San Gimignano - the "Manhattan of Tuscany”

San Gimignano is a cozy village dating back to the Etruscan age, whose medieval architecture has been preserved for centuries! San Gimignano is reachable with a  45 minute drive from Florence. Located on the top of a hill where the beautiful  countryside can be admired, it is surrounded by stone walls, San Gimignano is said to be “the Manhattan of Tuscany”. It has high towers, was built by the ancient noble families and is enriched with  commerce.  Visiting San Gimignano provides a unique opportunity to go back in time, walking along narrow streets and admiring old stone buildings, including the 13 remaining towers. Loose yourself in the pleasant medieval atmosphere. We suggest you stop in one of the many wine shops of the village to taste the typical local wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano!

 Volterra -the Etruscan town of alabaster

Volterra is famous for its alabaster production and its Etruscan walls which they are still standing as ruins today. The town is reachable from Florence with an 80 minutes drive. The squared Piazza dei Priori, is an example of a medieval Piazza. In the XII- XIII-century Duomo, there is a fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli. Also of great importance is the Battistero with the font by Andrea Sansovino (1502).

The Quadrivio dei Buomparenti and via Ricciarelli are where the tour starts for an unusual excursion to the XII-century church of San Francesco with the image of the Madonna di S. Sebastiano dating back to 1400, the patron saint of the town.

Continuing on towards the Pinacotecam, is the  Museo Civico with works, among others, by Domenico Ghirlandaio, Luca Signorelli and Daniele da Volterra. We then visit S. Michele Arcangelo, the Romanic theater and the fortress which is a Renaissance stronghold.

The Etruscan Museum Guarnacci contains a collection of IV-I century B.C. Etruscan cinerary urns made of tuff, alabaster and terracotta.

Via Matteotti is a medieval street in the historical center. Porta all'Arco is an ideal destination for alabaster lovers who can find a wide range of works in the many shops.

A walk in Viale dei Ponti starts from the Piazza dei Martiri della Libertà. Here you will enjoy a wonderful panoramic view.

Chianti

Chianti, the area in which Chianti Classico wine has been produced for centuries, is that part of Tuscany bordered to the north by the suburbs of Florence, to the east by the Chianti Mountains, to the south by the city of Siena and to the west by the valleys of the Pesa and Elsa rivers.

The area is traversed by the superhighway of the Palio. It is a land of ancient traditions that was populated first by the Etruscans, who left many traces of their activity in the wine sector, and then by the Romans.

In the Middle Ages, the cities of Florence and Siena battled for control over the zone. Villages and monasteries, castles and fortresses appeared during that period and many of them were later transformed into villas and country residences when times were more tranquil. It was then that spaces were cleared in the vast forests of chestnuts and oaks for the cultivation of vines and olive trees, an activity that progressively created an  economic area that established an international reputation.