Tag: San Gimignano

Once Florence's most fearsome rival, Siena remains the perfect medieval city to the south, rich with Gothic palaces and magnificent art. Proud of its past, Siena celebrates the Palio, with energy and emotion uncharged over the centuries. Siena is the perfect introduction to the celebrated hill towns, with the towers of San Gimignano and the Etruscan shadows of Volterra close at hand. Piazza del Campo SienaItaly's most enchanting medieval city, Siena is the one trip you should make in Tuscany if you make no other. Once there, you will undoubtedly be drawn to Italy's most famous hill town, San Gimignano, known as the "medieval Manhattan" because of the enormous towers, built by rival families, which still stand today. Like Siena, it benefitted from the commerce and trade along the pilgrimage routes, as the wonderful art in churches and museums attests to. Equally intriguing is a visit to Volterra, an Etruscan town famous for its alabaster. Southern Tuscany is perhaps less familiar than the Chianti region to the north, but prestigious wines are made south of Siena, too, and the scenery is a classically Tuscan as anywhere. On your way down, don't miss a stop at the Abbazzia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore, sublimely decorated with Renaissance frescoes. • Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti Wine Full Day Tour Pleasures and Pastimes Dining If you already been eating in Tuscany, chances are you'll recognize much of what's on the menu in these towns. Some local specialities include pici (fat spaghetti almost as thick as a pencil); zuppa alla volterrana (a local version of ribollita, a soup with bread and vegetables); the white wine of San Gimignano (called San Gimignano and sold in every enoteche, or wine bar); and sweets in Siena such as panforte (traditional Sienese Christmas fruitcake with honey, hazelnuts, almonds, and