San Gimignano

September 23, 2018 · by Dano · in Italy

For our day trip today, we’re driving to San Gimignano (pronounced, “San Gee-Meng-yawn-oh”), a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990. This city is very unique in that during it’s peak, the town’s people had built 72 towers as a symbol of their wealth. Today only 14 survive but with the towers and the 13^th century architecture, this ancient walled city has plenty to offer visitors.

View from the city wall

Countryside

Ancient city wall

Ancient gate with “murder holes”

The drive is easy, from our apartment it’s only 21km, but through the winding roads of Tuscany our high performance 500 will still take about 40 minutes to get there. Not to hurry, it will take another 40 minutes to find a parking spot! This is one of the top tourist towns so buses galore, and today there is an open market in the piazza’s so add a little more to the excitement.

Slept in this morning so we’re getting a late start, arrived around 10am with things in full swing. Hundreds of lemmings with little stickers on their shirts or lanyards on their necks identifying them as lost children of a tour. Others walking aimlessly while waving make-shift flags and talking to themselves in their microphones. Such a calming scene.

We manage to get a parking spot half-way up the hill. As an “FYI” all, yes all, tourist sites in Tuscany are at the top of a hill or small mountain with parking always, yes always, at the bottom. We felt very privileged to find parking that only required a 20-minute ascent up a 20% grade. But once we were there, it was worth it.

5 towers

Even with tons of people, and loads of vendors selling everything from fruits & vegetables to socks, this ancient city is amazing. Thank God for digital film! It’s really hard to describe but imagine everywhere you look there is a fresco, an arch, a walkway, a doorway, a piazza that is from the 13^th century. And the views, unbelievable!

I think we walked the entire city before deciding to relax and have lunch. But before we do, I have to find a pair of shorts! It must be 90F and little to no wind with all these people and I’m in jeans and a golf shirt, ugh! One of these vendors must be selling men’s shorts. If not, I saw a nice little chiffon Moo-Moo that I think would fit.

The market

Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits

As luck would have it, found a pair of khaki cargo shorts that are only 2 sizes to big but maybe I can grow into them. Picked them up for a song, a mere 19E or 22USD for something that will never see the USA. Quick change and now off to lunch.

We found our way to Piazza della Cisterna, a square that has a large cistern from 1287AD located in the center. This is a favorite place for visitors to sit and enjoy some of the best gelato in Italy. Getting a little ahead of myself, first lunch, then gelato. Collette locked guns on a nice ristorante with plenty of shade and a table outside but away from the smokers. Funny thing in Europe, smoking is allowed but only outside so the best seats in any restaurant, which happen to be outside, have smokers. If you’re lucky you can find one in a corner or up wind so you can enjoy the views, otherwise it’s inside.

Wild Boar

Fried veggies

Rabbit

Salami, cheese and truffle appetizer

Very nice lunch with a little wine and now time for that gelato. The corner shop claims to have the best gelato in the world so gotta try it. This is it! Sitting on the cistern from 1287AD having a great caramel gelato and just watching the tourists go by………..