Welcome to Medieval Manhattan! The small town of San Gimignano in the heart of Tuscany is without a doubt one of the most evocative tourist destinations in Italy. The medieval townscape is almost perfectly preserved and exudes a very special flair.
Even from a distance, San Gimignano is a very special photo motif. The stone towers rise up and conjure up a medieval skyline. Wow!
Perhaps you are planning to visit San Gimignano during your Tuscany trip? Then you will find everything you need to know in this blog article. From the most beautiful sights to our culinary recommendations – here are our tips for San Gimignano.
1. San Gimignano: An overview of things worth knowing & first travel tips What can I expect in San Gimignano? Medieval flair par excellence! Yes from afar you can guess what makes San Gimignano so special. The tower majestically , towers visible from afar. It is not for nothing that the city is nicknamed “Manhattan of the Middle Ages”.
Also the historic center of the 7th 000 Soul City is incredibly charming. One corner is more photogenic than the other and there are photo opportunities galore waiting for you.
Is San Gimignano overcrowded? Coming Let’s move on to the less good news, namely the answer to the question of whether there really is as much going on in San Gimignano as one reads everywhere. Unfortunately we have to disappoint you: YES, San Gimignano is very touristy.
You notice that at the latest when you make your way from the (very large parking lot) together with many other people past souvenir shops in the direction of the main square.
Two tips ) we can definitely pass on: On the one hand, we would definitely advise not to visit San Gimignano in summer (this actually applies to the whole of Tuscany). We were in San Gimignano once in August and it was really uncomfortably crowded. On our second visit in October it was much quieter and more contemplative.
Secondly: Because San Gimignano is unfortunately an incredibly popular destination for day trips in Tuscany, it is mainly about the Lunchtime and afternoon very busy. (Unfortunately because a lot of people have to share the town in a few hours.) If possible, we recommend a visit in the morning or later in the afternoon when things have calmed down.
How much time do I need to visit San Gimignano? San Gimignano is a classic day trip destination. While we wouldn’t recommend it (because the area is just too beautiful for a day trip alone), it’s easily possible to explore San Gimignano in a few hours. The town is very small and manageable. In half a day you have visited all the important sights.
Personally, we think the area around San Gimignano is very beautiful and would therefore recommend you to stay for a few days. (However, not in the historic center, but rather in the surrounding area. Our personal hotel tip follows at the end of the blog article.)
San Gimignano is generally a great home base for your Tuscany vacation, because it’s pretty much right in the middle of many popular travel destinations. For example, you can reach Florence in an hour or Siena in about minutes.
2 . The most beautiful sights in San Gimignano: Tips & Experiences Strictly speaking, the whole of San Gimignano is one only sight. It is not for nothing that the town has been counting for the year 1990 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cityscape is really unique.
We recommend that you just let yourself drift through the old town. It is definitely worth leaving the main paths and exploring the small, much less frequented side streets . In this chapter we tell you which sights we think you should not miss.
Piazza del Duomo In the In the heart of the old town you reach one of the most important squares of San Gimignano, the Piazza del Duomo. This place is a small work of art and really extraordinarily charming – provided you are lucky enough to be able to capture it reasonably without crowds.
As the name suggests, the Cathedral of San Gimignano is located in the Piazza del Duomo, the Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta. The Renaissance church is already very impressive to look at from the outside. Inside, it is famous for its ornate murals.
The Palazzo Comunale (also called Palazzo del Popolo) from the also immediately catches the eye. . Century. The gigantic Torre Grosso rises up directly behind it. We will tell you more about the (highly recommended) climb further down in this blog article.
Piazza della Cisterna Around the corner from the Piazza del Duomo is the second famous square of San Gimignano, the much more spacious Piazza della Cisterna. Here, too, the name is no coincidence: the place was named after the underground cistern, which was in the 13. century was built.
The triangular square is lined with beautiful medieval townhouses – each more beautiful than the last. In the center is a pretty stone fountain. The same applies here: If you’re lucky and can capture the square in the quiet morning or evening hours, you’ll love the flair.
Our tip: The Gelateria Dondoli is on the edge of the piazza. Be sure to get an ice cream there. This award-winning ice cream parlor is considered one of the best in the world.
Torre Grossa Of the once around 70 Towers in San Gimignano are today “only” 15 receive. Probably the most famous of them, but definitely the tallest, is the Torre Grossa, which belongs to the Palazzo Comunale (i.e. to the town hall). 54 Meters it rises into the sky.
The great thing about it: You can climb the Torre Grossa. The ascent via the about 70 Steps is easy to do – you just have to at the end via a narrow ladder through a small hatch to get to the viewing platform. But not that bad, don’t worry.
