{"id":23242,"date":"2025-05-29T14:33:49","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T13:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/?p=23242"},"modified":"2026-02-15T12:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T12:14:20","slug":"florence-to-san-gimignano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano","title":{"rendered":"All You Need to Know about Traveling from Florence to San Gimignano"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">San Gimignano, located about 35 miles southwest of Florence, is a beautifully preserved Medieval hilltop town. The entire historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is enclosed by the old city walls and has a famous collection of tower houses. The city was once an important stop on the pilgrimage route between Canterbury and Rome, known as the Via Francigena, and today it is one of the most popular day trips from Florence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re planning a trip to Florence, you really should consider taking a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/tuscany-day-trips-from-florence\/\">day trip tour to San Gimignano<\/a>. Whether you do a day trip or stay overnight, you&#8217;ll fall in love with this quaint Italian town. Of course, no matter how much time you plan to spend there, you have to get there first. Check out our guide to getting from Florence to San Gimignano\u2014plus some information about what to do, see, and eat.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23278\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23278\" class=\"wp-image-23278 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano3.jpg\" alt=\"Stone towers stand above green trees and old buildings in San Gimignano, Italy, with a partly cloudy sky overhead.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano3.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano3-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23278\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">On your way from Florence to San Gimignano, you&#8217;ll know you&#8217;re getting close when you see the famous towers.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#Why_San_Gimignano_Makes_a_Great_Day_Trip_from_Florence\" >Why San Gimignano Makes a Great Day Trip from Florence<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#How_to_Get_from_Florence_to_San_Gimignano\" >How to Get from Florence to San Gimignano<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#By_Car\" >By Car<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#By_Bus\" >By Bus<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#By_Train\" >By Train<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#What_to_Do_in_San_Gimignano\" >What to Do in San Gimignano<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#What_to_Eat_in_San_Gimignano\" >What to Eat in San Gimignano<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#FAQs_%E2%80%93_Florence_to_San_Gimignano\" >FAQs &#8211;\u00a0Florence to San Gimignano\u00a0<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#How_long_does_it_take_to_get_to_San_Gimignano_from_Florence\" >How long does it take to get to San Gimignano from Florence?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#Can_you_climb_the_towers_in_San_Gimignano\" >Can you climb the towers in San Gimignano?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/florence-to-san-gimignano\/#Whats_the_best_way_to_get_to_San_Gimignano_from_Florence\" >What\u2019s the best way to get to San Gimignano from Florence?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_San_Gimignano_Makes_a_Great_Day_Trip_from_Florence\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why San Gimignano Makes a Great Day Trip from Florence<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spending time in Florence is a must for most Italy travelers, but getting out into the Tuscan countryside allows you to see a different side of Italian life. San Gimignano is a great day trip option for a few key reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s extremely well-preserved. Inside the old city walls, San Gimignano can feel a little bit like a time capsule. There\u2019s no denying the appeal of strolling around the car-free cobblestone streets and admiring the Medieval buildings and towers\u2014not to mention admiring the spectacular views of the countryside from the town\u2019s hilltop position. It\u2019s not hard to imagine that it\u2019s quite like what locals might have seen in the 13th century when the town was at its peak.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a short trip from Florence. Whether you have a car or are traveling by bus, the trip from Florence to San Gimignano is between 1-2 hours each way. Get an early start and you\u2019ll have plenty of time for on-the-ground exploring before you have to head back to Florence (or on to a second Tuscan day trip town).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy to fully explore in less than a day. San Gimignano is small enough that you can see the whole town on foot in half a day (at a leisurely pace, no less). There are churches and small museums to visit, a tower to climb, and plenty of aimless strolling to do. You can do and see everything you came for in one day without feeling rushed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div id=\"attachment_23557\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23557\" class=\"wp-image-23557 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0238-1.jpg\" alt=\"A woman sits in a small square on a day trip from Florence to San Gimignano.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0238-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0238-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23557\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Small quiet squares and medieval architecture make for a perfect day trip from Florence.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to emphasize, however, that San Gimignano isn\u2019t just a great <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/things-to-do\/day-trips\">day trip option from Florence<\/a>, it\u2019s also a very popular one. Especially in the high season, the town can get quite crowded during the day. If you\u2019re looking for more of an \u201cI have the whole town to myself\u201d experience, you\u2019ll want to plan an overnight stay. The town feels completely different in the evenings after the last buses leave for the day.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Get_from_Florence_to_San_Gimignano\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Get from Florence to San Gimignano<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"By_Car\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By Car<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 35-mile drive from Florence to San Gimignano usually takes a little more than an hour, making this the quickest way to travel. Driving also gives you the most freedom to make your own schedule, especially if you\u2019d like to stop in a few towns throughout the day. There are a couple of things to keep in mind about driving from Florence to San Gimignano, however.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_672\" style=\"width: 1708px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-672\" class=\"wp-image-672 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/San-Gimignano-medieval-festival.jpg\" alt=\"People in medieval clothes walking through the streets of San Gimignano.\" width=\"1698\" height=\"1131\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/San-Gimignano-medieval-festival.