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San Gimignano Churches & cathedrals

Our most recommended San Gimignano Churches & cathedrals

From Florence: Tuscany Day Trip with Lunch at Chianti winery

1. From Florence: Tuscany Day Trip with Lunch at Chianti winery

Begin your journey of Tuscany at Florence’s central train station, where you will be greeted by your guide who will take care of you throughout the day.  Head straight to Siena, Italy’s most picturesque medieval city, whereupon arrival your guide will take you on a walking tour. Look up to admire the lovely terracotta roofs adorning the buildings and marvel at the magnificent Gothic and Romanesque architecture of the main cathedral.   Next, head to the hilltop town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO world heritage site, famous for the tower houses built in the Middle Ages. Enjoy free time here to see its splendid squares, palaces, churches, and magnificent towers. The last stop on your Tuscan excursion is a visit to Pisa and its iconic leaning tower. Take a stroll through the Piazza dei Miracoli and see other marvelous monuments, before driving back to Florence. Best of all, choose from either a small-group or private guided experience to make your trip special. Choose the lunch option to enjoy a homemade lunch paired with an informal wine tasting at a traditional wine estate in the Chianti wine region. Savor 4 regional wines at lunch and learn about their unique production techniques. Feast on an organic, farmhouse meal while you overlook the rolling vineyards under the Tuscan sun.

San Gimignano: Torre Grossa and Duomo Tickets

2. San Gimignano: Torre Grossa and Duomo Tickets

Enjoy this combined ticket and visit the best museums and churches in San Gimignano with an audio guide. See the Cathedral of San Gimignano, which is without a doubt one of the city's most important monuments, and climb up the Torre Grossa, San Gimignano's tallest medieval tower. See the splendid frescoes inside San Gimignano Cathedral, a real feast for the eyes. Look out for the famous Creation of Adam and Eve and Noah's arc, and listen as your audio guide explain the meaning behind the beautiful works on display. Discover the iconic 13th-century Palazzo Comunale. Walk around the Sala di Dante, which once hosted the poet Dante Alighieri. Admire the civic painting gallery, which holds masterpieces from the Sienese and Florentine schools.  Climb the 218 steps of the palazzo's 54m Torre Grossa for a spectacular view over the town and surrounding countryside. Walk around, listen to the history, and explore these impressive buildings at your own leisure. This ticket also includes a visit to the Romanesque church of St. Lorenzo in Ponte, Archaeological and Museum Contemporary Art Gallery.

San Gimignano Cathedral Entry Ticket

3. San Gimignano Cathedral Entry Ticket

Pre-book your entry ticket and audio guide to the Cathedral of San Gimignano, one of the city’s most important monuments. The walls of the church are entirely lined with frescoes that recount stories of the New and Old Testaments painted by artists of the 14th-century Sienese school. Discover the wonders of the San Gimignano Cathedral immediately upon entering. Admire the interior of the church, characterized by 14 classical Tuscan stone columns, 10 of which are round and the other four octagonal. The cycle of frescoes of the New Testament on the church’s right wall is a masterpiece by Lippo and Federico Memmi. On the left wall, spot the Stories of the Old Testament, painted in 1367 by Bartolo di Fredi. The interior also presents polychrome decorations typical of medieval churches, such as the unique painted-blue cross vault and the intrados of the arches separating the nave from the aisles decorated with a striped motif typical of the Tuscan taste. The cathedral also holds a precious Renaissance jewel, the Chapel of Santa Fina, on which three famous Florentine artists worked: an architect, Giuliano da Maiano; a sculptor, Benedetto da Maiano; and a painter, Domenico Ghirlandaio. This piece is dedicated to San Gimignano’s best-loved saint. 

Full-Day Excursion to Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti

4. Full-Day Excursion to Siena, San Gimignano & Chianti

Enjoy a full-day excursion by minivan to see the beautiful Chianti area and to visit the cities of Siena and San Gimignano.  Depart at 9:00 AM from Piazza Cavalleggeri, the meeting point located in the city center of Florence. Stop at Piazzale Michelangelo for few minutes to see the splendid panorama and then in one hour you will arrive in Siena. Take a guided tour of the city center, including Piazza del Campo and the Cathedral. There is free time to walk by yourself in the narrow and ancient streets.  Then leave Siena to arrive in Monteriggioni, an old Medieval little village. After a short stop, continue to San Gimignano where you will have free time to explore the city center on your own. San Gimignano is famous for its towers, vernaccia wine and its characteristic craft articles.

