Relais Santa Chiara Hotel, San Gimignano

Advantages: Lots to do, relaxing, beautiful.
Disadvantages: Pay toilets, might see Tony Blair

...I visited San Gimignano last summer. I cant recommed it enough. For such an amazing place it is very unspoilt and largely unfound by many visitors to the area. It is known as the "Ancient Metropolis" as there are lots of towers remaining. Also Tony Blair takes his holiday there every year. San Gimignano is a small town with approximately 15000 inhabitiants. 15,000 lucky people in my experiance. There are many great shops, interesting cafe's and loads of history. We took it in as part of a day trip which involved visiting Volterra. In heinsight I wish that we had spend a larger percentage of the day at SG. I feel that there was a whole lot more to find. After coming back to England I have seen SG featured in a Holiday program. The presenter was sat under a conopy from a small bar in the large piazza. We too had sat... Read review

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...From every angle of the town of San Gimignano the appearance is medieval: road, public square, civil, religious or military constructions. A visitor that for the first time walks into an alley of stone or bricks would believe that they have been cast back in time to a village crystallized in the 14th century. In this page I will only illustrate the history of this place through its fortifications. Situated on a hill of 324 meters, at the watershed between the Elsa and the Era Valleys, earth of ancient settlements with archeological discoveries span from those of the ancient Etruscan period to the Late Roman Imperial Age, important center on the Roman road Clodia first and of the Road Francigena (as testified by Sigerico of Canterbury 990-994), San Gimignano always served a major role in the history of this area. Since its ancient... Read review

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...If you visit the Toscana do not forget to reserve at least one day to visit San Gimignano. There is so much to be seen and you should take part of the ambiente of a tiny city on the hills of the Toscana. The city shows a shilouette with a lot of towers built during the middle age. There are a lot of churches, theatres and palaces. Do not hurry - take place in one of the bars and for dinner you must try the Toscanian specialities like bruschetto, sphaghetti, vitello arrosto. Some mineralwater and some red wine (Chianti) will help you for a fine siesta in the agrdens outside of the city. After 5 p.m. the Italians start the second part of the day and you should not be absent to watch the life in this city....... Read review

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