{"id":36372,"date":"2022-05-19T14:46:56","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T13:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sommertage.com\/?p=36372"},"modified":"2024-04-07T16:39:40","modified_gmt":"2024-04-07T14:39:40","slug":"san-gimignano-travel-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sommertage.com\/en\/san-gimignano-travel-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Best of San Gimignano: The Ultimate Travel Guide & Top Things to Do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to the Medieval Manhattan<\/strong>! The small town of San Gimignano in the heart of Tuscany is without a doubt one of the most impressive travel destinations in Italy. The town\u2019s medieval landscape is almost perfectly preserved and exudes a very unique flair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even observed from afar, San Gimignano presents a very special photo motif. The stony towers rise up into the sky and create an enchanting medieval skyline<\/strong>. Wow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you are planning to check off San Gimignano on your trip through Tuscany? Then you will find everything you need to know in this travel guide. From the most beautiful sights to the best things to do and our culinary recommendations \u2013 here are our tips for San Gimignano<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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1. San Gimignano: Initial info, travel tips & FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What awaits me in San Gimignano?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most excellent medieval flair<\/strong>! Even from afar, you can tell what makes San Gimignano so special. The 15 majestic towers, visible far and wide, rise up into the sky. For this reason, the city carries the nickname \u201cMedieval Manhattan\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The historic town centre of the 7,000-soul town is unbelievably charming. Each corner is more photographic than the other and there are tonnes of photo opportunities<\/strong> and amazing things to do and see just waiting for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is San Gimignano overcrowded?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here we come to the less good news, to answer the question of whether San Gimignano really is as crowded as you read about everywhere. Unfortunately, we have to let you down: YES, San Gimignano is very touristy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the very latest you notice it when you make your way from the (very large) parking lot together with many others, past souvenir shops<\/strong>, towards the main square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We let you in on two tips<\/strong>: Firstly, we would definitely recommend you don\u2019t visit San Gimignano in summer<\/strong> (that actually goes for all of Tuscany). We were in San Gimignano during August one time and it was really uncomfortably full at that time. On our second trip during October it was quite noticibly more quiet and tranquil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly: Although San Gimignano is unfortunately an incredibly popular destination for day trips in Tuscany, it is particularly busy around midday and in the afternoon<\/strong>. (Unfortunately, that means you need to share the town with many other people during that time.) If possible, we recommend you visit in the morning hours or late afternoon instead, when has quietened down a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much time do I need to visit San Gimignano?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

San Gimignano is a classic day trip destination<\/strong>. Even though we wouldn\u2019t recommend it (because the area is simply far too beautiful for a quick day trip in and out), it is quite possible, in principle, to explore San Gimignano in just a few hours. The town is very small and manageable. You can visit all the main attractions in half a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We personally find the area around San Gimignano very beautiful and therefore, would recommend you rather stay a few days<\/strong>. (However, not in the historic centre but in the surrounding area. Our personal hotel tip follows at the end of this travel guide.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Gimignano is generally a fantastic home base<\/strong> for your Tuscan holiday<\/a>, because it is located almost precisely in the middle of many popular travel destinations. For example, you can reach Florence from here in one hour of Siena<\/a> in around 45 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. San Gimignano Travel Guide: The Best Sights & Things to Do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Strictly speaking, the whole of San Gimignano is an attraction in itself. It\u2019s not without reason that the town has been included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/strong> since 1990. The town landscape is really unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recommend you simply let yourself drift through the old town. It is also definitely worth it to leave the main pathways and explore the small, much less frequented, side alleyways<\/strong>. In this chapter we reveal which sights, in our opinion, you shouldn\u2019t miss out on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Piazza del Duomo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Within the heart of the old town<\/strong> you come to one of San Gimignano\u2019s main squares, the Piazza del Duomo. This square is a small work of art and really incredibly charming \u2013 especially if you are lucky enough to catch it without the crowds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the name suggests, San Gimignano\u2019s cathedral is located in the Piazza del Duomo, the Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta<\/strong>. It is known for its artistic wall paintings on its interior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Palazzo Comunale<\/strong> (also called Palazzo del Popolo) from the 13th century is also an immediate eye-catcher. The gigantic Torre Grosso rises up directly behind it into the sky. We let you know more about the (highly recommended) climb up further down in this travel guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Piazza della Cisterna<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

San Gimignano\u2019s second famous square is located around the corner from the Piazza del Duomo, the much more spacious Piazza della Cisterna. Its name is also no coincidence: The square is named after the underground cistern<\/strong>, built in the 13th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The square, which is actually triangular shaped, is beautifully lined with medieval townhouses<\/strong> \u2013 each more beautiful than the other. A pretty stone fountain<\/strong> is located in the centre. The same applies here: If you are lucky and are able to visit the square during the morning or evening hours, you will love the flair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our tip<\/strong>: The Gelateria Dondoli is located on the outskirts of the Piazza. Be sure to grab an ice cream from there. This award-winning ice cream parlour is known to be one of the best in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Torre Grossa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Of the approximately 70 towers that were once in San Gimignano, \u201conly\u201d 15 remain preserved today. One of the most famous of these, and definitely the tallest, is the Torre Grossa, which is part of the Palazzo Communale (the town hall). It rises 54 metres<\/strong> up into the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The great part about it: You can climb up the Torre Grossa. The ascent up the approximately 220 steps<\/strong> is quite doable \u2013 only at the end you have to climb a narrow ladder to go through a small hatch to reach the viewing platform. But don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s not so bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you reach the top, a fantastic birds-eye view over San Gimignano<\/strong> awaits you. It doesn\u2019t get more impressive in San Gimignano as from up here. Very highly recommended!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Insider tip: Torre Salvucci Maggiore<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even though word on the street is that the Torre Grossa is the only tower in San Gimignano you can climb, it\u2019s not entirely true. Because: It is also possible to climb up the Torre Salvucci Maggiore (at certain times).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The special part about this tower: It contains a holiday apartment<\/strong>, which stretches over ten stories \u2013 and the 11th<\/sup> is the viewing platform. When the apartment isn\u2019t occupied, external guests can also visit up the Torre Salvucci Maggiore.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The view is not as spectacular as from Torre Grossa, but still very impressive<\/strong>. Aside from that, it is exciting to take a peek inside this rather quirky holiday apartment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Further things to do and see for more time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that was far from everything. In case you are staying longer than just one day, then here are some further highlights of San Gimignano for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n