San Gimignano, Italy
The town of the fair towers


If you love history, art and authentic archeticture - you will love San Gimignano. The small town is situated in between Firenze and Siena, and most definetley worth a day of visit. Once you get close, you will notice the high towers of the old Etruscan settlement, and there will be no dought in your heart you have arrived.

HOW TO ARRIVE TO SAN GIMIGNANO:
Coming from the north:
Take the motorway A1 Milano-Roma direction SOUTH
Exit at FIRENZE CERTOSA
Take the dual carriageway Firenze-Siena - direction SIENA
Exit at POGGIBONSI NORD
Follow road signs for San Gimignano
Coming from the south:
Take the motorway A1 Roma-Milano - direction NORTH
Exit at VALDICHIANA
Follow the road signs for SIENA
At Siena take the dual carriageway - direction FIRENZE
Exit at POGGIBONSI NORD
Follow road signs for San Gimignano

You can arrive by car. There is a big parking situated around the old center of the town.
Driving inside the old part is perhibited. There are buses arriving to the city as well frm Poggibonci.		 Map with San Gimignano
View from Tower in San Gimignano San Gimignano situated at a top of a hill at the height of 334 meters above the sea level. It's birth is dated at the Hellenistic period, but the town became formed at the 10th century when it took the name from Bishop of Modena, who saved the town from Totila's barbarian invaders a few centuries before. During the Middle Ages the town developed a lot, thanks to Via Francigena that passed through S.Gimignano, and the pilgrims used it's facilities. The trade, art, churches and monasteries developed a lot. In 1199 S.Gimignano became a free municipality, so it grew as an important urban center. In the 14th century the Black Death Plague hit the city, and as a result the population decreased and the city declared it's submission to Firenze. The city was neglected for a big period of time, and only in the resent time it recieved a new life, as an important historical, architectural turist site. The towers, which are the most
famouse sign of the city were built at the 11th and 13th centuries. There were originally 72 towers, and only 14 of them remained today. Their architecture was mostly influenced by Firenze, Siena and Pisa.
Main City Events:
1st January: New Years Concert.
April - October: "Degusta con noi" - Guidded tours to the cellars and wineries with tasting of the local wines.
13th May: "Gran Fondo della Vernaccia" - Local distance bike race.
September - October: "San Gimignano Musica" - Cassical music conserts.
31 December: "San Silvestro tra le torri" - New Year's Eve party.
View from Tower in San Gimignano
There are lot's of magnificent places of interest in the small town, but most of the attractions appear while wandering along the old streets. There are small galleries, big galleries, old galleries and new galleries. There are workshops, theatre, cinema, music, local product tasting, exhibitions, trade fairs, art shops, conferences and excursions. This is what makes the town so special - it's archeticture, history and the feeling of art and creation around you.
View from Tower in San Gimignano Less Offical Places Of Interest:
- Wine Museum
- Walking tour along the city walls
- Death penalty museum
- Torture museum
- Museo Leonardo a Vinci
- Sit in a caffeteria dell'Olmo (P.za della Cisterna)
- Walk around the galleries ... just walk around ...


Information center - located at Piazza Duomo





Additional photos can be found at the Photo Gallery section on the site.