11 Things to Do in San Gimignano Tuscany + Itinerary for One Day in San Gimignano

San Gimignano is a popular hill town in Tuscany known for its skyline of medieval towers. I wanted to visit because of its history and architecture spanning several centuries, which makes it one of the most enduring and culturally significant towns in Europe. Unfortunately, I visited San Gimignano right after the wonderful Siena, and that’s probably what ruined it for me, just a tad. 

To be fair, I agree it looks spectacular from afar but once I was inside the walls, I didn’t think it deserved a full day trip—it’s extremely touristy, to the point where I’m 90% sure all the towers are just hiding souvenir warehouses. 

That’s why I think it’s a great detour that’s best enjoyed briefly. Don’t come expecting an authentic local experience. (I’m including a half-day and a one-day San Gimignano itinerary, so you know exactly how to fit it into your Tuscany trip.)

The list of things to do in San Gimignano is pretty compact, too: see the towers and views, wander the alleys, drink Vernaccia wine, maybe eat some world-famous gelato, and then move on.  

Read more from my Italy travel blog.

In this article, I’ll give you my honest answer to the question “Is San Gimignano worth visiting?” and show you what to do in San Gimignano based on my own experience. Here is a quick rundown of the top things to do: 

 

Quick summary: Top things to do in San Gimignano, Italy

A map highlighting all the stops mentioned in San Gimignano
 

Here’s my personal ranking of the best things to do in San Gimignano, based on what’s actually worth your time in my experience:

1. Climb Torre Grossa for the best views in Tuscany (and one of the few towers you can actually go up). 
2. Explore the Palazzo Comunale, including the Civic Museum and frescoes inside the old town hall, a highlight of the town's history. 
3. Go inside the Duomo (Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta) to see its colorful medieval frescoes and blue ceilings, appreciating Tuscany's artistic heritage.
4. Wander through Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Duomo, the town's main squares.
5. Eat gelato at Gelateria Dondoli, twice named Gelato World Champion—surprisingly, it’s actually worth it.
6. Walk from Porta San Giovanni to Porta San Matteo, the best walk across town, especially if you take the quieter streets for a more authentic experience.
7. Visit San Gimignano 1300, a miniature clay model of the town that’s much cooler than it sounds.
8. Enjoy the views from Parco della Rocca, the quiet park built on a ruined fortress.
9. Try Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine, Tuscany’s most famous white wine, recognized by UNESCO, and a key part of San Gimignano's wine tradition.
10. Visit during truffle season (October–December) when the whole town smells like money and mushrooms.

 

 

San Gimignano from up above is a delightful sight to behold

 

Things to know before you go to San Gimignano, Italy

1. Where is it? In Tuscany, halfway between Florence and Siena. 

2. How long to visit? Half a day is enough (3 hours if you’re slow, a full day if you stretch it).

3. What’s it famous for? Medieval towers and superbly Italian alleys, truffles, and wine.

4. Is San Gimignano worth visiting? Yes—ideally as a half-day trip before Siena. 

5. Parking is ok: The “Town of Fine Towers” is tiny, and you need to leave your car outside the gates. The parking lots on either end cost EUR 2.50 an hour.  

6. Should you buy the San Gimignano Pass? Yes. For EUR 15, the pass covers the Civic Museums, Torre Grossa, the Duomo, plus a few extra museums you’ll probably ignore but technically own access to. Alternatively, there’s the Civics Museums Pass for EUR 10, but doesn’t include the Duomo that itself costs EUR 5. 

7. Hate crowds? If you stay overnight, you’ll have the place to yourself in the evening and early morning. Try this ridiculously gorgeous property just outside of town: Il Casale Del Cotone

You can see one of the parking lots in San Ginignano outside the city gates on the right

 

Here are all the details and my experience at each thing to do in San Gimignano:

 

1. Climb Torre Grossa for the best views in Tuscany

You can see the bell inside Torre Grossa and the view from it is amazing too 

 

Visitor information:

• Opening hours: daily 11 am–5:30 pm (last admission at 5 pm)
• Price: a part of San Gimignano Pass

Climbing Torre Grossa San Gimignano, the tallest of the town’s towers, is the single best thing to do in San Gimignano. The tower rises directly from the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), which I’ll talk about in just a second. 

We sped up the 218 steps—it’s a completely modern, iron stairway; no elevator. The final push is basically a ladder, which added some sense of adventure. Once on top, it’s amazing. Remember, you’re on a hilltop already, so the tower adds to your already elevated position, and you can see a pretty darn awesome panoramic view of the Tuscan countryside. 

