6,346Reviews9Q&A
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 4,996
- 1,166
- 140
- 23
- 21
Traveller type
Time of year
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
We found this ancient hear of San Gimignano exploited to the max. Have some respect for this awesome place and put a stop to this commercial thuggery.
Read more
Date of experience: January 2021
Helpful
I have often wondered why a visit to San Gimignano today - and even more so in the past - is more attractive for many of international tourists than even a visit to nearby Siena. I came to the conclusion that this happens because, although Siena has a role in the history, economy, art history of Tuscany, which is much greater than that of San Gimignano, the latter town - psychologically very rewarding for its skyline, its structure and its small size - lends itself even better than Siena to represent a pre-established idea of Italy: that is, the generic and "naive" idea of the towns preserved as they are (or such seems, which to our purposes is the same) since the Middle Ages, or at least since past times, until today. In short, it's the same type of charm as the one attracting crowds to Civita di Bagnoregio, a town that is completely insignificant in objective terms, but which has its own audience of enthusiasts ("in central Italy I want to visit two places, Florence and Civita", I sometimes read in the TA forums). Of course San Gimignano doesn't deserve this misunderstanding. Perhaps to dissipate it it's good to try to deconstruct it. The precious urban form of San Gimignano depends on two historical and geographical factors. The first factor is its relative remoteness from the main urban centers of the region, Florence, Pisa and Siena in the Middle Ages. This remoteness meant that the town could prosper for many decades, without suffering from the "shadow effect" by these cities, huge for the time, certainly among the twenty largest in Europe (Florence also among the top five). Commerce, bank (including usury), export of local saffron, with irradiation up to Flanders on the one hand, in Egypt on the other, account for the prosperity of San Gimignano. This led to urban and building growth, featuring the proliferation of the tower-houses of the most important families, and at least of rather decent homes by the standard of the time, which overall gave the city a noble appearance. Such growth of the city in the first 350 years of the second millennium entailed, in addition to its expansion, the change of its plan, from an oblong shape in an east-west direction to an oblong shape in a north-south direction, i.e. that of the medieval walls that are still preserved today. The second factor that made San Gimignano's current urban form precious is its rapid decline. Everywhere in the world, unless deliberate destruction, decay implies conservation and therefore charm: two of the very first tourist destinations in the world, namely Angkor Wat and Machu Picchu, have traveled this route. The rapid decline of San Gimignano, due to its fall under the hegemony of Florence in 1351, in the aftermath of the Black Death, took place without substantial destruction, and handed this almost intact urban organism to the contemporary world. International tourism, for better or for worse, did the rest.…
Read more
Date of experience: December 2020
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
San Gimignano, a completely walled city that is also called the Manhattan of Tuscany due to the presence of many towers. The center of San Gimignano is completely car-free, but fortunately there are enough paid parking spaces (EUR 2 per hour) on the outskirts of the small town. It is probably over here in the high season, but now it is not too bad.…
Read more
Date of experience: October 2020
Helpful
Definitely a place to go but highly touristic and very crowded Difficult to find some peaceful moment except in the smaller streets outside the main one.
Read more
Date of experience: August 2020
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
The cathedral of San Gimignano might not be as popular as the ones in Firenze but the frescos are worth every minute of your visit. Easy price (4 euro) and free audio guide. Amazing depictions of biblical events. I especially was interested in the representation of Hell. A beautiful place. NOTE: photos are not allowed (I think). At least there were signs that said so.…
Read more
Date of experience: October 2020
Helpful
