vicissitudes over the centuries now we can admire the wall part without the roof and this is precisely the feature that makes it fascinating.
www.sangalgano.info
GPS coordinates: 43 ° 9'10.080 '' N - 11 ° 9'5.040 '' E.
- Wine tasting in the cellar.
- Cooking class.
- Trekking tours.
- Tours organized with scooters.
- Tours organized in mountabike or racing bike.
- Guided walk on the hills of San Gimignano (km.6).
- Guided walk along the Via Francigena (km.8).
- Walk to discover the typical agricultural foods (oil, saffron, honey, cheese, salami etc ...
- Wine tour in Chianti.
- Organized tours for: Siena, Florence and Pisa.
FROM THE SPIRIT TO THE BODY: Opportunities not to be missed in San Gimignano
In the Church of Sant'Agostino: the majolica floor by Andrea della Robbia, located in the Chapel of San Bartolo and the "Incoronazione di Maria" of the Pollaiolo, placed on the main altar
An excursion and bird watching at the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve.
The "Walk of the Walls". Path on the city walls of the ancient city.
Admire an extraordinary view of San Gimignano and the Valdelsa from the Rocca di Montestaffoli.
A walk at night in the ancient city.
A tasty dish of handmade pappardelle with wild boar sauce in one of the oldest restaurants in San Gimignano! Where is it ? ... at our "La Stella" restaurant in the historic center.
An ice cream at the Gelateria Dondoli in Piazza della Cisterna, known and award-winning in
the world.