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/San-Gimignano-medieval-festival-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/San-Gimignano-medieval-festival-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-672\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you visit in summertime, you might be lucky to come across a local festival.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parking in San Gimignano is limited and can be expensive. Hourly rates are \u20ac2-3, up to \u20ac15 for a full day, depending on the parking lot. The lot that\u2019s furthest from the town (P1 Giubileo) is the largest and cheapest one, with a maximum daily charge of \u20ac7. It\u2019s the first lot you\u2019ll see when you\u2019re driving in from Florence via Poggibonsi. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of the car parks are close enough to the main entrance of San Gimignano that it\u2019s an easy walk, but there\u2019s also a shuttle bus that circles the town and stops at each parking lot. A bus ticket costs \u20ac1.20. A detailed list of the parking lots and fees is available at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sangimignano.com\/en\/useful-information\/parking-and-city-bus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official car park site of San Gimignano<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As nice as road trips in Tuscany can be, having a car in Florence (or, really, most Italian cities) is usually more trouble than it\u2019s worth. Renting a car for just a day to drive around the region is a great way to explore beyond Florence\u2014but you\u2019re strongly encouraged to get outside the historic center before you get behind the wheel. Find a car rental office that\u2019s on the outskirts of Florence so you can skip the stress of driving through tiny streets while trying to avoid the unexpected limited traffic zones that come with hefty fines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you have GPS available for the drive itself, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Via Michelin site<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an excellent trip planner to check in advance so you have an idea of roughly what the cost of fuel and tolls will be on a given route.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23274\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23274\" class=\"wp-image-23274 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd sits at outdoor tables under umbrellas in Piazza della Cisterna, San Gimignano, Italy, surrounded by medieval stone towers.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23274\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Although there used to be 72 towers in San Gimignano\u2019s historic center, only 13 still stand today!<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"By_Bus\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By Bus<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Italy\u2019s train system has plenty of fans, and with good reason\u2014but within a province or region, buses are sometimes the only (and often the cheapest) way to go. For trips from Florence to San Gimignano, the bus is arguably the better public transportation option than the train\/bus combination outlined below, but only by a hair.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s no direct bus service between the cities, which means taking one bus from Florence to Poggibonsi and a separate bus from Poggibonsi to San Gimignano. Florence\u2019s bus station is next to Florence\u2019s Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station. It\u2019s bus number 131 that goes to Poggibonsi, a trip of about 50 minutes, and it departs at least once per hour on most days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you reach Poggibonsi, you\u2019ll be looking for bus 130 going to San Gimignano, a trip of about 25 minutes. Bus schedules are usually well-coordinated so that you won\u2019t have to wait long, typically no more than 15 minutes, and buses leave for San Gimignano from Poggibonsi at least once per hour on most days.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23339\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23339\" class=\"wp-image-23339 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano4.jpg\" alt=\"Tour guide speaking to a group of people in front of a stone tower while on a tour from Florence to San Gimignano, Italy.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano4.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/San-Gimignano4-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23339\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Although known for its many towers and old-world charm, San Gimignano has a lot of interesting history.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"By_Train\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By Train<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The town of San Gimignano itself has no train station. If you\u2019re keen to ride the rails as much as possible, though, you can take the train from Florence to Poggibonsi and then hop on the bus to San Gimignano.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trains to Poggibonsi leave Firenze SMN once per hour during most of the day and the trip takes a little over one hour. The stop is called \u201cPoggibonsi-S. Gimignano,\u201d which is a convenient reminder that it\u2019s where you want to disembark for the town of towers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the Poggibonsi train station, you\u2019ll need to catch bus number 130 to San Gimignano itself, as outlined above.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23554\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23554\" class=\"wp-image-23554 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0189-1.jpg\" alt=\"People walking past a church on a tour from Florence to San Gimignano. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0189-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0189-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23554\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We love walking through an Gimignano&#8217;s preserved architecture, and charming streets.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_Do_in_San_Gimignano\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What to Do in San Gimignano<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were once 72 towers clustered in San Gimignano\u2019s historic center, leading to its modern nickname, \u201cMedieval Manhattan.\u201d Only 13 towers are left standing today, but, given how striking the skyline is now, it\u2019s not hard to imagine how imposing 72 towers must have looked. Built to ever increasing heights by local families vying to demonstrate their wealth and power, the towers were often also family homes. The tallest ones stood at about 230 feet (70 meters). The Medieval building spree was brought to a halt when the city council declared that nothing could be built taller than the tower on the city hall.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, though most of San Gimignano\u2019s towers can only be enjoyed from the ground, you can climb the tallest one (Torre Grossa) for unparalleled 360-degree views over the town and the surrounding countryside. Other things to see in San Gimignano include the Duomo and Palazzo Comunale, both of which have notable artworks inside, and the 14th century cistern in the square named for it: Piazza della Cisterna.