Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
VAL D'ELSA
A convenient base for visiting the rest of Tuscany, this valley stretching from Chianti to the
Maremma can be relied upon to tick many of the boxes on your Tuscan 'must-do' list, with
plenty of opportunities to enjoy food, wine, museums and scenery. The valley's major
towns are Colle di Val d'Elsa and Poggibonsi, but the major tourist drawcard is San Gimig-
nano. Note that we have included nearby Volterra in this section despite the fact that it is
officially located in the Val di Cecina, a province of Pisa.
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San Gimignano
POP 7638
As you crest the hill coming from the east, the 15 towers of this walled hill town look like a
medieval Manhattan. Originally an Etruscan village, the town was named after the bishop
of Modena, San Gimignano, who is said to have saved the city from Attila the Hun. It be-
came a
comune
(local government) in 1199 and was very prosperous due in part to its loca-
tion on the Via Francigena - building a tower taller than that of one's neighbour (there were
originally 72) became a popular way for the town's prominent families to flaunt their
power and wealth. In 1348 plague wiped out much of the population and weakened the loc-
al economy, leading to the town's submission to Florence in 1353. Today, not even the
plague would deter the swarms of summer day-trippers, who are lured by the town's palp-
able sense of history, intact medieval streetscapes and enchanting rural setting.
