Tour 5: A tour of the medieval : Siena, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni
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The towns that conjure up images of knights and princes, duels and jousting.
A drive of approximately an hour and a half will take you to the medieval village of San Gimignano, the medieval town of Fine Towers, consisting of 13 majestic towers.
San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena. Fascinating in romantic allure , it is mainly famous for its Romanesque and Gothic architecture and the towers, which may be seen from several kilometers outside the town.
From here it is only a short drive to Siena, an ancient Etruscan settlement , now a World Heritage town. Dating back to BC it was founded by Saina , the son of Remus, of legendary Romulus & Remus fame, the former being the founder of Rome.
Siena is the only town in the world that boasts a traditional horse race right in the town square, The Palio, held every year in the summertime.
The famous sights are the Duomo a splendid example of Gothic architecture ; the Piazza del Campo, The Torre del Mangia and the Gothic Palazzo Chigi.
The last place of interest on the tour is Monteriggioni , a walled medieval town built on a hill top as a defense fortification. Surrounded by 570 meters of wall, inset with tow elaborate city gates and fourteen towers , it contains an impressive Romanesque Church , picturesque houses and beautiful gardens whose produce once help fortify the people of the city in times of siege.