The hilltop San Gimignano is one of the most beautiful places in Tuscany. I have visited San Gigimgano twice. If you plan to see it, here is my guide to the 15 top things to do in San Gimignano.
San Gimignano is one of my favorite places in Tuscany.
For this reason, I revisited San Gimignano on my recent trip to Tuscany. San Gimignano is a picturesque walled hilltop medieval town best known for its medieval towers.
San Gimignano is nicknamed the Manhattan of Tuscany and the Manhattan of the Middle Ages for the high medieval towers that dominate its skyline.
There are only 14 medieval towers left today. 72 towers were in the past.
Wealthy medieval families built them to demonstrate their power. The wealthier and more powerful the family was, the higher the tower was.
Medieval San Gimignano stood on the famous Via Francigena pilgrimage route between Lucca and Siena on the way to Rome.
Today, San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular destinations in Tuscany. It is a famous destination in Tuscany among history lovers, romantic souls, wine lovers (try Vernacchia di san Gimignano!), and the best gelato in the world.
So, expect crowds, especially if you visit San Gimignano in summer. People love San Gimignano. I love it, too. Here is my guide to the best things to do in San Gimignano.
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Contents
- 15 FUN AND TOP THINGS TO DO IN SAN GIMIGNANO
- Enter San Gimignano via Porta San Giovanno
- Stroll Via San Giovanni
- Head to Piazza del Cisterna
- Try gelato at Gelateria Dondoli
- Proceed to Piazza del Duomo
- The Civic Museum
- Duomo San Gimignano (the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunanta)
- Climb Torre Grossa
- Visit the church of San Lorenzo
- Go to the Archeological Museum with the Pharmacy of Santa Fina and the Gallery of Modern Art
- Wander the Historic Centre
- Try Vernaccia di San Gimignano
- Enjoy the gastronomy of San Gimignano
- Take a Tuscan cooking class
- Get local products as travel gifts
- HOW TO GET TO SAN GIMIGNANO?
- WHERE TO STAY IN SAN GIMIGNANO?
- MAP OF SAN GIMIGNANO: MAIN SIGHTS & THINGS TO DO
15 FUN AND TOP THINGS TO DO IN SAN GIMIGNANO
Enter San Gimignano via Porta San Giovanno
The medieval towers, town walls, gates, cobbled streets, piazzas, churches, and palaces make up the architecture of San Gimignano. You must enter the walled town of San Gimignano through one of the gates. The city has five gates: Porta San Giovanni (The Gates of St John), Porta San Matteo (The Gates of St Mathew), Porta San Jacopo (The Gates of St Jacob), Porta Quercecchio and Porta delle Fonti (The Gates of Springs).
There is a vast parking place next to the Porta San Giovanni. If you are on a Tuscany road trip, you can park your car there and enter the town via Porta San Giovanni. Porta San Giovanni is the historically most significant city gate since it was on the medieval Via Francigena route.
Stroll Via San Giovanni
You will be in the Via San Giovani street as soon as you go through the Porta San Giovanni. Via San Giovanni is one of the longest and most vibrant streets in San Gimignano. Shops, bars, and restaurants line it. The street connects Porta San Giovanni and Piazza della Cisterna. Check out the shops that sell typical Tuscan food and ceramic products while you stroll the street toward Piazza del Cisterna.
Head to Piazza del Cisterna
Piazza del Cisterna is one of the most important squares in San Gimignano. It is a wide ancient medieval square surrounded by medieval buildings and a medieval 13th-century well (cistern) in its center. The cistern collected rainwater for citizens of San Gimignano in the past. As you approach the well, you can see coins that San Gimignano dropped in it for good luck. Among many restaurants and osterias in the town, you can find two of the best gelaterias in Italy on the Piazza del Cisterna.
