San Gimignano Walking Tour - Part IV: Piazza della Cisterna and via San Giovanni.

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Slideshow | Lightbox (152) Tags: history italy san-gimignano scenic-place tourist-attraction tuscany Posted: Dec. 5, 2010 by Serge

San Gimignano, Italy. ©Spiterman, Flickr.com. Published under CC Attribution-NoDerivs License.

Click on map to enlarge. Our itinerary described in Part I of our tour
starts at Porta San Matteo (top right on the map) and continues through via San
Matteo to Piazza Sant'Agostino. After visiting the church of
Sant'Agostino, we move back to via San Matteo and continue to Piazza
Duomo. After that we visit the medieval fortress Rocca di Montestaffoli.

Click on map to enlarge. In Part IV, the last in the series "San Gimignano Walking Tour" we are going to finish our exploration of San Gimignano. We will visit piazza della Cisterna (the second square next to piazza Duomo in the historic center of San Gimignano). After that, we will start walking down the hill on via San Giovanni - the main tourist and commercial street in San Gimignano. We finish our tour at Porta San Giovanni - the southern gate to this medieval town.

If you remember, we started our tour with entering the historic (walled) center of San Gimignano through its northern gate, Porta San Matteo, and continued south on nd around via San Matteo. We gradually reached piazza del Duomo, explored La Rocca (small fortress) and, upon returning back to piazza del Duomo, visited museum located in Palazzo Comunale as well as Torre Grossa and Collegiata. Our next stop is on piazza della Cisterna which is literally two steps from piazza Duomo.

Piazza della Cisterna is the second main square in the medieval city. There is a number of historic buildings on this square, for example, Palazzo Razzi, La torre del Diavolo (The Tower of Devil), Il Palazzo dei Cortesi. But all these places are not accessible by tourists. So, with the exception of Museo criminale medievale (Criminal Medieval Museum), there are no any particular places to visit. However, there are several restaurants, cafes and gelaterias (ice-cream shops) where you can eat - and it's about time to take a rest and relax in one of those places. My recommendation (unless you want something real quick) is to have your lunch in La Terrazza. There is nothing special about it, but the food is decent, service is quick and sitting outside it will give you a wonderful opportunity to watch lazily the life (mostly fellow tourist) on piazza while sipping cold Vernaccia.

Incidentally, there two hotels on piazza della Cisterna. One of them is Hotel Leon Bianco; the second is Hotel La Cisterna. Both offer acceptable accommodations - if to choose between the two, I would prefer La Cisterna - simply because I think some of its rooms offer better views on Tuscan countryside.

Perhaps, it is time to mention that the southern part of San Gimignano (in my mind it starts with piazza della Cisterna and extends through via San Giovanni to another town's gate, Porta San Giovanni) is more commercialized than its northern sibling. It is not accidental that in the photo gallery below you will find many pictures of endless mom and pop stores selling anything tourists can buy. Same way, you will find there more restaurants and cafes, so while browsing start planning for a place to have dinner.

Before you embark on your exploration of via San Giovanni, I recommend to visit the eastern part of the town which is bit off the usual tourist paths. But visiting it may give you a better opportunity to appreciate the medieval spirit of the place. Also, in this area you can explore yet another gate of the town, Porta delle Fonti, which will lead you to the countryside. Although I did not include it in my itinerary, visiting the 9th century Fonti Medievali on Via delle Fonti will show you the place where medieval town citizens used to get water and do their laundry. And if, while walking in this part of the town, you come across the restaurant Le Vecchie Mura (The Old Wall) - take a note (and perhaps make a reservation). It's a good restaurant with beautiful views where you may want to have a dinner.

I leave it up to you to explore via San Giovanni. However, I cannot but mention San Gimignano 1300, a museum with the full recreation of the city as it existed in 1300 and many other exhibits including story boards, multimedia displays, street scenes - you will not regret. Museum is located on Via Berignano, 23 (which is off via San Giovanni).

