Medieval meander - San Gimignano

San Giovanni gate

Our final day of medieval meandering took us on a day trip from Florence to the gorgeous walled hilltop town of San Gimignano, also known as the Town of Fine Towers. The journey took just over an hour and involved changing buses at Poggibonsi. San Gimignano lies 334m above sea level and is clearly visible in the distance with

San Gimignano delicacies for sale

its stunning skyline of soaring towers. These date back to

the 12th and 13th centuries and were originally built by well to do families to flaunt their power and wealth. Today 14 towers remain of the original 72. It really was like stepping back in time as we entered the ancient San Giovanni gate, through the 13th century city walls and immersed ourselves in this beautifully preserved medieval town. Not surprisingly it is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site and is probably one of the most photogenic places we have ever been to.

Piazza delle Erbe

                                                  Towers and yet more towers

View from the top of the Torre Grossa

View down from the Torre Grossa

Sundial on the Sant'Agostino church by Giulio Paolini

The weather was glorious and as we were out of season there weren't too many tourists either so we had many of the narrow streets to ourselves. We slowly made our way to the Piazza del Duomo and had a look round the 13th century Palazzo Communale with its frescoed halls and collection of painted panels by

Figure by Anthony Gormley

Florentine artists from the 13th to 15th centuries. We climbed the 218 steps to the top of the Torre Grossa, the city's tallest tower standing at 54m. The 360° view from the top was well worth the effort! At the other end of town we visited the Spezieria di Santa Fina (the old hospital) which features a fascinating reconstruction of the ancient pharmacy. Upstairs we visited the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary art and discovered that since 1994 a selection of contemporary artists, including Anish Kapoor and Giulio Paolini, have installed artworks around the town. Armed with a map we went in search of some and found a fascinating juxtaposition of new blending in with the old. We also discovered Galleria Continua, one of the best commercial art galleries in Europe, tucked away in a converted cinema, with a wonderful Anthony Gormley sculpture lurking outside.

The peaceful Piazza Sant'Agostino

View from Rocca di Montestaffoli

Heavenly tunes

Our wandering also took us up above the town to the remains of the old 14th century fortress, Rocca di Montestaffoli. The setting was magical with views of the rolling Tuscan hills and the towers rising from below. Artists had set up their easels in the olive groves and we were entertained by roving musicians. 

Piazza della Cisterna

Finally we sat down in the Piazza della Cisterna for a rest and a glass of San Gimignano's famous crisp white Vernaccia wine. So famous it was even mentioned in Dante's Inferno! It is one of Italy's finest white wines and the first Italian wine to bear the title Controlled Designation of Origin (D.O.C.). The perfect end to the day before catching the bus back to Florence and our onward journey back to the boat the following morning.

View of San Gimignano from the bus stop

Medieval meander - Florence

Michelangelo's David

We woke to yet another morning of nonstop rain. Sadly it was time to leave Siena and we made a dash to the bus station and clambered aboard the rapid Sita bus for the hour long journey to Florence. Thankfully our hotel wasn't too far from the bus stop and after a quick change we emerged into the drizzle and decided that this was the perfect weather for a gallery visit. We set off on foot to find the Galleria dell'Accademia and joined the short queue. We'd read that you need to book ahead for all the big museums in Florence but as it was February we decided to take a chance. Within half an hour we were in and standing in front of Michelangelo's magnificent giant marble statue, David. As well as other wonderful sculptures by Michelangelo, the Accademia also houses a collection of Renaissance paintings and a fascinating room, the Gipsoteca Bartolini, full of 19th century plaster casts by Lorenzo Bartolini. These were plaster templates created prior to sculpting in marble.

Plaster busts, Gipsoteca Bartolini

Mercato Centrale

Mercato Centrale

Having had our fill of art for the day we ventured yet again into the rain and went in search of some refreshment at the Mercato Centrale. The first floor of the wonderful 1874 iron and glass market building has been converted into a stylish eating and drinking venue. The place was buzzing. Stands selling a variety of mouth watering dishes are set around a huge central area with communal seating. We chose our food, grabbed a drink from one of the bars and joined in the fun.

Old city walls

View of Florence from the Rose Garden

Wall plaque, Oltrarno district

Shoe lasts, Oltrarno district

Thankfully the following morning brought sunshine and a glorious blue sky, perfect for exploring Florence by foot. Florence is the capital of Tuscany and the birthplace of the Renaissance. The historic centre was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1982. We made our way down to the Arno river, crossed the 16th century St Trinity bridge and found ourselves off the beaten track in the now trendy Oltrarno district. It is a characterful area of narrow streets and artisans' workshops including ceramicists, jewellers, bookbinders and shoemakers. We continued walking along the south side of the river and through the Porta San Miniato, the old city gate. From here we made our way up the steep stone steps to Piazzale Michelangelo. We had a welcome rest half way up in the lovely Rose Garden before stopping at the top to admire the incredible views over Florence.

Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo

Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo

Ponte Vecchio bridge

Piazza della Signora

Il Porcellino

Having revived ourselves with a welcome coffee we crossed back over the Arno and made our way along the north bank to the famed medieval Ponte Vecchio bridge. There have been shops on the bridge since the 13th century. Initially there were all types including butchers, fishmongers and tanners but in the 16th century it was decreed that only goldsmiths and jewellers be allowed. We were firmly back on the tourist trail again and our next destination the Piazza della Signora was brimming with selfie sticks. This square and the prominent Palazzo Vecchio have been the centre of political life since the 14th century. It was full of larger than life statues (living and not) and was the original site of Michelangelo's David. For a bit of light relief we next went in seach of Il Porcellino, and rubbed the snout of the bronze boar for luck. Our final stop was the magnificent Duomo dating back to the end of the 13th century. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches and Brunelleschi's dome remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. Our feet by now were feeling decidedly weary and we just had enough energy to try out a local Indian restaurant for supper. A delicious and welcome change to the non stop pizza and pasta fare.

Palazzo Vecchio

                                          Statues in Piazza della Signora (or not?!)

Piazza del Duomo

The Duomo

Giotto's Campanile

Titian, Venus of Urbino

Our last morning in Florence was spent in the Galleria degli Uffizi, home to the world's greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art. There was no queue at all and we spent a very long morning admiring this extraordinary collection which includes famous works by Botticelli, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, and the only surviving panel painting by Michelangelo. In the afternoon it was time for some light relief and a spot of retail therapy. Florence, after all, was the birth place of Italian high fashion.

Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea del Verrocchio, Annunciation

Michelangelo, Doni Tondo

Medieval meander - Siena

Piazza del Campo

The monumental fountain, Fonte Gaia, Piazza del Campo

We spent one night in Rome after watching the rugby game and made our way the following morning to Roma Tiburtina station. We planned to spend a couple of nights in Siena, one of Italy's most beautiful medieval cities. Having done a bit of prior research we discovered that the best way to get there from Rome was by bus. The train station in Siena is on the edge of town and a long climb uphill to our destination, the old town. The bus, however, stops at the top, next to the medieval centre. The heavens opened and the forecasted thunderstorms began in earnest. We were happy to stay dry and spend the next few hours travelling north by bus. Our hotel was a couple of minutes walk from the bus station and conveniently located at the edge of the old town. Despite the weather we decided to head out and explore. Needless to say the rain became torrential and we dived into the nearest restaurant for shelter and a late lunch.

Piazza del Campo

Piazza del Campo

Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia

The following morning the sky still looked decidely grey but the rain had abated and we made our way through the red brick lanes of the beautiful historic centre to Piazza del Campo, the huge, gently sloping square in the heart of the city. Its magnificent pavement becomes part of the site for Europe's most famous and frantic horse race, the Palio, which is held twice a year in the summer. An estimated 60,000 spectators pack the Campo on race day. Ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the colours representing ten of the seventeen contrade (city wards), race three times round the square. The process can be baffling to outsiders and was once described as being like the equestrian version of Dante's Inferno! The focal point of the square is the Palazzo Pubblico (town hall) which dates back to the end of the 13th century and the 102m high municipal tower, Torre del Mangia, which was built in the 14th century. We decided to give this a miss and save our legs for climbing the Duomo.

The Duomo

                                                       

The Piccolomini library

                                                   

                                                         Statues by Pisano


We made our way from the Campo,

Stained glass window by Duccio

through the winding back streets lined with colourful flags and studded with iron rings for tethering horses, to the Duomo, Siena's magnificent cathedral. Construction started in 1215 and it is a masterpiece of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture decorated in white and black marble, the symbolic colours of Siena. It has a truly stunning interior. The entire floor of the cathedral is an incredible work of art. The intricate floor is inlaid with 56 panels depicting historical and biblical scenes executed by about 40

Duomo interior

artists dating back to the 14th century. Another major treasure in the cathedral is the Piccolomini library with wonderful frescoes by Pinturicchio and his workshop. The cathedral houses many valuable pieces of art including works by Donatello, Bernini and the young Michelangelo. Our entry ticket also included the Museo dell'Opera which houses artworks that formerly adorned the cathedral including 12 statues by Pisano that orignally stood on the facade and the vibrant stained glass window by Duccio. The museum also included access via a steep spiral staircase to a viewpoint with panoramic vistas of Siena.

The Duomo floor

                                                          

View  over Siena

Duomo wall decoration

Tethering ring for horses

Feeling decidedly weary we slowly made our way back to our hotel briefly stopping to have a look at the 14th century Palazzo Salimbeni. It was the original headquarters of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, one of the oldest banks in continuous existence in Europe. We ended our day in a small Osteria serving great traditional Tuscan food. The walls were covered with memorabilia of Palio races and the colours of the Pantera (panther) contrada. Siena is a fascinating place, a vibrant, living example of medieval Italy.

Palazzo Salimbeni

The city emblem, the Sienese she wolf, Piazza di Postierla