San Gimignano

Did I mention that while we're waiting for Ira's appointment at the Questura, we're required to stay out of all other Schengen countries? The Schengen Area includes 29 European nations--25 EU members plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Until Ira has his permit card in hand, our travel options are simple: stay within Italy or fly directly to a non-Schengen country like the U.S. or Canada (no layovers allowed).

Naturally, we took this to mean one thing: time to explore Italy.

We each started making lists of places we wanted to visit, beginning with easy day trips from Massa. First up--San Gimignano.

Known as "the Manhattan of the Middle Ages," San Gimignano is famous for its skyline of medieval towers that rise dramatically above the Tuscan hills. At its peak in the 13th and 14th centuries, noble families built more than 70 towers as symbols of wealth and power. Today, 14 still stand, creating one of the most distinctive and well-preserved skylines in Italy.

We parked just outside the city walls and wandered into the historic center, immediately noticing something different--tourists. Lots of them. After the quieter towns we'd visited recently, this felt like a lively, well-oiled destination, with shops open and buzzing.

Our first stop was a tabaccheria to buy a postcard and stamp. We've started a slightly unconventional project: sending postcards to ourselves in hopes of training the local post office to recognize our new address. After one piece of mail was returned, we've begun including "helpful directions" on the cards--just in case.

Entrance to Historic Center of San Gimignano

On the way to the mailbox, we stumbled upon the famous Gelateria Dondoli--the highest rated one in town. It was only 10:00am, but we were there, there was no line, and it felt like fate. Strawberry, being in season, was the obvious choice. Delicious. Naturally, we agreed we might come back later for round two.

Gelato

Next, we set out to visit a museum, but instead found ourselves at Torre Grossa--the tallest tower in town at about 54 meters and the only one open to the public. So, up we went. All the way up to the top.

The climb was worth it. From above, you can truly appreciate the town and the surrounding countryside. 

Torre Grossa

At the bottom of the tower looking up

Two additional towers

View of the park from the tower roof

Back at ground level, we explored the Civic Art Gallery, where one piece stood out: a painting of San Gimignano himself, seated with a detailed model of the town in his lap. It's always striking how much care went into representing the city, even centuries ago. 

San Gimignano on the throne

by Taddeo di Partolo

(Siena, 1362 circa - 1422)

From there, we stepped into the Palazzo Comunale and visited the Sala di Dante, the grand hall where Dante Alighieri spoke in 1300, urging the town to align politically with Florence. 

Sala di Dante

A short walk brought us to the Duomo, known for its extraordinary frescoes that cover nearly every wall. Like so many churches in Italy, it's both a place of worship and a visual storytelling experience.

Inside the Duomo di San Gimignano

Frescoes on the walls of the Duomo

And then, stepping back into the piazza, we encountered Dante again--this time in the form of a street performer, passionately delivering a public oration to passersby. 

Dante

We continued on to the Archaeological Museum, which houses artifacts from the Etruscan, Roman and medieval periods. One of the most interesting pieces was "Hinthial," a bronze Etruscan statuette discovered in 2010. The word means both "soul" and "sacred," and what makes it unique is that it was found exactly where it had been placed thousands of years ago, offering rare insight into ancient ritual practices.

Hinthial

64 cm bronze figure, 3rd century BC

From the museum windows, Ira captured a view back toward the towers. From here you can truly appreciate San Gimignano's nickname--the cluster of towers rising from the landscape really does resemble a medieval version of a modern skyline.

San Gimignano Towers

Engraving from the 1800s

After the museum, we briefly considered returning to the gelateria--but this time, the line told us everything we needed to know. We were very glad we hadn't waited earlier.

Line up for gelato

Instead we headed toward Parco della Rocca, which we had spotted from the top of Torre Grossa. A short walk uphill (and a few narrow stone staircases later), we arrived at a peaceful green space overlooking the countryside. The wisteria was in full bloom, and a lone musician filled the air with soft, beautiful music. We never did figure out what instrument he was playing, but it didn't matter--it was the perfect soundtrack to the moment.

Music in the Park

City Walls, modern part of the city and the countryside

We lingered there for awhile before making our way back down through the town and heading home. 

It was a great day. If this is what staying "stuck" in Italy looks like, we're more than happy to keep exploring.

Ciao, ciao!