The astonishing and beautiful old walled hilltop town of San Gimignano 'delle Belle Torri' in Southern Tuscany displays one of the best-known skylines in Italy. Set amongst cornfields, olive groves and vineyards in the verdant Val d'Elsa with its 14 remaining towers (there were once 72), symbols of the wealth of the town's medieval families, the place took its name from the Bishop of Modena who is said to have repelled Atilla and his Huns.
To walk into San Gimignano on a pulsatingly hot July afternoon, when the shutters are down as people take their siestas, is an extraordinary experience. The tallest tower at 54 m (177 ft), and the only one that can be climbed, is the Torre Grossa, which has spectacular panoramic views. The Palazzo del Popolo has a charming courtyard with frescoes on the walls and in the museum upstairs you can enjoy Memrno di Filipuccio's wedding scene frescoes.
The thirteenth-century church of Sant' Agostino has a beautiful fresco cycle by Benozzo Gozzoli, depicting the life of the saint, as well as an altarpiece by Pollaiuolo.
Wander through the town to the Rocca, the old ruined fortress, and walk up the valley to the Balze, a deep ravine where, since the middle ages, churches and other buildings have fallen into the depths.
WHERE IS IT
North-west of Siena and south-west of Florence.
ALSO KNOWN AS
San Gimignano delle Belle Torri.
WHAT IS THERE TO SEE
The Collegiata (the former cathedral), Palazzo del podesta, the Museum of Wine, the Archaeological Museum.
DO NOT MISS
Climbing the Torre Grossa for stunning panoramic views.
HOW DO I GET THERE
By bus from Florence or Siena.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW
The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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