It’s one of the best tower views I experienced in Italy, for sure, though ironically, you don’t see much of San Gimignano’s own towers from Torre Grossa—go to Parco della Rocca for those (details below).

Beware: It can get super windy up on the tower. If you have hair, it’ll all be in your mouth and eyes. Even the bell is caged in, supposedly so it doesn’t fly off (or to keep tourist hands off, one of the two). 

 

Finding the Torre Grossa entrance

 

Finding the tower entrance to the tower was a bit tricky, I ended up walking around the gorgeous Palazzo Comunale courtyard before finding I need to go up the stairs through the museum entrance first. 

Pro tip: If you want another extraordinary tower climb nearby, check out Torre del Mangia in Siena—and then let me know how you liked it. I missed out on tickets—they’re only sold on-site, but being 50% taller than Torre Grossa has to count for something. 

 

 

2. Explore the Palazzo Comunale and its Civic Museum

The Palazzo Comunale courtyard is very interesting
 

Visitor information:

• Opening hours: daily 11 am–5:30 pm
• Price: a part of San Gimignano Pass

Once I had my fill of the view, I (elegantly) climbed back down the ladder that was clearly built for much shorter people, ready for more things to do in San Gimignano. 

Check out the Palazzo Comunale, which you walked through to reach the tower—it’s one of the most beautiful places in the entire town. It was the seat of government in medieval San Gimignano and today houses the Civic Museum and the Pinacoteca, both included in the same ticket (together they form the so-called Musei Civici di San Gimignano).

Inside, the highlight is the Sala di Dante, where Lippo Memmi’s 14^th-century frescoes fill the walls in rich reds and golds. Upstairs, the Pinacoteca adds a handful of early Renaissance paintings.

You’ll visit both spaces on the same ticket, and they’re worth 20–30 minutes of your trip to San Gimignano—especially since they’re literally under the tower you just climbed. 

 

3. Go inside the Duomo and admire its medieval frescoes

Duomo of San Gimignano may be unassuming from the outside, but the inside is delightful
 

Visitor information:

• Opening hours: daily 10 am–5 pm, Sunday 12:30 pm–5 pm
• Price: a part of San Gimignano Pass

The Duomo of San Gimignano (Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta) is right next to Palazzo Comunale, right on the square called Piazza del Duomo. It’s small, just like everything in San Gimignano, but you can’t miss it. Just look for the people sitting on the steps eating gelato—that’s it.

Inside, the Duomo’s walls are completely covered in 14^th-century frescoes that tell every Bible story you’ve ever heard, including many scenes from the Old Testament, each one separately framed (in paint, not actual frames—this isn’t a gallery, duh). These frescoes are considered among Tuscany's most important religious artworks.

I found the altar area oddly dark, but the blue ceilings and the black-and-white arches tie it all together. 

 

4. Explore Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Duomo

Piazza della Cisterna in sunny weather
 

You can’t see an Italian town without visiting its squares: The heart of San Gimignano Tuscany is Piazza della Cisternaa nd Piazza del Duomo, the town's central gathering places, connected by medieval lanes and surrounded by San Gimignano’s towers. One piazza is famous for the church, the other for… an ice cream shop (see next item on my list). 

Piazza del Duomo is where you go to see the Duomo. Not far is Piazza della Cisterna, which gets its name from the town’s old underground cistern in the center, topped with a stone well. Most people know it because of the famous gelato shop called Gelateria Dondoli. Both squares are nice to visit during one day in San Gimignano.

I couldn’t help notice that the square is paved with red bricks in a herringbone pattern, slightly slanted, which makes everyone look like they’re walking uphill even when they’re not. I found that funny and wondered if anyone else noticed. 

 

Fun fact: By the 13^th century, there were around 72 towers in San Gimignano (today there are 14).  Eventually, the tower-building rivalry got so ridiculous that Florence, which had political control over San Gimignano, banned the construction of taller towers, effectively ending the tower competition.

 

 

5. Eat gelato at Gelateria Dondoli

Imagine eating the best gelato and strolling through this beauty
 

On Piazza della Cisterna, the one single place that attracts visitors is Gelateria Dondoli, twice named the world’s best gelato. 

Granted, the last title they earned was over a decade ago, but they’re still milking it and tourists are buying the famous gelato all day every day, making it a mandatory thing to do in San Gimignano. I thought it was hilarious to see crowds of tourists photographing their ice cream cones like it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, all the while having their gelato melt all over their fingers. 

