15 Best Things To Do In San Gimignano Italy

There are more things to do in San Gimignano than you’d imagine. This is one of the most famous small towns in Tuscany. Nestled between the Sienese and Val d’Elsa hills, it’s about one hour by car from Florence, meaning that you can visit it on a day trip.

I was in San Gimignano on a weekend at the beginning of December, before the big Christmas crowds, and I admit I was very lucky because I could enjoy its beauty in the total absence of tourists, in the darkness, and with a thick fog that created a mystical atmosphere.

San Gimignano has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990, thanks to its authentic medieval structure that has been so well preserved both architecturally and in terms of urban planning through the years.

It’s not by chance that its nickname is the Manhattan of the Middle Ages. This is due to the numerous towers that dominate its landscape.

Surrounded by 13th-century walls, despite its small size, San Gimignano has a lot to offer thanks to the combination of history, culture, art, food, and wine.

Now, continue reading as I will share a bit of the history of San Gimignano and the many attractions you should not miss during your visit.

Is your Tuscany trip starting in Florence? Then, make sure to read my posts The Best Tips For Visiting Florence and What To See And Do In Florence.

Brief History of San Gimignano

The area where San Gimignano is located has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but the Etruscans first founded the town in the 4th century BC. In 998, San Gimignano was nothing more than a village along the Via Francigena and belonged to the Bishop of Volterra.

By 1300, it was an important stop along the Via Francigena, a pilgrimage route across central Italy used by pilgrims and merchants and which connected France all the way to Rome.

In 1199, San Gimignano had grown so important that it declared itself to be a Free Commune. At that time, the Consuls controlled the town. But then a Podestà who was always an outsider of San Gimignano (thus having no interests in the town) became the governor, for a mandate of 6 months at a time.

The town kept growing until about 1348, when a tremendous plague (the Black Death) killed more than two-thirds of its population. The town never fully got back to its glory and had to surrender to Florentine rule.

What’s left from its glorious past is the many towers – 13 are left of the 72 that once stood in San Gimignano. That’s likely the first thing you will notice when you visit.

But why are there so many towers in San Gimignano? That’s because the merchants wanted to show off their wealth and power by building them above their homes.

This practice got so out of hand that the Podestà (governor) of San Gimignano passed a law that prohibited the construction of any private tower higher than the Torre Grossa, the one annexed to the municipal hall, which you can still see today.

Best Things To Do In San Gimignano

There are so many nice things to do in San Gimignano that if you are short on time, you may actually feel quite overwhelmed.

If you want to spare yourself the effort of planning an itinerary, you could consider joining this guided tour that lasts 2 hours and is a great introduction to the small town.

Explore Piazza del Duomo

Piazza del Duomo is definitely the best place to start your visit.

Piazza del Duomo is San Gimignano’s heart. It has been the hub of religious and political life since the Middle Ages. Its shape was outlined during the 13th century, the heyday of the town’s economy and political importance.

Here you will find the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. This is the square’s most imposing building. From the top of its staircase, it overlooks the square.

Continuing counterclockwise, you can also admire the massive Torre Grossa, the Town Hall, and the Loggia del Comune. Opposite the Duomo, there is the Old Palace of the Podestà between the Chigi Tower and the Torre Rognosa.

On the north side, the Twin Towers of the Salvucci stand out.

Check out the Cathedral of San Gimignano

The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta, better known as the Cathedral of San Gimignano or commonly the Duomo, is at the top of a flight of steps overlooking the main square.

Dating from the 10th century, the building underwent a variety of enlargements, which took place at the end of the 15th century by the famous architect Giuliano da Maiano. There were also renovations after the damage suffered during World War II.

The church follows a Romanesque style. The outside facade is unadorned, austere, and linear. But inside, there are precious frescoes that cover the vaulted ceiling and the walls of the three naves.

The Stories of the Old Testament are depicted by the brothers Lippo and Federico Memmi; while the Stories of the New Testament are attributed to Barnaba da Siena. The extraordinary Last Judgment is by Bartolo di Fredi, and the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian by Benozzo Gozzoli.

At the entrance to the central nave, you can also see two wooden statues by Jacopo della Quercia. My favorite piece is the pipe organ, built in 1500 and renovated several times afterwards.

However, the true masterpiece of the Duomo is the Chapel of Santa Fina, frescoed by Domenico Ghirlandaio in 1468. The chapel also holds the Saint’s remains.

Visit the Town Hall

Next to the Duomo, there’s the Palazzo Comunale. Also known as the Palazzo del Podestà or Palazzo del Popolo, it is right between the Torre Grossa and the Loggia del Comune.