Try gelato at Gelateria Dondoli
Gelateria Dondoli is the most famous gelateria in the world. It won numerous awards for its excellence in gelato making. Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano was a world champion in gelato-making for several years. You can’t miss out on Geletaria Dondoli when in San Gimignano. Lines of people waiting to get their scoop of the world’s most famous gelato in front of the gelateria are regular occurrences. Testing the famous gelato at Gelateria Dondoli is among the top things to do in San Gimignano. Get your gelato scoop in Gelateria Donodoli and discover why people rave about it! San Gimignano is famous for saffron production. Give a try to their creamy saffron-flavoured gelato!
Proceed to Piazza del Duomo
After gelato, proceed to Piazza del Duomo. It is only a few steps away. Piazza del Duomo is the main square in San Gimignano. There is the Cathedral of San Gimignano (Duomo) and Palazzo Comunale with its Torre Grossa (the tallest tower in San Gimignano). Palazzo Comunale is the Civic Museum today.
The Civic Museum
Palazzo Comunale (today’s Civic Museum) is one of the most impressive buildings in San Gimignano.
Stunning frescos adorn its interior. Lippo Memmi’s fresco in Sala Dante and Memmo Di Filipucio’s fresco in Camera del Podesta (Room of the Mayor) in the museum are must-sees in San Gimignano. Besides that, the Civic Museum has a great collection of artwork by Pinturricchio, Filippino Lippi, and other 13th-15th century Florentine and Sienese painters. The Pinacotecta Civia has an impressive collection of masterpieces from the Florentine and Sienese art schools.
On my visit to San Gimignano, I bought a San Gimignano City Pass for 13 € that gave me access to the Civic Museum with Pinacoteca, Duomo & the Sacred Art Museum, Torre Grossa, St Lawrence Church, the Archeological Museum with the Pharmacy of Santa Fina and the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art. The pass is valid for two days. The ticket office is at Piazza Duomo, next to the Palazzo Comunale. You can check out more info here.
Duomo San Gimignano (the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunanta)
The entirely frescoed interior of San Gimignano’s Cathedral was a huge surprise for me. The 12th-century church is one of the most beautiful churches in Tuscany. It has gorgeous 14th-century frescoes depicting the scenes of the New Testament and the Old Testament. Bartolo do Fredi painted the frescoes of the Old Testament.
Even if you are not a lover of sacral art, I believe you will enjoy these frescoes. Besides that, the entire ambiance of teh Cathedral is lovely! There is also a Chapel of Santa Fina, a local saint in the cathedral. Locals worship Santa Fina a lot. So, there is no need to say how beautiful the Chapel is! Ghirlandaio, a teacher of Michelangelo, painted frescoes in the Chapel! Visiting the Cathedral of San Gimignano is one of the best things to do in San Gimignano. Don’t miss it out!
Climb Torre Grossa
The 14th-century Torre Grossa, with a height of 54 m, is the tallest tower in San Gimignano. The good thing is that you can climb it.
Take the 218 steps to the top of Torre Grossa to enjoy the best panoramic views of San Gimignano. The views from Torre Grossa are breathtaking! I loved the views of San Gimignano and the Tuscan countryside from Torre Grossa. I have no doubt you will love it too! The steps are steep. But, it is not too difficult to climb them. I have seen parents with kids climbing them. The hardest part is the narrow ladder with the final several steps.
Enjoying the panoramic views from Torre Grossa is a top thing to do in San Gimignano.
Visit the church of San Lorenzo
The church of San Lorenzo in San Gimignano is a must-see in San Gimignano for its famous frescoes depicting the afterlife with Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. The Florentine artist Cenni di Francesco di ser Cenni painted them in the early 15th century.
The San Lorenzo church is small, only a few minutes walk from the Piazza del Cisterna.
The San Gimignano Pass includes a visit to the church of San Lorenzo.
Go to the Archeological Museum with the Pharmacy of Santa Fina and the Gallery of Modern Art
San Gimignano has Etruscian roots. Etruscans inhabited the area before the Romans came. The Archeological Museum displays artifacts from the Etruscan, Roman, and medieval eras of San Gimignano. I especially loved the Etruscan pottery in the museum. The Pharmacy of Santa Fina (Spezieria di Santa Fina) is a part of the museum complex. You can see pharmacy vases (the ceramic jars from the 15th – 17 centuries) with spices and herbs used for ancient medicine recipes there.
