Known as the town of fine towers this medieval 13th century Italian hill town San Gimignano is the perfect half day/day trip from Florence. This town is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visited when doing a road trip around Tuscany so drove from Florence which took just over one hour and spent an afternoon here.
The drive is pretty beautiful and the second you come over nearer Tuscan hillside you see the skyline towers towering over the medieval town. There are 14 towers that remain from the 72 that originally stood here. Most of the other towers that are no longer there were destroyed in the Second World War or simply torn down over the years.
The Torre Grossa is the tallest tower standing at 54 meters and you can climb it! Containing 218 steps you can expect panoramic views of the city from above (see pictures below). I must admit, this isn't for the faint hearted made up of various old wooden ladders which take you higher and higher up the tower to the top viewpoint. As always, the view is always worth it once you get there!
History runs through this town with much more to see such as the Duomo di San Gimignano an old Roman Catholic Church, the cobbled streets, the many towers and the Palazzo Communale.
The Palazzo Communale contains a museum and art gallery full of historical pieces. The building dates back to 1289 and reminded me of something out of a Disney movie! The whole square here reminded me of a Disney movie, it is so perfectly kept in it's original state. The courtyard has an old well and leads to the upper floors via old columns and roofs. Views of Tuscany can be seen from most points whilst exploring the old buildings of San Gimignano.
Don't forget to try the ice cream! With some of the first home made ice cream stands they can't be missed!