The Palace has been the seat of the city government since 1337. Before that, the Podestà lived in the nearby Old Palace (opposite the Duomo). Today, it is home to the Civic Museum of San Gimignano.

Its facade is iconic with the lowered arched windows, the balcony from which the Podestà used to speak to the crowd, and, on the top, the rectangular battlements.

The Civic Museum collection boasts paintings from the 14th century by artists like Pinturicchio, Filippino Lippi, Niccolò Tegliacci, and Taddeo di Bartolo.

My favorite place, however, is the Hall of Dante. The poet spent time here in 1300 as the ambassador of the Florentine Republic. The walls are adorned with frescoes about hunting and horse-riding competition scenes, and the Maestà by Lippo Memmi.

Other rooms you shouldn’t miss are the hall of secret meetings and the picture gallery, on the second floor.

Climb the Torre Grossa or Torre Salvucci Maggiore

You can’t say you’ve visited San Gimignano without climbing one of its towers. Torre Grossa is the highest tower in the city, with its 54 meters (177 feet). It was built in 1310. The view of the town and the surrounding hills from the top floor is breathtaking.

Next to Piazza del Duomo, in Piazza delle Erbe, the Salvucci Towers first belonged to the de’ Mangeri family, but take their names from their next owner, the most important Guelph family in San Gimignano. They also date from the early 14th century.

There’s an interesting twist to these towers. A municipal law issued in 1255 prevented the building of towers higher than the Podesta’s. A legend says that the Salvucci family decided to build two towers whose heights, when summed up, exceeded those of their rivals. This way, while not contravening the charter, they demonstrated their power and supremacy.

Today, one of the twin towers houses a multi-storey period residence. If you wish, you can also sleep in this tower. When there are no guests, you can visit by climbing the 11 floors of narrow stairs to reach the panoramic terrace. The views are incredible.

Then visit the Torre e Casa Campatelli

A few steps from the Duomo, you should also visit the Campatelli House Museum with its medieval tower. This 18th-century historic palace belonged to a rich Florentine family.

In 2005, Lydia Campatelli, the last owner, gave it to FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano), a non-profit foundation whose aim is to protect and enhance Italy’s historical, artistic, and landscape heritage.

The building is incredibly well preserved, and that includes the 28-meter (almost 99 feet) tower erected in the mid-12th century. It’s a great example of how a wealthy family used to live in Tuscan society between tradition and modernity in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

You can now visit the Campatelli House to see some of the original 19th-century furnishings, a collection of ceramics and paintings, ancient photographs, and even costumes that were traditionally worn by the upper-middle-class people in Tuscany.

At the end of the visit, you can also access the tower for fabulous views.

Pop by San Gimignano 1300

Would you like to see what San Gimignano looked like at the height of its greatness? If your answer is yes (mine was!), you should head to Via Costarella 3 and visit San Gimignano 1300.

San Gimignano 1300 will help you understand how the city appeared and how people used to live, thanks to a great ceramic reconstruction, complete with street scenes, sound effects, and multi-media exhibits.

The heart of the exhibition is the beautiful and super-detailed miniature reconstruction of San Gimignano in the 14th century. 72 towers, churches, palaces, fortifications, street life scenes, and inhabitants in a 27 square meter model.

Two artists, Michelangelo and Raffaello Rubino, and a team of historians, architects, and artisans worked for 3 years to create more than 800 buildings and statuettes by hand. Within the museum, there’s a beautiful presentation of the already mentioned Via Francigena, the pilgrimage road that connected France to Rome.

You will also see a reconstruction of a tower where you can see the interior spaces, and one of the Convent of St. Francis, which was completely destroyed by the Florentine army in the 16th century to allow the expansion of the city’s fortifications.

Go to Piazza della Cisterna

Piazza della Cisterna is one of the city’s most beautiful squares. It is named after the octagonal-shaped travertine well in the middle of the square.

Built in 1273, the cistern supplied water to the people. You can still see the grooves left by the ropes that people used to pull up the jugs with water. The well stone also has the carving of the Malavolti’s coat of arms, a ladder.

The square was commissioned by Podestà Guccio dei Malavolti in the 13th century. Located in the square, you can admire some of the city’s most beautiful aristocratic houses, such as Palazzo Razzi, Casa Salvestrini, and Palazzo Tortoli-Treccani. You’ll also be able to admire the Devil’s Tower, the twin towers of the Ardinghelli, and the arch of the Becci, an ancient city gate.

