ancient ruins
Volterra
An ancient Etruscan hilltop town in Tuscany known for its alabaster workshops and Roman theater ruins.
16 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeItalyTuscany
San Gimignano
Tuscany, Italy · Europe
About San Gimignano
San Gimignano works well as a base: 15 minutes from Certaldo, 24km from Strada Chiantigiana (SR222).
San Gimignano is in Tuscany, Italy, with about 3,300 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Certaldo, about 8 km away.
San Gimignano (Italian pronunciation: [san dʒimiɲˈɲaːno]; named after St. Geminianus) is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as the Town of Five Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of itsRead more
tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form "an unforgettable skyline". Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches. The Palazzo Comunale, the Collegiata and Church of Sant'Agostino contain frescos, including cycles dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The "Historic Centre of San Gimignano" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is also known for saffron, its dry-aged and saffron infused Golden Ham, pecorino cheese, and local white wine—Vernaccia di San Gimignano—produced from the ancient variety of Vernaccia grape grown on the sandstone hillsides of the area.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near San Gimignano?
Within an hour or so of San Gimignano: Volterra (16 km), Strada Chiantigiana (SR222) (24 km), Duomo di Siena (30 km), Siena (30 km).
Are there any good drives near San Gimignano?
The nearest famous roads are Strada Chiantigiana (SR222), Autostrada del Sole and Passo della Futa.
Where is San Gimignano?
San Gimignano is in Tuscany, Italy, about 8 km from Certaldo.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 3,261
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Tuscany
- Timezone
- Europe/Rome
- Coordinates
- 43.4738, 11.0297
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Italy
ACI roadside assistance: 803 116. ZTL (limited traffic zones) in city centres are camera-enforced.
Full driving guide for ItalyTags
Worth the detour from San Gimignano
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
famous road
Strada Chiantigiana (SR222)
The classic Chianti wine road winds between Florence and Siena past vineyards, castles and cypress-lined ridges.
24 km · about 30 min drive
cathedral
Duomo di Siena
A striking Italian Romanesque-Gothic cathedral with an intricately inlaid marble floor and works by Donatello and Bernini.
30 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Siena
A medieval Tuscan city famed for its shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, the Palio horse race, and a stunning Gothic cathedral.
30 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Piazza del Campo
Siena's magnificent shell-shaped medieval square, the venue for the famous Palio horse race held twice each summer.
30 km · about 35 min drive
film location
Piazza del Campo, Siena (Quantum of Solace Palio chase)
The shell-shaped square and the tunnels beneath it host the Palio rooftop and horse-race sequence in Quantum of Solace.
30 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Ponte Vecchio
Medieval stone arch bridge in Florence famous for the shops built along it, spanning the Arno River since 1345.
37 km · about 45 min drive
museum
Uffizi Gallery
Italy's foremost art gallery, housing the greatest collection of Renaissance art including Botticelli's Birth of Venus.
37 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near San Gimignano
- 24 kmStrada Chiantigiana (SR222)The classic Chianti wine road winds between Florence and Siena past vineyards, castles and cypress-lined ridges.
- 37 kmPiazzale MichelangeloA panoramic terrace above Florence offering the most iconic sweeping view of the city's skyline with the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio.
- 38 kmAutostrada del SoleItaly's original motorway running from Milan to Naples through Tuscany and past Rome, an icon of postwar Italian engineering.
- 62 kmVal d'OrciaA UNESCO-listed Tuscan valley of rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, and golden wheat fields that define the Italian countryside.
- 69 kmDevil's Bridge (Ponte della Maddalena)A striking medieval humpback bridge arching over the Serchio river at Borgo a Mozzano in the Garfagnana, its improbably steep 11th-century span the stuff of devil-pact legend.
- 72 kmPasso della FutaA flowing 903 m Apennine pass on the SS65 between Bologna and Florence, a beloved stage of the historic Mille Miglia route and a weekend pilgrimage for Italian drivers and riders.
Driving in Italy
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€8.50/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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