It's the main gateway into the medieval village of San Gimignano, and not to be confused with the…read morefamous one of the same name in Rome. It's located in front of the Martyrs of Montemaggio Square where there's a war memorial to the fallen of San Gimignano. There's also a beautiful view of the Tuscan countryside as you walk up to this impressive looking gateway. There are many views like that one as you walk along the walls of this ancient town. However, you'll need to overlook the touristy parts of it so that you can truly appreciate and enjoy it.

This town is a MUST stop if going wine tasting through the Tuscan region. Beautiful views of the…read moreTuscan valley from the top with a fantastic shops and restaurants. We got to experience someone reading some beautiful Italian poetry on the top of the hill who we found out is typically doing this daily.

We were on a tour and drove to San Gimignano, an Italian hill town in Tuscany, southwest of…read moreFlorence. Encircled by 13th-century walls, its old town centers on Piazza della Cisterna, a triangular square lined with medieval houses. It has a skyline of medieval towers, including the stone Torre Grossa. The Duomo di San Gimignano is a 12th-century church with frescoes by Ghirlandaio in its Santa Fina Chapel so it was well worth taking a few moments to visit this gorgeous church. This inside is surrounded with statues of Saints and altars with furnishings of gold and silver. It is an absolute must if you intend to visit.

Great church at Medieval town. This church is part of the museum. This church is a gem in Tuscany…read moreItaly. The church good charm due to the great painting in the church. It was painted in the 13th century. The church also call the Collegiate Church. The church originally build in 10th century. At 13 century it was rebuilt and expand to current big building. The wall painting is the best of the church to tell the story of Christ. The wall painting includes the crucifixion, last supper, Good Friday and more. They are detail painted. Some of the wall paints faded due to long history on the wall. This church has pipe organ and side chapel. The columns and ceilings are well decorated. It is a small church that good for this medieval town. It is renaissance style church with a lot of Arch.

This is another ancient gate in San Gimignano that served as its second southern gate. The gate,…read morealong with the tower next to it, belonged to the Becci family. A wealthy and prominent merchant that lived there. I still find it fascinating how the architecture and layout of this arch and city is still very well-preserved. It's an UNESCO World Heritage site for a good reason.

This was actually my favorite piazza in San Gimignano. It's the one with the old cistern, or well…read more There's always a bunch of people sitting on it as they do on the steps in other public squares. What's unusual is that this square is really in the shape of a triangle. You'll also see the Devil's Tower near the cistern. It has been said that the owner returned to find his tower taller than it was when he left it. Lol! That's kind of spooky. What I loved most about this medieval piazza is the famous gelato shop. It was a historical and tasty experience.

This is a lovely piazza/town square in the heart of Sam Gimignano. Admittedly, San Gimignano was…read moreone of my two favorite places visited during my two weeks in Tuscany and this square was absolutely lovely. There is an old cistern (hence its name) in the square along with lots of lovely shops, including a pair of dueling gelato shops (one of which is often featured on travel shows). There are plenty of opportunities for getting your perfect Instagrammable moments here as well.

This museum includes the church. There is a path link to the Torre Grossa. The museum has good…read moreFleming Style art. A lot of Christian symbol painting at the museum. The museum is low light but you can see everything there. The museum is tiny. I think 30 minutes is enough. It is on the south side of the of the Duomo. Next to tower. I would said it ok visit since I have combo ticket. Lippo Memmi's Maestà in the Sala di Dante is at the chamber reception room. This drawing on the wall show Mary sit on the throne and surround by the saint and angel. One of the room painting by the Florentine and the other by Maestra who paint the Assisi wall. This painting is 13 century. It is great to see different expressions of different painter.

We were lucky enough to see the cathedral in October when the floors were uncovered and it was…read moretruly a sight to see. Absolutely worth the visit and make sure to go to the top of the bell tower during your visit for a spectacular view and a great photo opportunity.

The interior of the cathedral is lovely, especially the marble floors and stained glass windows…read more There isn't any printed information or leaflets. They have an audio guide but you have to use your phone. I didn't have good reception on my mobile so I wasn't able to get any information about the church or art. I did really enjoy the crypt, so I am glad I got the ticket that included access to that.

Beautiful town with stunning views, a beautiful church--actually at least two…read morechurches--restaurants, and cute shops. We enjoyed a tour of the churches and enjoyed the beauty and history of this village.

Pienza is a beautiful hilltop town in the heart of the Val D'Orcia in Tuscany and is a UNESCO World…read moreHeritage Site. The town is best known for being rebuilt by Pope Pius II as an "ideal city of the renaissance." The town is small and you can easily walk from one end to another. The center of the town is where you'll find the duomo and the Palazzo Piccolomini. It's stunning and surrounded by beautiful flowers. And if you're a fellow foodie, this is the place to stock up on Pecorino cheese (sheep's milk). The town is packed with cheese shops, which are all pretty much identical, so there are plenty of opportunities to make a purchase. The views from Pienza are also stunning, but this is luckily the case with most of the hilltop towns in the Val d'Orcia.