Two Lesser Known Attractions Of San Gimignano

With so many wonderful places in Tuscany, choosing the best day trips from Florence can be difficult. Thankfully, the charming and unique San Gimignano is an obvious place to start. There are few towns or villages as enticing as this jewel of Italy, especially if wandering among the historic streets and enjoying world class attractions is what you like to do with your day trips. From Florence the town can be reached quickly and easily, and it’s a top spot to undertake a guided tour so that you can get the most out of the visit. It’s also home to some pretty unusual tourist attractions, with these two being among the best.

Museum of Medieval Torture

This museum harks back to the terrible and violent torture that would have taken place all across Europe in the medieval period, and it showcases some of the most brutal ways that humans have treated each other. Visitors will be shocked and educated in equal measure, as the museum has an impressive range of devices from the past, such as the horrifying spiked sarcophagus. 

Although the torture devices are not for the faint hearted, the museum does not revel in the gore they represent. Instead it is committed to its focus on human rights and torture, and most of the historical information it provides centres on how various pieces of legislation relating to specific bodily punishments have come into play over the centuries. It might not be to everybody’s taste, but day trips from Florence don’t come more unique than this.

San Gimignano 1300

This is a tourist attraction that is really unlike any other that you’ll see during your time in Tuscany. The impressive (but rather hidden) museum boasts a 1:100 scale replica of the town just as it would have been in the year 1300. Guests are able to relive the splendour of the region’s vibrant past as they walk around the exhibit space. The town’s walls have been reconstructed, and the towers that give the place its character stand tall once again.

The exhibit takes up almost thirty square metres of space, and each of the replica buildings has been lovingly handmade and baked with clay, before being painted in an authentic shade. The project is the culmination of an incredibly detailed research effort and the results are every bit as impressive as you might expect.

Making the Trip

The elegant San Gimignano offers one of the best day trips from Florence and seeing it as part of a small tour group is one of the easiest ways to get the most from your visit. Guides are knowledgeable and will take great pride in revealing all the secrets of this site of Tuscan heritage. 

Whether it’s bizarre and gory history, or a phenomenal recreation of the glory of the region’s past, San Gimignano really has something to please everybody. It’s no wonder so many people say it is one of the day trips from Florence that you really don’t want to miss!

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Mauro Bramante is the Director of WalkAbout Florence, an independent business offering unforgettable day trips from Florence including Vintage Vespa tours, cooking classes and wine safaris. Wherever and whatever you want to explore Mauro's company promises excitement, adventure and above all, fun. If you're keen to experience the magic of Italy with the help of some passionate and knowledgeable tour guides, look no further than WalkAbout Florence for your next getaway.