Visiting San Gimignano means immersing yourself completely in the atmosphere of a fourteenth-century village; in fact its appearance has remained mostly intact and the city still represents one of the best European examples of urban organization of the municipal age.The characteristic feature of this country – which any tourist catches even in the distance – are the spectacular and unmistakable towers that dominate the landscape, each of which has its own story to tell. The town lived up to the mid-fourteenth century a season of economic and artistic wealth, thanks also to the merchants and pilgrims who traveled the Via Francigena. The road crossed this splendid village and still today divides it into two parts.
This is the period during which the major city families challenge each other by building the tallest tower to demonstrate who has the most power.The municipal tower, known as the Rognosa, which was to remain the highest by municipal decree, excluded from this tender. Around 1300 the towers that stood out were more than 70, equal to the number of wealthy families in its territory, while today there are only thirteen. Also in this same period an architectural renewal process began which saw in addition to the expansion of the walls , the birth of numerous palaces, churches and convents, enriched by illustrious works of art, around Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Duomo.In San Gimignano, great artists come to work, such as the protagonists of the Sienese school, including Simone Martini, Lippo Memmi and Puccio Taddeo di Bartolo who made the city that treasure trove of art that still appears to those who visit it today. , civil and military within a magnificent landscape and a land that offers fine products such as saffron and Vernaccia, this is San Gimignano today, testimony of one of the most important phases of human history and a place to savor the pleasures of San Gimignano is famous for the production of Vernaccia, one of the best Italian white wines, known all over the world. Vernaccia was the first Italian wine to bear the title of Controlled Designation of Origin (D.O.C.) product in 1966 and in 1993 it obtained the D.O.C.G mark which further guarantees its origin. Produced exclusively within the Municipality of San Gimignano, its vineyards are located on the road that goes from Poggibonsi to San Gimignano. The harvest takes place between the end of September and the beginning of October. Vernaccia Normale can be bottled in March, while the Riserva has a legal aging time of 1 year in the cellar. Vernaccia is served fresh (10 ° C) with appetizers, fish dishes and white meats. The Riserva, on the other hand, must be served between 14 ° C and 16 ° C and goes well with all seafood cuisine.To pay homage to the quality and prestige of this wine in San Gimignano, the Museum has been created in the Villa della Rocca di Montestaffoli of Vernaccia wine.OUR TOURS IN SAN GIMIGNANO: 1) Cathedral of San Gimignano, 2) The Chapel of Santa Fina in San Gimignano, 3) Piazza del Duomo in San Gimignano, 4) The Torture Museum in San Gimignano, 5 ) Church of Sant’Agostino in San Gimignano, 6) Fortress of Montestaffoli in San Gimignano