Guided Walking Tours in Tuscany:
San Gimignano - Treasures of Central Tuscany

We arrive in San Gimignano in time explore this magnificently preserved historic town and visit an excellent new museum. The center point for the museum is a beautifully crafted replica of San Gimignano depicted at its peak of wealth.

Our first walk includes fertile valleys, farming, woods, vineyards and lovely stone hamlets. The views back to San Gimignano are just stunning. Much of the walk is on deserted gravel roads and linking paths. The village of San Donato hasn't changed over many hundreds of years except for the very modern wine and olive processing equipment tucked behind the ancient wooden doors.

A centuries old oak tree is the marker to move from one valley to the next via the ridge top castle at Montauto. There is an almost 360 degree view of Tuscany at it best. The return to San Gimignano is via a valley complete with original mill and past the front gate of Mount Oliveto Convent with its delightful formal garden.

A ridge walk that just keeps on providing spectacular views with an historic and well preserved medieval town to explore at the end. By following old cart tracks and linking pathways, we pass by fields of durum wheat, sunflowers and corn all growing in some of the richest soil imaginable. Pretty small hamlets are dotted along the way.

High on a ridge is Colle Val d' Elsa, the end of the walk and the beginning of exploring. The Hilltown has many well preserve medieval houses rubbing shoulders with Renaissance palazzos. Yes there was Medici money in Colle Val d'Elsa. It was and still is the crystal centre of Italy.

San Gimignano loop leaves via Porta San Matteo and follows a short section of local road before we leave it to enjoy the traditional Tuscan countryside. Very rarely are stunning views of San Gimignano and its fabulous towers not to be seen on the horizon.

Our route takes you along cart ways, through rich agricultural farming including vines, olives, haymaking, figs and walnuts. We return via the imposing entrance of Porta San Giovanni.

San Gimignano Loop is a good walk to do on Sundays. By walking in the morning you arrive back in time to enjoy and join in the traditional Sunday promenade or passeggiata. Local musicians and orators are often performing throughout the town.

After a local bus ride from San Gimignano to start the walk, we leave Monteriggioni, the charming fortified medieval village to explore on your return. The route takes a leisurely path through woods to reach a beautiful stone path dating back to medieval times.

The path then winds down to cultivated fields leading to Abbadia a Isola, a Cistercian abbey founded in 1001. Abbadia a Isola played an important role for pilgrims walking from France to Rome along the Via Francigena. From this point we have a steady climb along a broad gravel track lined with an ancient stone fence. Our return is through shady woods. There is plenty of time to explore the 13C-fortified village of Monteriggioni with its fourteen towers before taking the local bus back to Sam Gimignano.

Much of this walk follows the ancient Via Francigena passing numerous historic hospices, churches, restored villages and the Santuario de Pancole. The magnificent estate of Villa del Monte is a beacon on the walk and also provides a good resting spot.

The highlight is certainly exploring Certaldo Alto, the medieval red brick Hilltown accessed by a funicular. Boccaccio spent much of his live here and the museum is certainly worth a visit.

Our tour returns and ends in Florence. Alternatively you can take the bus to Siena and points beyond.