We spent a lovely afternoon in San Gimignano, a beautiful walled, hill town in Tuscany. While driving from Pisa to Florence, we wanted to explore a typical Tuscan town and were intrigued by San Gimignano. It is known as “the Town of Fine Towers” because of the medieval “skyscrapers” that are still the distinctive feature of the town’s skyline. San Gimignano once had 72 towers used as either legitimate fortifications or simply as empty shells that served as ego boosters for wealthy families who either did not feel the need for extra protection or could afford an empty shell but not a protective tower. Here are our recommendations for the best things to do in San Gimignano with kids.
Planning a Visit to San Gimignano With Kids
Transportation to San Gimignano With Kids
Without traffic or stops along the way, San Gimignano is about an hour and a half from Pisa. We had planned to leave Pisa right after breakfast and spend the day exploring Tuscany. However, we decided to postpone our departure so that we could visit the Duomo, the Baptistery and climb to the top of the Leaning Tower, and we did not leave Pisa until about 12:30 pm. We decided to stop for lunch at about 2:00 p.m. at the Toscana Resort Castelfalfi before continuing the last half hour to San Gimignano. We could see the remaining 14 medieval towers miles before we reached the outskirts of this idyllic town, which is surrounded by vineyards and cypress trees.
Visit San Gimignano With Kids
The city center is a limited traffic zone. Luckily, we noticed the “ZTL” signs because our GPS directed us into the prohibited zone several times while we were trying to locate parking. There are significant fines for cars entering these zones without permission. The GPS confusion required several u-turns, but we eventually located a parking lot just outside the wall and headed into the city center. Because our daughter had rested in the car on the way to San Gimignano, we went sans stroller. Even with a three year old walking on her own and without a good map, we reached Piazza del Duomo within about 10-15 minutes. This 12th century Collegiate Church of San Gimignano (aka “the Duomo”) is not as intricate or ornate as the focal churches Venice, Pisa, Florence or Rome, but it is still an impressive example of Romanesque architecture. Because of our limited time, we did not visit the interior but enjoyed a bit of people watching in the Piazza.
An Afternoon in Piazza della Cisterna in San Gimignano
Adjacent to Piazza del Duomo is Piazza della Cisterna, which is a triangular gathering place named for the cistern that was accessed from the well in the center of the square. This Piazza is the home of the world-famous Gelateria Dondoli, which boasts its status as the Gelato World Champion for 2006-07 and 2008-09. Gelato was a daily afternoon indulgence during our time in Italy, and we definitely could distinguish excellent gelato from corner shop gelato. However, the line at Gelateria Dondoli was simply too long, and we desperately wanted to sit in the shade. So, we choose Le Terrazze across the Piazza instead.
I thoroughly enjoyed a glass of vernaccia, a San Gimignano wine made from indigenous grapes, while my husband and our kids selected their gelato flavors. We spent about 45 minutes relaxing on the shaded patio.
After we were all refreshed, we took a look at the octagonal well at the center of the Piazza. This well was originally built in 1273 and enlarged in 1346.
Best View in San Gimignano For Kids
We decided that the perfect end to our afternoon in San Gimignano would be to check out the 360 degree hilltop view. So, we took a short walk to the Rocca. The view most definitely did not disappoint.
Our visit to San Gimignano was a rare time that we did not bring our stroller on a sightseeing adventure and was pleasantly walkable for three year old legs. We all particularly enjoyed the medieval touches of the city during the walk back to our car.
Why We Loved San Gimignano With Kids
San Gimignano is a beautiful medieval hill town. While we spent most of our time in Italy exploring large metropolitan tourist centers, it was refreshing to spend an afternoon in this quaint town full of old world charm. Our two and a half hour visit gave us plenty of time to see the town, but there are plenty of overnight accommodations for visitors who want to extend their stay. Make sure to check out the rest of our blog posts on Florence and Tuscany before planning your next family adventure to Italy!