From Livorno: Siena and San Gimignano Guided Day Trip

5. From Livorno: Siena and San Gimignano Guided Day Trip

This Tuscany private tour has been carefully designed to optimise your time in Siena and San Gimignano, including private transfers to and from the port. You’ll be amazed by how much you can experience in the course of a single day, discovering the rich history of these spectacular towns at a pace that suits you. San Gimignano is one of the prettiest towns in Tuscany - a charming walled medieval town perched on top of a hill, offering stunning views of the surrounding countryside. You’ll have plenty of time to explore San Gimignano on your cruise excursion, wandering through the narrow alleyways and getting a taste of local life in its piazzas. On your visit to the church of the Collegiata, you’ll see some striking 12th century frescoes, including Taddeo di Bartolo’s Last Judgement - a terrifying vision of hell. Your expert guide will also show you other works by Tuscan artists, such as The Creation of the World by Bartolo di Fredi, and the Life of Santa Fina by the Renaissance painter Ghirlandaio, enriching your appreciation of the art by explaining their historical context and pointing out intriguing details you might otherwise miss. A walk through the historic town centre takes us to the ancient fortress of San Gimignano, known as the Rocca. Your private tour of San Gimignano will end with a climb up the tower, admiring the spectacular views of the town and the beyond. Our next stop is the medieval city of Siena. where you’ll explore the atmospheric back streets and grand piazzas of Siena, you’ll learn all about the city’s rich history, and understand why it’s been enchanting its visitors for centuries. The most famous of Siena’s squares is the magnificent Piazza del Campo. You’ll stroll through the piazza, admiring its architecture while learning about the politics and commerce of the medieval city with your personal guide. From Piazza del Campo, it’s a short walk to another famous square in Siena, the Piazza del Duomo. The piazza is dominated by the imposing 13th century cathedral, which has a striking facade of black and white marble. On your visit to Siena you’ll learn all about the history, myths and legends of this remarkable place, and discover why black and white are the traditional colours of the city. The Duomo of Siena has an astonishing array of masterpieces, from a statue by the young Michelangelo to a bronze sculpture of St John the Baptist by Donatello. You’ll also see works by Bernini, and various masterpieces of medieval and Renaissance art. The vibrant frescoes of the Piccolomini Library are a highlight, with a ceiling to rival the Sistine Chapel. Your journey to Siena will end with a short walk to the Basilica of San Domenico, which sits on top of the hill. where you’ll enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views of the countryside - the perfect end to a memorable day in Tuscany.

Frequently asked questions about San Gimignano

What top attractions are a must-see in San Gimignano?

The must-see attractions in San Gimignano are:

What are the best day trips and excursions from San Gimignano?

The best day trips and excursions from San Gimignano are:

Siena

Other Sightseeing Options in San Gimignano

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What people are saying about San Gimignano

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 880 reviews

Wonderful trip! One of the highlights on our trip to Italy! So much information and history. We loved it! Things to note it is a LOT of walking. We walked the 10 minute walk from our hotel to the train station so that added on but we clocked over 20K steps that day. I would say we are fairly average size Americans, my husband is 5'9, I'm 5'6 the bus was a bit of a tight squeeze with no bathroom. If we had been taller or plus sized it would have been very uncomfortable.

Stefano, our guide, was excellent. He was engaging and enthusiastic. He wanted to know about us all and was an entertaining host. Kathleen, our Siena guide, was also brilliant. The lunch at the farmhouse was superb and the trips to Saint Giniamno and Pisa were also fantastic. It was a lovely day and we would recommend it to anyone!

The tour was conducted by Walkabout. It was one of the most organised tour I had in Italy. Guide Lavinya was excellent. Her knowledge in Tuscany region and passion for tour is excellent. Great experience with Wine testing. Good to know the local history of Florence, Siena , San G and Pisa..I highly recommend this tour

Alice was an absolute star. Extremely knowledgeable, helpful and kind. You'll be lucky to have her as your guide. Choose to get the lunch! It's a great time with the group and great food

foarte foarte placut!

The Guide was always very friendly, attentive and explained everything well