The towered silhouette of San Gimignano rising from the hills of the Upper Elsa Valley, facing the land of Volterra and positioned right on one of the most important stretches of the mediaeval Via Francigena, is famous all over the world. A similar renown can also be claimed by its Vernaccia wine, recently awarded the D.O.C.G., the highest acknowledgement and guarantee for quality in Italian oenology.

One of the most charming and picturesque of all the Tuscan hill towns (and that’s saying a lot) San Gimignano is noted mainly for its medieval towers. They dominate the town in the way that skyscrapers dominate modern cities. At one time there were more than 70 towers (built as symbols of wealth and as a security precaution by the town’s prosperous merchants) but only 14 remain today. Walk through the wonderfully preserved town square the Piazza della Cisterna and visit the 13th-century town hall the Palazzo del Popolo. There are good views from the Rocca citadel and the entire town is a great place to stroll and soak up the atmosphere. It takes quite a bit of time to get there from either Rome or Florence so we suggest that you spend at least one full day and night there (or in nearby Volterra with its Etruscan ruins and vertiginous views from high on a forbidding hilltop). 25 mi/40 km southwest of Florence.