San Gimignano needs little introduction.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990, known as the Manhattan of the Middle Ages, this medieval village nestled in the Senese hills is one of the most popular names among tourists from around the world. It owes its fortune and fame to its tower houses, 13 of which remain today and continue to draw one of Italy’s most popular skylines.

And for those who are not content to look up in the air, the many historical and artistic treasures scattered among churches and museums bring you back down to earth. A visit to the Duomo is a must – Benozzo Gozzoli, Ghirlandaio and Jacopo della Quercia are at home there – as are the Pinacoteca and Museo Civico, with an extraordinary synthesis of medieval and Renaissance painting.

If then the sky is a magnet, from the town hall it is possible to access the Torre del Podestà: with its 54 meters it is the highest tower in the village and overlooks an artfully designed countryside, among olive groves and vineyards where Sangiovese and Vernaccia, its most famous grape variety and the basis of the homonymous white wine of San Gimignano, are cultivated.

Towers and Vernaccia: San Gimignano is not only this. For fans of contemporary art, we recommend a visit to the Galleria Continua, a contemporary art gallery that has managed to win fame on the international circuit from the province, a real gem for those who wish to not stop at the medieval surface.