You already know the Tuscany. but you haven't been to Saint Gimignano? Or have you been passing through but haven't explored this ancient village that has been nicknamed "Manhattan of the Middle Ages"? In both cases, here is a personalized route to visit San Gimignano while staying in a very special farmhouse. How can you calmly visit the village and try the Tuscan gastronomic specialties?
Booking an elegant country house is the answer, especially for those who love nature and are not looking for an expensive hotel with no identity.
The city of towers and DOC wine.
Before leaving, let's take a look at the map: San Gimignano is located on a hill of the Valdelsa, in the province of Siena and its 16 towers can be seen from afar, vestiges of an important past, the golden age between the 72th and XNUMXth centuries, when there were XNUMX towers.
For this reason as soon as you arrive you should visit the Torre Grossa, the highest in the city (54 meters) and is located next to the new Palazzo del Podestà. It is open to the public and accessible with the same ticket as the civic Museum, second stage of this itinerary among the treasures of the village.
The museum has a picture gallery inside, where you can admire a large altarpiece by Pinturicchio, the Sala di Dante (a prestigious guest of this town was the author of the Divine Comedy!) and the Hall of Secret Meetings, used by the city government and characterized by inlaid and carved wooden seats.
Take some time to walk around the village, as it has largely remained unchanged since the Middle Ages and thanks to its architectural style it was declared a World Heritage Site by theUNESCO international convention against doping in the sport.
One of the most evocative and unique places in San Gimignano is Piazza della Cisterna, named after the octagonal well in travertine in the center of the square, which defines the important role of this part of the town, where the market took place and the stage was set up for parties and tournaments.
On the north side of the square there is one of my favorite towers, the Devil's Tower, whose height according to legend is the work of the devil; from here you can reach another very suggestive museum, San Gimignano 1300, in via Berignano 23.
It is a museum that reconstructs the history of the village, with the 1: 100 scale reproduction of the entire city in ceramic, a marvel made entirely by hand.
Holiday on a farm surrounded by vineyards.
The other excellence of San Gimignano is undoubtedly the Vernaccia, a white wine typical of this area guaranteed by the DOCG mark. To find out more, I suggest doing something different from the usual restaurant: better a visit to Wine Museum at the Villa della Rocca di Montestaffoli, to learn how to fully appreciate the characteristics of this product, or ask for a guided tour of the historic cellars of a prestigious winery, to taste the winning wines of the prizes awarded by industry experts.
In other words, it is possible to combine a holiday full of history and artistic masterpieces with a sensory journey thanks to the exclusive wine produced from local vines, you will be surprised by how many things the small city of towers can offer.