Piazza della Cisterna - the second square in the historic center of San Gimignano.	The well (cisterna) on Piazza della Cisterna. Palazzo Tortoli-Treccani is in the background (right) with an ancient tower (with cut off top) further to the right. Middle - Hotel La Cisterna. Next to the right is Palazzo Razzi with remnants of another ancient tower.	Carabinieri (it is a military police but in Italy it is also in charge of public security) on piazza della Cisterna, San Gimignano.	Hotel Leon Bianco on piazza della Cisterna. This 3-star hotel is one of several in San Gimignano historic center and is located in a palazzo built in 12th century.
Entrance to the Museo criminale medievale (Criminal Medieval Museum) also called Museo della tortura (Museum of Torture) on piazza della Cisterna in San Gimignano, Italy.	Hotel La Cisterna (San Gimignano, Italy). On the right is Palazzo Razzi with the remnants of an ancient tower (in stone).	La torre del Diavolo (The Tower of Devil) and Il Palazzo dei Cortesi (to the right from the tower), San Gimignano, Italy	The top of La torre del Diavolo (The Tower of Devil - piazza della Cisterna, San Gimignano, Italy).
Vicolo dell'Oro connecting piazza Duomo and piazza della Cisterna. Restaurant Dorando is located here.	This narrow and dark passage behind Piazza Duomo and Piazza della Cisterna seems like coming from the past.	Osteria del Carcere on Via del Castello adjacent to piazza della Cisterna.	If you continue on via del Castello down the hill, you will come across via Piandornella. The only reason you may want to go there is to have dinner at restaurant Le Vecchie Mura (see on the right).
Via Santo Stefano as viewed from via Piandornella. Tourists do not come here even if it is a five minute walk from piazza della Cisterna.	Gate of the old walled circuit (on piazza della Cisterna side) of the town.	Behind Palazzo Comunale you may find this passage (accessible from piazza della Cisterna). It is known for a good reason - there are public toilets - the only ones as far as I know within the town walls.	'Arco de' Becci, the gate of the old walled circuit of the town (as viewed from via San Giovanni), still endowed with brattices.
This type of street performing is rather popular in San Gimignano.	From piazza della Cisterna we continue to via San Giovanni. The latter is most touristy street in San Gimignano, Italy.	This spot is a good place to enjoy panoramic views of Tuscan landscape. It is accessible from via San Giovanni (almost at its beginning).	Tuscan countryside from the observation platform (beginning of via San Giovanni, San Gimignano, Italy).
Rotini Art Gallery (beginning of via San Giovanni, San Gimignano, Italy).	The Virgin with Angels decoration on a building (corner via Palestro and San Giovanni, San Gimignano, Italy).	Via San Giovanni (San Giovanni) - during the day, there are crowds of tourists.	Bazar dei Sapori - a store on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy) selling olio, vino, salamis, panini.
Local artist selling his creations at the corner of via San Giovanni and via del Quercecchio (San Gimignano, Italy).	Via del Quercecchio (San Gimignano, Italy).	La chiesa (church) del Quercecchio on via del Quercecchio (San Gimignano, Italy). The building is used to host the Museum of Ornithology (Il Museo ornitologico).	Mari, another small store on via San Giovanni selling typical Tuscan foodstuff.
This stuffed boar (in Italian, cinghiale) in a store is supposed to attract customers - and it probably does.	We have already seen Museo della tortura (Museum of Torture) on piazza della Cisterna (San Gimignano, Italy). This is the museum's second location on via San Giovanni.	Shoe store Alessio on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy).	Art & Craft store on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy).
Bar-Gelateria (bar selling ice-cream) on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy)	San Gimignano has its own branch of Università degli Studi di Siena (University of Siena) dedicated to contemporary religion.	Tinacci Ceramiche Artistiche (ceramic art) has its store on via San Giovanni, Italy.	A lot of tiny shops on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy) - this one sells T-shirts.
Religious traditions are still very strong among locals, so it is not unusual to see a scene like this.	La bottega di Beatrice e Paola - Giaquinto® Tessitura Artigianale (The shop of Beatrice and Paola, Handicraft Weaving) - Italian textile crafts on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy).	This beautiful tapestry you can buy at La bottega di Beatrice (Shop of Beatrice and Paola, Handicraft Weaving - San Gimignano, Italy).	Galleria Gagliardi - another art gallery on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy).
Leongini - a souvenir store on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy).	Many stores on via San Giovanni - Lucia Boni Arazzi da Indossare selling nice clothing made of wool.	Hotel and restaurant Bel Soggiorno are located close to Porta San Giovanni in San Gimignano, Italy.	Another live sculpture - this time on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy)
La Terracotta, yet one more ceramic art shop on via San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy).	Keramos workshop - the second location of the art gallery we have seen previously on piazza delle Erbe (San Gimignano, Italy).	Entrance to the shop (located on small street off via San Gimignano) working with 'ferro battuto' (wrought iron) - a craft widely spread in Italy.	Inside 'ferro battuto' (wrought iron) shop (San Gimignano, Italy).
Entrance to La Chiesa Sangimignanese, a tiny church on via San Giovanni not far from Porta San Giovanni.	Inside La Chiesa Sangimignanese (via San Giovanni, San Gimignano, Italy).	Porta San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy)	Porta San Giovanni (San Gimignano, Italy) - construction details of the gate.
Porta San Giovanni was the historic access point to San Gimignano along via Francigena which was passing through the town. The gate was completed in 1262.	The architectural and defensive details (the brattices on top of the gate) of Porta San Giovanni.	San Gimignano, Italy: there is nothing exciting outside the town walls.