Merran and I have fond memories of a day visit to San Gimignano over 20 years ago with Merran's parents when we travelled together in Italy for a couple of weeks. So it was lots of fun to get back there today. Sophie was suffering with some bad blisters after a big and hot 26 km day up and down through the Tuscan hills on Tuesday to Gambassi Terme. So it was a bus day today 14 kms to 'Little Manhattan', one of our favourite Italian towns.
San Gimignano was one of many places which actually became known and wealthy because of the Via Francigena and the pilgrim traffic through the town. Between the 11th and 14th centuries in the heyday of pilgrimage, the town grew prosperous and citizens began to erect towers over their houses. Of the 51 medieval towers only 14 remain. Some are quite high reaching up over 50 metres - hence the nick name. The town was devastated by the 1348 plague and never recovered till it became a tourist destination in the last 100 years. It has changed dramatically even in 20 years. There is a feel of prosperity and life, though definitely a touristy prosperity, compared to other towns we have been in and also compared to what the place was like 20 years ago. It was great today just wandering the streets, eating lunch next to the Augustinian Abbey and staying this evening in a Benedictine Convent inside the city walls.
We all feel ready to hit the road again tomorrow and put some more Tuscan kms behind us.
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