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San Gimignano – |
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The well-preserved medieval town of San Gimignano, with its stately stone
tower, is a big hit with kids. In the 13th century, it was a thriving
commercial center, well-positioned on the trade and pilgrim routes between
the Alps and southern Italy. The noble families built stone house towers,
competing with each other for the most impressive, and also to defend
against against invasions. |
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 Torre
Grossa and the People's Palace (Palazzo Communale) – Start your
explorations in the center of town, at the Palazzo Communale (Palazzo del
Popolo). Climb up the Torre Grossa, the biggest tower of all, for
a view of the Tuscan countryside. As you walk through the13th century Palazzo
Communale, don't miss the medieval crests in the courtyard and
a really beautiful jousting knight on horseback and more crests in Dante's
Hall. |
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Piazza
dell Cisterna – This piazza was once the commercial heart of the
medieval town. Flop down on the steps of the old well, the cisterna,
that dates back to 1237. Just off the square, the little Vicolo dell'Oro
was once lined with goldsmith's workshops. |
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The old fort, Rocca, is now a public park with trees and green
space to run around, and views of the countryside. |
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Take
a walk outside the old stone walls of the city, stopping to see the
old medieval wash house, il Fonti. |
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There
are open air markets in the Piazza del Duomo on Thursdays and Saturdays.
In June, there's a medieval festival, people dressed as knights,
lords and ladies, and a knights' tournament. |
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Volterra – |
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Volterra might look like another medieval town, but it's much
older and was once much bigger, dating back to Etruscan times, when it was
called Velathri. The Romans pushed out the Etruscans, and called the city
state Volterrae. The city was beseiged in the Roman civil wars, sacked by
Caesar and lost a bunch of its territory. From ancient times, one reason
Volterra was so popular – its valuable mining resources of iron, silver,
copper and alabaster. |
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Roman
ruins – Take a run around the ruins of the 1st century BC Roman
theater. You can still see rows of seating, tunnel access to the seats,
stage area, and fancy marble columns to stage right. Behind the theater
are the baths – hot and cold, and a sauna room. |
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Medici
Fortress (Fortezza Medicea) – The fortress is really two forts.
The Old Fortress, "Rocca Vecchia," was built on the rocky outcropping
in the 14th century. After Lorenzo di Medici conquered Volterra in the 15th
century, the Rocca Nuova was constructed to improve city defense, with a
sturdy stone wall connecting the new and old fortress. You can't go inside
the fort, but from the outside, this fortress is simply magnificent. |
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Old
city walls – Volterra has two sets of ancient walls – Etruscan
walls, which enclosed the bigger city, and an inner wall built to defend
the city in 1260. Don't the miss the Etruscan gate (Arco Etrusco),
and other round-arch medieval gates at various points around the old town. |
