Volterra, San Gimignano, San Miniato

Step into the history of Tuscany and immerse yourself in the medieval charm of these three places.

Volterra

Volterra was one of the main city-states of ancient Tuscany (Etruria) and was the seat of an important bishopric in the Middle Ages, with jurisdiction over a large part of the Tuscan hills. It preserves a historic centre of Etruscan origin, with Roman ruins (including the semi-circular theatre) and medieval buildings such as the cathedral, the Medici Fortress and the Palazzo dei Priori on the square of the same name in the city centre.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano, a small fortified town halfway between Florence and Siena, is famous for its architecture and beautiful medieval towers, which give the town a truly unique skyline. The wealthy families of San Gimignano built as many as 72 towers as a symbol of their power. Today, 14 of these towers can still be admired. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, San Gimignano is one of the little gems of the province of Siena.

The Chianti hills

The Chianti hills (more simply known as Chianti) are a short mountain range straddling the provinces of Siena, Florence and Arezzo, marking the eastern border of the Chianti region with Valdarno and Val di Chiana. The highest peak is Monte San Michele (893 metres above sea level) in the municipality of Greve in Chianti in the province of Florence. The Chianti hills are famous for their vineyards, which produce Chianti Classico, a DOCG red wine known throughout the world.