I’m not a huge gelato fan, but yeah, it’s good—creamy, rich, not that oversweet junk you get in random beach towns. Gelateria Dondoli is also known for their crazy flavors like Champelmo (grapefruit and sparkling wine) and the Michelle, a white chocolate and orange liqueur flavor named after Michelle Obama.

 

 

6. Walk through the medieval alleys from Porta San Giovanni to Porta San Matteo

The alleys will take you back entire centuries

You probably guessed that San Gimignano is best explored on foot, and the classic route runs from Porta San Giovanni to Porta San Matteo. It’s short—about 15 minutes—but I can confirm it’s the most scenic walk in town. If you’re wondering what to do in San Gimignano, this walk is the experience. 

Start at Porta San Giovanni in the south of town (where you’ll probably park your car if coming from Siena), wander uphill through the crowds along the main thoroughfare, and exit through Porta San Matteo in the north for countryside views.

But don’t just haul ass, take a minute to explore. I recommend getting lost in the maze of the alleys—yes, in San Gimignano, I allow some pointless wandering. It’s because the entire historic center of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It’s all stone and brick facades, arched windows with wooden shutters, tiny romantic balconies, and the occasional wall half-covered in vines. Everything is beautifully monotone—shades of grey, a bit of brown here and there—too bad that what used to be medieval homes are now shops selling olive oil soap and tote bags made out of Italian flags.

 

7. Visit San Gimignano 1300

San Gimignano 1300 is here for all the miniature lovers
 

Visitor information:

• Opening hours: daily 10 am–6 pm
• Price: a part of San Gimignano Pass

This next place on my list of things to do in San Gimignano is super cute and right up my alley—apparently, I have a thing for miniature replicas of the world (like Italy in Miniature near Ravenna). 

I visited San Gimignano 1300, featuring a detailed clay model of the town that shows what it looked like in the 14th century. On top of being totally fun to look at, and also acts as a map, helping visitors understand the layout of San Gimignano and why it once had more than 70 towers.

The museum is donation-based and only took me 15 minutes to explore, but that’s exactly why it makes it great. It’s also a good if you’re looking for what to do in San Gimignano with kids. There’s only so much gelato that you’ll want to feed them. 

 

8. Enjoy the views from Parco della Rocca

Parco della Rocca is a wonderful stop
 

This next spot is the best place to visit in San Gimignano if you want that postcard shot with the towers in the frame. Head uphill to Parco della Rocca, a small park on the edge of town built on the ruins of a 14^th-century fortress, the Rocca di Montestaffoli. 

The fortress is long gone, but the view is worth it: the punto panoramico offers a look at San Gimignano's skyline rising above the rooftops, with vineyards and olive groves rolling into the distance. Yes, you are in Tuscany! It’s the best (free) view of the towers of San Gimignano.

It’s quieter, greener, and more peaceful than the center—but still not empty, especially in the afternoon. I didn’t stay for sunset, but I’d bet money it gets packed with people when the evening starts.

I noticed there’s a small winery that does tastings and has outdoor tables overlooking the same panorama. I didn’t stop for one, because it was time to head back to Florence, but honestly, sitting there with a glass of Vernaccia would’ve been peak San Gimignano. 

And speaking of Vernaccia…

 

9. Try Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine (UNESCO says it’s special)

 

No list of things to do in San Gimignano Tuscany is complete without a glass of San Gimignano’s Vernaccia, the town’s signature white wine. 

When in Rome, do as the Romans do—so here, be sure to try San Gimignano's Vernaccia, which was the first Italian wine to receive DOC status back in 1966, and the area’s vineyards are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site—that means it’s officially fancy. Vernaccia is considered one of Tuscany's most important wines, celebrated for its unique character and regional heritage.

The wine itself is crisp, dry, and easy to like. I’d love to say I detected notes of wildflowers and bitter almond, but mostly it just tastes like “another glass, please.” And that’s coming from a beer-lover. 

You don’t need a vineyard tour to enjoy it—just order a glass at a café on Piazza della Cisterna and drink it with a view of the towers. 

If you know anything about me, though, I’m much more of a food guy. And in San Gimignano, it’s all about truffle season.

