San
Gimignano lies in the center of the Chianti countryside
of Tuscany along an ancient religious route that stretches
from England to Rome and the Vatican. As the pilgrims traveled
to Rome, villages were constructed along the route to provide
services in the form of food and lodging. As time progressed
many of these villages became wealthy. The more wealth they
accumulated the more towers they constructed.
The
towers of San Gimignano are located within the historic
medieval village walls. Of the original 72 towers built
in the 14th century, 13 are still standing. One tower is
available to climb. It is the Torre Grossa (Large Tower),
extending 54 meters above San Gimignano. As you climb the
tower, the air inside heats up and it feels as it there
is no ventilation. You climb in circles inside the tower
on a recently built scaffold taking you higher and higher
until the last leg of the journey you are climbing on metals
stairs only 2-3 feet wide at a 80degree angle and on your
right you can only see the bottom of the tower.
View from the Torre Grossa
Once
you reach the top all is forgiven. As you stand and stare
across the Tuscan countryside gusts of cool air rip around
the tower nearly knocking you down. But after the sweltering
heat inside the tower the gusts are a welcome change. The
views of Tuscany from the top of the tower extend for miles.
The hills are green with flecks of silver from the olive
orchards and rows of reddish brown where the fields have
been plowed. It is peaceful in the tower removed from the
throngs of tourists as only a few people at a time are allowed
in the tower.
The
town center of San Gimignano is made of ancient bricks that
turn a soft ochre in the sun. As you walk through the main
walkway of the town there are vendors everywhere that cater
to the tourist; photo shops, internet cafe, street artists
with paintings of the tuscan countryside. In spite of the
fact that this is a tourist town it is still very much alive
with the people who live within the walls of this ancient
village.
One
of the best restaurants in San Gimignano is "Le
Vecchie Mura" - the old walls. The restaurant is
about two blocks off the main entrance. There are two sections
to the restaurant. One part is an outdoor terrace that perches
on a raised portion along the outer wall with gorgeous views
of the tuscan county. The evenings can be a bit chilly but
because of the views, you need a reservation to get a table.
Across the street is the main kitchen and where you find
indoor seating. The waiters and waitresses speak mainly
Italian. The menu is typical of the region and served in
small individual portions. If you are a wine aficionado
you do not need to be selective as almost all of the wine
from this region is wonderful.
Vineyards in the Chianti region
Chianti
Tuscany is an agricultural region. The area surrounding
San Gimignano is covered in grape vineyards and olive orchards.
Every acre is planted. The fall season is harvest time for
the grapes. They are busting and plump on the vines. The
farms surrounding San Gimignano are all small family owned
farms. As you drive through the countryside you see groups
of 3-4 people hand picking the grapes. The countryside is
so quiet the only sound you hear is them chattering among
themselves or the farm dog barking if you drive too close.
San
Gimignano is located conveniently in the center of Tuscany,
but yet away from the heavy throngs of tourist that converge
upon Tuscany. Located near San Gimignano are many fortresses
from the era in which the province of Siena was in conflict
with the provence of Florence. These fortresses or mini
castles guarded the boundaries of Siena from the invading
forces from Florence.
San
Gimignano to Siena 36 Km -
San Gimignano to Florence 50 Km -
San Gimignano to Pisa 82 Km -
San Gimignano to Arezzo 100 Km
Tuscany
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Sunrise in Tuscany
Photos
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