Surrounded by the rolling hills of Tuscany filled with vineyards, cypress trees, and fields of sunflowers, San Gimignano is a surprising mixture of ancient history and architecture, with a touch of contemporary life and art.  You can easily spot San Gimignano as you approach by the remaining 14 towers that vary in height.  The town is so unique, that in 1990 UNESCO named it as a World Heritage site.  What is great about visiting the medieval town of San Gimignano, is that you explore it by just walking and taking it all in.  As you walk through the gates, you feel like you step back several centuries.

Palazzo del Popolo
The Palazzo del Popolo (Peopleâ??s Palace) dates back to the 13the century and serves as the seat of civic power in San Gimignano. At street level, is a courtyard built in 1323 AD which displays the coats of arms of past elected city officials and the ground floor of this remarkable piece of architecture is home to the main civic offices of the local town council. The upper floors of the Peopleâ??s Palace are home to the Civic Museum and the Picture Gallery, with works of art dating as far back to the 13th century. Adjacent to the Palazzo del Popolo is the Torre Grossaâ? (great tower) built in 1300 AD.

Piazza della Cisterna and Piazza del Doumo form the center of the town.
The tallest remaining tower can be found here standing at 177 ft. high, called the Torre Grossa.  You can climb to the top for amazing views of the countryside.  The Duomo (Collegiate Church) one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Tuscany, is rich with original and valuable art by some of the most famous artists in the history of the country. The altars, chapels, frescoes, statuary, and commissioned paintings tell the tales of centuries of history and give the church an atmosphere of a renowned and important museum.

Church of St. Agostino
The Church of St. Agostino is the property of the Order of Saint Augustine. Built in the 13th century, the church is the second largest church in San Gimignano. Inside walls of the church and the altar are filled with 13th and 14th century frescoes that tell the story of the Life of St. Augustine. The Cappella di San Bartolo is the final resting place of the eponymous saint (1228â??1300).

You can also visit the Archeological Museum, the Spezieria dello Grada Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the Ornithologoical Museum, are home to ancient artifacts and works of art that reflect momentous events of the town from the Hellenistic period (200 to 300 BC), to 1348 when the Black Death Plague killed most of the population, and through the 15th century into modern times. 

You will also find several cafes, restaurants, shops and gelateries.  The local wine is called Vernaccia di San Gimignano.  Wild game and Boar salami and sausage is found in most markets. As a matter of fact they use boar in several items including cream. The area is known of pecorino cheese. You can also buy Tuscan olive oil, Grappa from nearby Chianti, honey, pasta, Tuscan cookies and Saffron. 

Make time to walk to the Rocca where you will have panoramic views of the countryside.  Several Italy tours offer a visit to San Gimignano as an optional while you are in Florence since it is only about an hour drive each way.