 

10. Visit San Gimignano in truffle season 

I can't think of a better time to visit San Gimignano than truffle season
 

One of the best times to visit San Gimignano is during truffle season, when the whole town smells, well, like truffles! White truffle season is from October to December, when restaurants pile shaved truffles on everything from pasta to eggs, and souvenir shops move the truffle oils closer to the entrance. I love truffles, so I’m happy about it all, but your experience may vary if you don’t know what’s good. 

There are also black truffles in summer (June to August) and winter (December to March), and spring truffles around March… it’s almost always truffle season in San Gimignano, as you can see. But the special ones are the white ones.

This is one of the most delicious things to do during a day trip to San Gimignano if you love food at least as much as sightseeing. 

 

If you want to see all the things to do in San Gimignano that are worth it, you’ll get through it in 3 hours, 4 max. If you’re a “wannabe” Instagram influencer that wants to milk it (or rather, wine it), you may need one day in San Gimignano. Here’s how to plan it, step-by-step:

 

1-day San Gimignano itinerary

The San Gimignano is a city for wine tastings and tower climbing
 

Spending a full day in San Gimignano Tuscany isn’t really necessary if you ask me (and you did!)—but if you’re dead set on it, I guess it’s easy enough to stretch your visit into a relaxed one-day trip. This plan mixes the essential things to do in San Gimignano with a few slower stops, tastings, and extra views. 

• Morning 
  Stop 1: Climb Torre Grossa for panoramic views of Tuscany and explore Palazzo Comunale (1 hour)
  Stop 2: Visit the Duomo di San Gimignano and admire its frescoes (15 min)
  Stop 3: Walk around Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Duomo for photos and gelato at Gelateria Dondoli(45 min)
  Stop 4: Stroll through the medieval alleys between Porta San Giovanni and Porta San Matteo (45 min)

• Lunch
  Sit down at one of the restaurants serving Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine and truffle pasta. 

• Afternoon
  Stop 5: Visit San Gimignano 1300, the miniature model museum (20 min)
  Stop 6: Walk up to Parco della Rocca for the best free tower views (45 min)
  Stop 7: Visit one of the small art galleries or ceramic shops around Via San Matteo (1 hr)
  Stop 8: End the day with a relaxed glass of Vernaccia wine or a light dinner overlooking the Tuscan countryside (1 hr+)

Total time: about 7–8 hours, notice you’ll need to buffer your visit with plenty of breaks, souvenir shopping, and lingering over wine to stretch it out to a full San Gimignano day trip. But I‘ve covered all the major San Gimignano attractions, and it’s up to you to slow down the tempo to blend in with the slow pace of a Tuscan hill town.

 

Half-day San Gimignano itinerary 

The town offers very unique vibes
 

If you’re doing San Gimignano Tuscany as a quick trip from Florence or Siena, this half-day route covers all the main San Gimignano attractions without wasting time. Plan for about 3 hours total, not counting lunch.

• Stop 1: Climb Torre Grossa and see Palazzo Comunale (45 min)

• Stop 2: Visit the Duomo (15 min)

• Stop 3: Explore Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Duomo (30 min)

• Stop 4: Wander the medieval alleys from Porta San Giovanni to Porta San Matteo (45 min)

• Stop 5: Visit San Gimignano 1300 (15 min)

• Stop 6: Enjoy the views from Parco della Rocca (30 min)

Finish with a quick glass of Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine before heading back to Siena or Florence. See, easy to do in half a day.

 

Final thoughts: Is San Gimignano worth visiting?

San Gimignano will take your Instagram feed to the Next Level

San Gimignano is gorgeous, but I wasn’t that amazed by it. It’s perfectly preserved and photogenic, but despite San Gimignano's centuries of history and the echoes of medieval life in its streets, it also feels a little soul-less. You can see the whole thing in a few hours without missing on any of the top things to do in San Gimignano.

The best way to do it is as a short day trip from Florence or Siena. The towers, views, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine are worth a short detour, but that’s it.

If you’re actually planning your Tuscany trip right now and are looking for a few extra stops, I’d pick Siena or Lucca over San Gimignano any day. And honestly, even Pisa surprised me—I thought it’d be overrated and dull, but I completely loved it. 

 

How to get to San Gimignano

As you can see, San Gimignano makes for an adorable day trip
 

The easiest way to reach San Gimignano Tuscany is by car, thanks to its strategic location in the heart of Tuscany. It’s about 1 hour 15 minutes from Florence and 45 minutes from Siena, making it ideal for day trips from these major cities. 

Parking lots sit just outside the medieval walls, usually around EUR 2.50 per hour. Buses also go to San Gimignano.

 

 

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