Piazza della Cisterna was San Gimignano’s commercial heart. Markets, local fairs, and competitions were once held here. Today, you can still find numerous stores, cafés, and art galleries. It’s also where you will find the award-winning Gelateria Dondoli (more on that in a bit).

Then to Devil’s Tower

The Devil’s Tower owes its name to a legend. The owner, returning from a long trip, noticed with great surprise that the tower was taller than when he had left. This prodigious event was immediately attributed to the Devil.

The sinister appearance of the tower further fuels the popular belief. The protruding supports and white limestone used to build it make it quite different from other buildings around. Another legend says that it was hit by lightning.

The tower used to be part of the Cortesi Palace. Right under the tower, there used to be the Alley of Gold. On the street, there were goldsmith workshops. Here, artisans would hammer florins into very thin sheets of gold.

Try gelato at Gelateria Dondoli

Dondoli makes award-winning and world-famous ice cream (btw, to us Italians gelato and ice cream are the same thing).

Their shop is located in Piazza della Cisterna. It is run by Sergio Dondoli, who has made an art out of his passion. He’s one of the ten Italian Master Ice-Cream Makers. Every day, they make gelato with fresh, genuine, and rigorously selected ingredients. The results are original and unusual flavors.

The most famous flavors are: Crema di Santa Fina (cream with saffron and pine nuts); Champelmo (pink grapefruit and sparkling wine); and Dolceamaro (cream with aromatic herbs).

I tasted Crema di Santa Fina, Gorgonzola and Walnut, and Pistachio. Pistachio is my comparative taste for understanding the quality of an ice cream. All I can say is that every flavor was superlative!

Wine and food tasting

One of the unmissable things to do in San Gimignano is to taste the local specialties. There are many you need to try. Among them, there’s the saffron (the “yellow gold”), used as currency during the centuries-old wars with Siena and Florence. You should also try bruschetta with livers and local cured meats of wild boar.

And if you like wine, make sure to try the local Vernaccia, an aphrodisiac white wine in a land of reds (yes, there’s more than Chianti in Tuscany!).

There are many food and wine tasting tours in San Gimignano, each offering something slightly different. Here are my top recommendations.

This San Gimignano wine tour with lunch will help you learn more about the gastronomic traditions of the small town, while tasting the best local wines and food.

There’s also this wine and oil tasting experience, which includes appetizers. It goes to Tenuta Torciano, a beautiful family-owned winery in the Tuscan countryside. They also offer this tasting of Tuscan wines and cheeses, which is perfect for cheese lovers.

Admire the Medieval Fountains

Just outside the city walls, not far from the city center, you will find the medieval fountains. They date from the 12th century.

For the longest time, these ancient public springs were the only way to supply water to the city. People would fill flasks and buckets to bring the water to their houses. Women would do laundry there, too.

The fountains consist of a series of stone-vaulted basins drawing ten arches: six of them are Romanesque round-arched, and four have a Gothic style.

Due to their location, outside the center, only a few visitors come to visit them. So, if you want to escape the crowds that are often in San Gimignano, go there. Visiting is free.

Visit other churches in San Gimignano

The Church of St. Augustine, located in Piazza Sant’Agostino, is one of the most beautiful churches in Tuscany and the second, after the Duomo, in San Gimignano. It was built between 1280 and 1298. The facade is quite simple, and in sharp contrast with the wealth of the masterpieces housed inside.

Here you can admire frescoes painted by the most famous Tuscan artists: Benozzo Gozzoli, Lippo Memmi, Sebastiano Mainardi, and Bartolo di Fredi.

The Church of San Lorenzo in Ponte is also worth a visit. It’s one of the oldest churches in San Gimignano. It takes its name from the nearby drawbridge that once allowed access from the ancient Castle of the Bishop of Volterra to Piazza della Cisterna.

It dates from the 13th century, and was probably built over an earlier church. It’s a very small church with a single nave and a wooden truss roof. Its main attraction here is the fresco of the Madonna and Child in Glory.

Go to the San Gimignano Archeological Museum

Located in the former Santa Chiara School, San Gimignano Archaeological Museum is a must-see to appreciate the town’s past. Inside, you can see relics that date from the Archaic Etruscan period to the 17th century.

The exhibit starts with a section about the Via Francigena, and continues with the Etruscan-Roman period and the finds from ancient settlements and necropolises in neighboring areas. The last part displays handicrafts, such as glass, ceramics, and pottery.

The building also houses the Spezieria of Santa Fina, and, on the second floor, the De Grada Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, with works by De Grada and other famous painters like Niccolò Cannicci, Guttuso, and Ciardo.