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23279\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23279\" class=\"wp-image-23279 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0187.jpg\" alt=\"Pedestrians stroll along Via San Matteo in San Gimignano, Italy, passing Hotel Bel Soggiorno\u2019s sign and medieval tower.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0187.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0187-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23279\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Walking around the streets of San Gimignano is like stepping back in time.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_Eat_in_San_Gimignano\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What to Eat in San Gimignano<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When all of that strolling and sightseeing leaves you feeling a bit peckish, you\u2019ll be pleased to know that San Gimignano is well-known in the culinary world for pecorino cheese and a celebrated white wine called Vernaccia di San Gimignano. You can even book a tasting or wine masterclass at the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vernaccia Wine Experience<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (located in the fortress, La Rocca).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may see <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">traditional Tuscan dishes<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pici pasta with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cinghiale<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (wild boar) on local menus, and don\u2019t miss the award-winning scoops at Gelateria Dondoli right on the Piazza della Cisterna. San Gimignano has also been a center for saffron cultivation since at least the late 12th century (in fact, the lucrative saffron trade helped fuel all that tower building in the Middle Ages), so look for it both on menus and in shops.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23341\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23341\" class=\"wp-image-23341 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0143.jpg\" alt=\"Woman sitting in front of table with a plate of various slices of ham and cheese in Tuscany. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0143.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Walks_Florence_Tuscany-from-Florence_0143-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23341\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From light bites to hearty pasta dishes, you really can&#8217;t go wrong with any type of Tuscan fare.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_%E2%80%93_Florence_to_San_Gimignano\"><\/span><strong>FAQs &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Florence to San Gimignano\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_it_take_to_get_to_San_Gimignano_from_Florence\"><\/span>How long does it take to get to San Gimignano from Florence?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trip usually takes about one hour by car or 1.5-2 hours by bus (or by the train\/bus combination detailed above).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_climb_the_towers_in_San_Gimignano\"><\/span>Can you climb the towers in San Gimignano?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is one tower in San Gimignano you can climb, and it\u2019s the tallest one: Torre Grossa. Built in 1311, it\u2019s 177 feet (54 meters) high and offers splendid 360-degree views overlooking the town and countryside. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re spending the night, however, there\u2019s another tower you can climb if you book its holiday apartment: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Torre Salvucci Maggiore<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_the_best_way_to_get_to_San_Gimignano_from_Florence\"><\/span>What\u2019s the best way to get to San Gimignano from Florence?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Driving from Florence to San Gimignano is the fastest way to get there, but if you don\u2019t want to rent a car then the bus is your best bet. You\u2019ll have to change buses in Poggibonsi, but it\u2019s still a bit quicker than taking the train to Poggibonsi and a bus from there to San Gimignano. Or, you can book a small-group <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/devourtours.com\/tours\/florence-walking-tour-tuscany-day-trip\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tuscany day trip from Florence to Chianti, Siena, and San Gimignano<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that includes transportation, food, wine tastings, and walking tours.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20446\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20446\" class=\"wp-image-20446 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/walks_florence-7res.jpg\" alt=\"Florence Duomo and the city on a sunny day\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/walks_florence-7res.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/walks_florence-7res-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20446\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Florence is one of Italy&#8217;s most vibrant cities. Make the most of your visit by taking a walking tour of all its top sites!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Got some extra time?\u00a0<\/strong>For those craving more than a classic day trip from Florence, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/rome-tours\/rome-to-florence-overnight-tour\/?utm_source=woi_florence_tuscany_cta&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=overnights_2026&amp;utm_id=overnights_2026\"><strong data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"224\">Rome to Florence Overnight Tour<\/strong><\/a> is an effortless way to see<strong data-start=\"253\" data-end=\"299\">\u00a0Florence, and the Tuscan countryside<\/strong> in just two days.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">All with expert local guides, access to highlights like Michelangelo\u2019s <em data-start=\"404\" data-end=\"411\">David<\/em> and the Duomo, a charming overnight stay in Florence, wine tastings at a family-run Chianti vineyard, and guided time in Siena and San Gimignano before returning to Rome with memories (and photos) to last a lifetime!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>San Gimignano, located about 35 miles southwest of Florence, is a beautifully preserved Medieval hilltop town. The entire historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is enclosed by the old city walls and has a famous collection of tower houses. The city was once an important stop on the pilgrimage route between Canterbury and Rome, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":23339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[64],"ppma_author":[202],"class_list":["post-23242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-tips","tag-florence"],"authors":[{"term_id":202,"user_id":90,"is_guest":0,"slug":"jessicas","display_name":"Jessica Spiegel","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/11d51fec6a4fdd6e513725e1c75be127?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Spiegel","first_name":"Jessica","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23242"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23242"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24870,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23242\/revisions\/24870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23242"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=23242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}