San Gimignano

Excursion from Florence to San Gimignano

As you embark on this journey, you will discover one of the most amazing cities in Tuscany, located in the countryside in the heart of it. You will see a medieval town, which is often called "Medieval Manhattan". The similarity with it is given by high towers, which can be safely called medieval skyscrapers. In the thirteenth century, the noble lords moved to the city from the countryside and built these impressive structures next to their homes, as a symbol of their high position in society and financial wealth. They served as their strongholds, protecting them from their enemies, and were their private residences, casting a shadow on their less well-off fellow citizens. In the Middle Ages, 72 towers were built, only 13 have survived to this day, being majestic monuments of that era, they provide an opportunity to understand the social hierarchy in the society of that time. If you wish, you can climb to the highest of them and enjoy the fascinating Tuscan scenery. San Gimignano is located on the old French road - Via Francigena. This was the route from northern Europe to Rome, which was used in the medieval period by pilgrims, merchants and various kinds of merchants. Everyone needed shelter, food, and protection, and the city made a good living by providing these services. Not a small profit was brought to the city by the cultivation of saffron. The favorable location and cultivation of saffron, brought a large income, which gave the city the opportunity to actively develop. In this tour you will learn about the period of prosperity, about the daily life of the city's residents and about the terrible tragedy that befell it in the XIII century. The city is famous not only for its towers, but also for the wonderful white wine Vernaccia, the grapes for the production of which are grown on the nearby slopes.  Our tour will give you plenty of time to explore the main attractions of San Gimignano, its secrets and secrets hidden in its charming streets and passageways leading up to the top of the hill to the old fortress. You will see the house of St. Fina, the Communal Palace, explore the streets and squares of San Gimignano, passing by art galleries, wine shops, traditional shops with local cheeses and meat products, prosciutto and wild boar salami. In one of them you will be able to taste these wonderful products. A delicious lunch or dinner combined with a tasting of refined wines will only add positive emotions – treat yourself to a wonderful day! At the end of the study of San Gimignano, for those who want to have lunch and taste the wonderful Tuscan wines, on the way back we can stop at the winery, where you can enjoy Tuscan cuisine and a large selection of wines. The journey will take you through the picturesque Tuscan roads, surrounded by vineyards and olive trees. The best way to explore the city, learn its secrets, discover its history and architecture, explore the giant towers and intricate streets of this cute medieval village, book a private day tour of San Gimignano. At your disposal is a comfortable car with a personal driver throughout the trip, and an experienced guide in San Gimignano (not included in the tour price), which will give you the opportunity to enjoy your trip with complete comfort.

What to enjoy during the tour:

The best ice cream in the world-We offer you to taste one of the best ice cream in the world from Sergio Dondoli, one of the most famous ice cream makers. Gelateria Sergio Dondoli offers you a choice of more than 70 types of ice cream. We offer you to try exclusive types of Sergio ice cream. A combination of creamy ice cream with gorgonzola cheese, saffron, blueberry and lavender, raspberry and rosemary, tomato flavor... In the hot season, we recommend you to try the sorbents made from pink grapefruit and champagne or the famous white wine Vernaccia. Learn more about Sergio Dondoli gelateria here
Lunch at the winery - Tuscan cuisine combined with fine wines will give you pleasure and refresh you at the end of the tour.

Landmarks in San Gimignano:

• There are three Torture Museums in the city
• Panoramic platform that allows you to enjoy the Tuscan landscape
• Home of the Holy Finns
• Cathedral of San Gimignano
• St. Augustine's Church
• The Torre Grosso tower, which you can climb and enjoy views of the Chianti Valley.

Dear tourists, we invite you to visit the city of San Gimignano. You can choose the different duration and variation of the tour that is most suitable for you. You can explore the city on your own or with a professional guide.

Important information:

The price of the tour does not include the cost of a professional guide and the cost of tasting with lunch or dinner. If you want to order these services, please activate them in the "Additional services" field. The choice of the tasting option and the number of hours of the guide's work is made at the time of ordering. Tastings, lunch or dinner are paid by tourists separately, directly at the cash desks of the farms. The cost of guide services, paid by tourists to the guide at the end of the tour. When ordering a tour, a guarantee payment is paid in the amount of 13% of its cost, the remaining cost of the tour is paid by tourists to the driver at the end of it.

The guide is a vocation, our guides love and know their work well. They are tactful and professional, conduct excursions taking into account the wishes of tourists, and answer all your questions. A professional guide will tell you about the history, culture, traditional cuisine, draw your attention to important points, tell interesting stories from the life of local residents. A personal guide will plan the tour according to your wishes, guide you through the streets and places that are difficult to find yourself. The cost of a professional guide in San Gimignano is 50 € per hour. 

Wine tasting-in combination with a full lunch or dinner, will give pleasure to gourmets. You will be offered to taste Vernaccia, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile and of course Supertoscan wines. Wine tasting should start vertically, from simple to complex. The winery offers snacks and dishes that are best suited to the type of wine served. For the simple ones, you will be offered Tuscan snacks consisting of cheese, prashutto, salami and herbs, for the more complex ones, Tuscan soup, lasagna and meat. For dessert, a wonderful dessert wine of Vin Santo combined with Cantuccini cookies. The cost of lunch or dinner at the winery with a tasting of 10 -12 wines, including Supertoscan wines is 35 € per person.

When ordering a tasting tour with lunch or dinner, the minimum duration of the tour must be at least 6 hours.

The duration of the tour is calculated from the moment of departure from the meeting place you specified until the moment of your return. When extending the tour, extra hours are paid at the rate of 35 € for each subsequent hour that exceeds the tour time specified when placing the order.

Travel time:

• from Florence to San Gimignano in about 1 hour, depending on the location of your hotel
• from San Gimignano to the winery in about 20 minutes
• from the winery to Florence in about 50 minutes, depending on the location of your hotel