Do you ever have those moments when you relive a trip and think, “God, I want to go there again?” This happens to me all the time. Case in point, I started thinking (obsessing, more like) about Italy recently and I feel that I am due for another Italian getaway.
The last time I was in Italy was in 2013. My sister and I spent three glorious weeks in San Gimignano, Florence, Verona, and Adria. Out of the four cities, San Gimignano is more off the beaten path. It’s a small city surrounded by a medieval wall on top of a hill, about an hour south of Florence. Due to its size, it’s possible to walk around the city in one day. Every angle of the city boasts a spectacular view of Tuscany.
 |
| View from our room |
 |
| View from our room |
While in San Gimignano, we stayed at this beautiful hotel called Al Pozzo dei Desideri, right in the heart of Piazza della Cisterna. Each room in this hotel has amazing views of the city. We were so lucky to have found this gem!
We spent a good amount of time walking up and down the streets and getting lost in its labyrinthine alleyways. We stumbled upon small artisanal shops that sell leather goods, pasta (fun penis shaped ones among the innocuous, traditionally shaped pasta), and gourmet food items like truffle oil and EVOO.
Here are a few more snaps to entice us all back to San Gimignano.
 |
| A travertine well in the middle of the Piazza della Cisterna |
 |
| Vivid colors of winter in San Gimignano |
 |
| So good it hurts |
 |
| Another one |
Did I mention that San Gimignano also offers some of the best food in Italy? Below were from this place called Osteria San Giovanni – these goodies plus a few more plates and a bottle of wine only cost us $70.
 |
| Let’s all take a moment to appreciate the abundance of salumi on this plate. Amen. |
 |
| Strozzapreti |
 |
| Bruschetta |
 |
| Maiale alla griglia con tartufo (Grilled pork with truffles) |
We also had dinner at Trattoria Chiribiri (super small restaurant, you blink, you miss it) and Trattoria Rigoletto (outside the walls – yummy ribollita).
I should note that during the day, tourists arrive in droves to this city. By 5pm, they leave and San Gimignano’s locals begin their passeggiata before dinner. This was the best part of our stay here in this magnificent city. The quiet, languid walks made us appreciate the beauty and elegance of San Gimignano more than ever. The food, the unforgettable views, and the staggering beauty of San Gimignano made our stay truly memorable. We will definitely go back.
PS: All photos were taken by my sister 🙂