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| Tuscany |
| Chianti |
| Radda in Chianti |
| Chianti Wine & Food |
| Siena & Palio |
| San Gimignano |
| Vernaccia & Saffron |
| Meteo |
| Trasports |
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| INTRO |
San Gimignano
San Gimignano rises up out of an ancient Etruscan settlement around a pieve church dating back to the seventh century and a castle donated in 929 to the episcope of Volterra; in the twelfth century it became a free town.
Its first set of surrounding walls was built in 998, the period in which San Gimignano became a point of commercial exchange along the Via Francigena.
The local families, proud and enriched by their trading, built 72 towers, (by law, though, none of these could exceed the height of the town council’s tower, called Rognosa).
Torn to pieces by the continual internal fights between the Guelfi and the Ghibellini (in the Spring of 1300 Dante Alighieri stayed here in the role of ambassador of the Guelfi League of Tuscany) and always in conflict with nearby Volterra, in 1343 it was conquered by the Duke of Athene and in 1353 it capitulated under Florence, following the fate of the Grand-Duchy of Tuscany until 1860.
FOR YOUR STAY IN TUSCANY:
Tuscany bed and breakfast - Tuscany Experience
The urban structure and the numerous civil and religious buildings of San Gimignano have remained almost intact, permitting the preservation of the medieval features; 15 of the 72 towers remain, whole or severed, sufficient to make the profile of the city unmistakable.
HOW TO GET TO SAN GIMIGNANO
Arriving from the North (Milan, Bologna, Florence)
Take the motorway A1 Milan-Rome, direction: Rome
Exit at Florence Certosa
Take the Highway Florence-Siena
Exit at Poggibonsi North
Follow the signs for San Gimignano
Arriving from the South (Rome)
Take the motorway A1 Rome-Milan, direction: Milan
Exit at Valdichiana
Follow the signs for Siena
Take the highway Siena-Florence
Exit at Poggibonsi North
Follow the signs for San Gimignano
Arriving from Pisa
Take the SGC Florence-Pisa-Livorno, direction: Florence
Exit at Empoli Ovest
Follow the signs for Castelfiorentino – Certaldo
At Certaldo, follow the signs for San Gimignano
AROUND SAN GIMIGNANO
From San Gimignano you can easily reach:
1) Volterra and Siena
2) Monteoliveto - Montalcino - Pienza - Montepulciano;
3) Castellina in Chianti, Castelli del Chianti and Radda in Chianti;
4) San Galgano.
FOR YOUR STAY IN CHIANTI and in SAN GIMIGNANO:
Tuscany bed and breakfast - Tuscany Experience