The museum is part of the San Gimignano Civic Museums circuit and the ticket is valid for two days and allows to visit the three museums.

Then to the Museum of Torture and Inquisition

Another unique museum you should consider visiting is the Museums of Torture. However, I don’t recommend going if you are particularly sensitive.

If, on the other hand, you are curious about the many ways humans have come up with, over the years, to torture other humans, go ahead. Just take it for what it is: a testimony to the past that shows you the worst side of human nature, hoping that certain situations will not be repeated.

Located near Porta San Giovanni, the museum is laid over three floors and displays torture methods used around the world, with original tools and objects dating from the 16th through the 18th centuries, together with photos and explanations.

Just the names of some of the torture machines will make you shiver. Things such as the Inquisitorial Chair, the Knee-Breaker, the Axe for Mutilation, or even just the Chastity Belt.

Your ticket will also allow you to visit the Museum of the Death Penalty in Piazza Cisterna.

Take in the views from Parco della Rocca

This is one of the best things to do in San Gimignano Italy if you just want to take in the views and relax for a little while. Parco della Rocca is not far from the Cathedral. It owes its name to the remains of the Rocca di Montestaffoli.

This dates from the 14th century and was the seat of the bishop of Volterra. It used to be the center of San Gimignano’s economic life, thanks to its strategic location at the crossroads of the main roads of the time.

The rocca was restored in the 20th century. Today, only the outer walls and a square tower remain of its original structure. The view from the tower is breathtaking.

The Park hosts events, art exhibitions, concerts, such as the Giostra dei Bastoni, which takes place every year at the beginning of summer, and the Vernaccia Wine Experience La Rocca too.

How To Get To San Gimignano

By car

The easiest way to get to San Gimignano is by car. This is the most convenient way to travel around Tuscany, especially if you want to explore outside of the main towns and visit the countryside. When I visited, we drove there from Florence for the night. It took us only one hour and 15 minutes along the autostrada (Italian toll road).

If you are coming from Siena, it takes about 50 minutes, whereas if you are driving from Pisa it’ll take you about one hour and 25 minutes.

Once you get to San Gimignano, you can park your car at one of the parking lots at the base of town. There are electronic signs that will let you know if a parking lot still has space. You can then take the elevator up to town – the historic center is just a short walk away.

I recommend using Discover Cars to book your rental car in Italy. It’s a comparison site that allows you to pick the best car rental option for your needs.

My Guide To Renting A Car In Italy will help you pick the best car for your needs.

On a guided tour

If you only have time for a quick visit, I recommend opting for one of the many guided day trips to San Gimignano that depart daily from Florence. These normally include transportation and a live guide. Some of them also include lunch.

One of the most popular options is this Pisa, Siena and San Gimignano day trip from Florence. It includes lunch and a visit to a winery. However, it’s a very long tour that can last up to 12 hours.

There’s also this highly rated tour of Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni from Florence that includes wine tasting. It does not include lunch but leaves you plenty of free time to explore on your own, saving you all the logistical hassle.

By public transport

I don’t recommend trying to get to San Gimignano by public transport if you are only visiting for the day. You’d be looking at a 2-hour bus ride from Florence. You can also take the train to Poggibonsi, and the bus from there – but this won’t save you much time.

The trip from Pisa would be even longer and involve 2 trains and a bus from Poggibonsi.

If you are traveling from Siena, you are looking at a 1-hour bus ride, so it can be more easily done on a day trip.

Best Time To Visit San Gimignano

San Gimignano is one of the most popular places to visit in Tuscany, and there will be tourists around almost throughout the year.

For the best weather, plan to visit in the fall, between October and November. The days are mostly sunny, though a bit shorter, and there will be fewer tourists around.

Spring (April and May) is also a great time to visit. However, the longer days and the good weather also bring a lot of tourists.

I visited in December, and while it was cold and foggy, the town was incredibly charming and there were practically no tourists around. Just make sure to pack accordingly.

My post, When To Visit Italy, will help you decide when to plan your visit.

Where To Stay In San Gimignano

If you decide to spend a few days in San Gimignano, there are some excellent accommodation options. Here are the ones I recommend:

• Locanda dei Logi – By far the best place to stay in San Gimignano if you don’t mind staying outside of town. Rooms are modern, spacious, and comfortable. There’s also a pool for guests.
• Podere Bellavista – Another excellent option outside the center of San Gimignano. The spacious rooms are more traditional in style.
• B&B Le Undici Lune – This is where I stayed when I visited. It’s a lovely family-run guest house in the historic center. Rooms are cozy and spacious, and some have views of the town.