San Gimignano & Volterra

Volterra and San Gimignano are two stony villages dotting the hills of Northern Tuscany. Within a couple of hours of Tuscan mainstays Florence and Siena, these towns provide an emblematic but contrasting look at this famed region.

Alabaster has long been a big industry in Volterra. Softer and easier to work than marble, this translucent mineral was traditionally sliced thin to provide windows for Italy’s medieval churches.

San Gimignano claim to fame is its series of striking towers. In medieval times, rich people fortified their homes by building towers, which provided a handy refuge when ruffians and rival city-states would sack the town.
On request is possible to hire a San Gimignano city guide for a 2/3 hours walking tour of the town.