The Raffaele De Grada Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art is another part of this museum complex. It is on the last floor of the complex. The Gallery holds the collection of Raffaele De Grada (a famous painter from Milan), 19th -20th century Tuscan artworks, and contemporary art.
San Gimignano Pass covers a visit to the Archeological Museum complex.
Wander the Historic Centre
The historic center of San Gimignano is small. It is only about 1 km long and about 0.5 km wide. The center is a labyrinth of cobbled alleys. If you get stuck in the middle of crowds and want to escape them, head to the next alley.
I enjoy wandering ancient alleys in the serenity without the noise of crowds. In this way, I can absorb the local atmosphere and feel the ‘soul’ of the place. Don’t hesitate to get out of crowds.
Try Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Vernaaccia di San Gimignano is a famous white wine from San Gimignano. Dante Alighieri mentioned Vernaaccia di San Gimignano in his Inferno. Local Vernaccia is one of the best wines in Tuscany. It is a yellow-goldish crisp wine with citrusy-fruity flavors. I have to admit, I loved it too.
Vernaaccia di San Gimignano pairs well with local Tuscani salami like sopressata and finocchina. You can order Vernacchia in a local bar or restaurant or visit a local winery like San Quirico and Tenuta Torciano, where you can tour the winery and learn all about Vernacchia while tasting it! Touring a winery and tasting Tuscan wines are among the top things to do in San Gimignano.
Enjoy the gastronomy of San Gimignano
Are you a gourmand who enjoys good food on their travels?
If so, book a table in the Michelin-star San Martino 26 restaurant in a historic palace in the heart of San Gimignano for a fine dining experience. The restaurant is in Via S. Martino, 26.
Or, head to Osteria Del Carcere for the more local feeling and traditional Tuscan food. Typical Tuscan fettunta, Tuscan soup, Tuscan pecorino cheese, Tuscan salami, meats like guinea fowl stuffed with chestnuts, and Tuscan sweets are on their menu.
PS: You can check out the locations of these restaurants on the map of San Gimignano below.
Take a Tuscan cooking class
Are you interested in some more fun things to do in San Gimignano?
Take a Tuscan cooking class for a more immersive culinary experience and lifelong memories of your trip to San Gimignano. Learn how to prepare an authentic 5-6 courses Tuscan lunch or dinner from a local family in San Gimignano. A class takes about 3 hours, but the memories and the recipes will last for the rest of your life. Check out more info about this cooking class here.
Get local products as travel gifts
Shops in San Gimignano offer Vernaaccia di San Gimignano, Chianti wines, classic Tuscan salami (wild bear salami, finocchina, Tuscan picante salami …), locally produced saffron (San Gimignano is famous for its production of saffron), Tuscan spices, local pici pasta, and olive oil. Tuscany is also known for the production of high-quality leather products and ceramics. You can find them in the shops in San Gimignano too.
Get some of them as gifts for your family and friends at home. Trust me, they will love it! My family and friends enjoy such gifts!
HOW TO GET TO SAN GIMIGNANO?
San Gimignano is 60 km southwest of Florence and 40 km northwest of Siena.
Because of the proximity and its beauty, San Gimignano is a popular day trip from Florence and a popular day trip from Siena. You can visit San Gimignano on a day tour to San Gimignano from Florence or on a day tour from Siena.
However, if you are craving a road trip in this famed Italian region, check out my Tuscany road trip. I visited San Gimignano on two road trips in Tuscany. And I am looking forward to doing it again!
WHERE TO STAY IN SAN GIMIGNANO?
On my first road trip to Tuscany, I visited San Gimignano from my base in Montaione in Chianti.
On my second Tuscany road trip, I decided to stay in San Gimignano. I flew into the Pisa Airport, picked up a rental car at the airport, and went hiking the Cinque Terre and then to Tuscany.
If you are on a road trip, consider staying in Hotel Le Colline. The hotel has free parking and is only 1 km from the historic center of San Gimignano.
MAP OF SAN GIMIGNANO: MAIN SIGHTS & THINGS TO DO
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