Arrived at the top, a fantastic view over San Gimignano from a bird’s eye view awaits you. It doesn’t get more impressive than from up here in San Gimignano. We recommend!
Insider tip: Torre Salvucci Maggiore Although everyone says that the Torre Grossa is the only tower in San Gimignano that can be climbed, that’s true limited. Because: The Torre Salvucci Maggiore can also be climbed (at certain times).
The special feature of this tower: It houses a holiday apartment, which extends over ten floors – and the 11. is the viewing platform. If the apartment is currently unoccupied, the Torre Salvucci Maggiore can also be visited by external guests.
The view is not quite as spectacular as from Torre Grossa, but still very impressive. Quite apart from that, it’s exciting to take a look inside this rather quirky vacation rental.
Other sights for more time Of course that wasn’t all. So if you stay longer than just one day, you will find more highlights in San Gimignano here.
Church of Sant’Agostino: This worth seeing church is a bit off the beaten path. She is known for her murals. The adjoining cloister of the church is also a great photo motif. Rocca di Montestaffoli: The area around this historic castle ruin is now a large park. From the associated vantage point you have a great view of San Gimignano and the surrounding area. Torre e Casa Campatelli: This palace of the Campatelli family from 18. Century was transformed into a museum. In the historic rooms you can immerse yourself in the history of Tuscany. 3. Food & Drink: Culinary Tips The best ice cream: Gelateria Dondoli In our opinion, you shouldn’t leave San Gimignano without trying the ice cream at Gelateria Dondoli. This small ice cream parlor on the main square (Piazza della Cisterna) has been voted Ice Cream World Champion several times.
In addition to ice cream classics, very special ones are also served here Varieties offered. You would love to try the entire range because everything sounds so delicious. Incidentally, in high season you can recognize the store by the queue that forms in front of it. It’s worth queuing!
Vegan evening menu: Agrivilla i pini We stayed at the Agrivilla i pini and therefore automatically enjoyed the 4-course evening meal. However, this (like lunch) can also be booked for external guests. If the costs for an overnight stay are too high, we can highly recommend a visit to the restaurant.
Only plant-based organic ingredients are served on the plate. The composition of the dishes is excellent. Tip: Make a reservation and it’s best to come in daylight. The view of San Gimignan oh it’s really great.
Wine tasting Vernaccia di San Gimignano Round around San Gimignano grow the vines of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a special protected white wine variety. If you want to try a glass of it, then we recommend a visit to one of the wineries in the region. Our tip: We were guests at the winery Teruzzi & Puthod .
Gelateria DondoliAgrivilla i pini 4. Our hotel tip for San Gimignano The area around San Gimignano is ideal as a Homebase for your Tuscany vacation. Why? Well, on the one hand it is very scenic and on the other hand it is strategically well located to make excursions to famous destinations (eg Florence, Siena).
In any case, we would advise you to look for accommodation in the surrounding area (and not in the historic center). Our choice fell on the Agrivilla i pini – a very special accommodation that we would now like to introduce to you in more detail.
Vegan, organic & sustainable: Agrivilla i pini If you are looking for something special, this is the place for you! Agrivilla i pini is a model of sustainable accommodation. The ecological concept runs through the entire area. This begins, for example, with the building fabric: the walls are made of clay, hemp and rice husks, the floors are Tuscan terracotta.
Generally we liked the natural flair very much. The Agrivilla i pini is located on a small hill west of San Gimignano. It is surrounded by the hotel’s gigantic garden and olive grove. Vegetable rarities thrive here and end up directly on the plate.
Speaking of cuisine: The Agrivilla i pini is a vegan accommodation. This means that you really only get vegetarian dishes served here. (It starts with the oat milk for breakfast and ends with the dessert for dinner.)
Anyone who has not come into contact with vegan nutrition that much will quickly notice at the Agrivilla i pini that how varied this can be. In the evening, for example, a fantastic 4-course menu is conjured up.
Our conclusion: A really well-run accommodation with a sense of aesthetics and sustainability, although in our opinion the price level is a bit too high for what is on offer is upscale. If you want to treat yourself to something for two to three nights, this is the place for you.
You can book accommodation here: Agrivilla i pini
Transparency: Affiliate Links This blog article contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or buy something through the links, we will receive a small commission. For you, this does not change the price at all. A thousand thanks from both of us!
33396Have you ever been on vacation in Tuscany and visited San Gimignano? Tell us about your experiences or leave us your tips for San Gimignano under this article.
