San Gimignano is geared towards tourism and the shopping reflects this. While there is little original or outstanding to buy, the speciality food and wine shops are good for gifts, or for topping up supplies in the villa. The local olive oil is recommended. (Olive oil quality is measured by acid content, with finest oil being extra vergine, which has less than one percent acid content).
The bustling main street is lined with speciality food shops so follow your nose. The best buys tend to be wild-boar salami, olive oil (olio extra vergine di oliva Toscano IGP) and Vernaccia wines (www.vernaccia.it). Other ingredients to look out for are: San Gimignano saffron (lo zafferano di San Gimignano DOP); cured meat (il prosciutto toscano DOP); and fennel salami (la finocchiona toscana IGP).
This is a reliable wine shop at the entrance to San Gimignano. On sale are Super Tuscans as well as wines from Chianti, Montalcino, and San Gimignano itself.
Address: Via di San Giovanni 127, San Gimignano
Web: ww.enotecacorsi.it
This statement-making contemporary art gallery claims to have the largest selection of contemporary ceramic sculptors in Italy as well as thought-provoking paintings.
Address: Via di San Giovanni 57, San Gimignano
Web: www.galleriagagliardi.com
This gallery, run by a San Gimignano-born photographer, is best for striking black and white landscape photography.
Address: Piazza del Duomo 13, San Gimignano
Web: www.duccionacci.it
In the rush to enjoy rustic perfection, tourism has turned high-season San Gimignano into an elbow-to-elbow mêlée. And this is San Gimignano’s dilemma: her beauty is in danger of becoming her beast. With this in mind, try to arrive very early or, better still, stay late, at least to enjoy dinner in town and wander the moody medieval alleyways in peace.
To savour San Gimignano, simply trust your feet. A town of medieval tower-houses was not designed for cars. The town is fully pedestrianised so walking is one of the city’s greatest joys. Conversely, cars need to be deposited in a car park for your visit. The city is in a ZTL system (Limited Traffic Zone) so closed to traffic in the historic centre. Car parks lie outside the city walls.
Depending on your arrival point, choose the car parks either just south or just north of the town centre. In the south, convenient if arriving from Poggibonsi, Siena or Florence, opt for the bigger, cheaper Parcheggio Giubileo (further out, around 6€ daily) or the smaller Parcheggio Montemaggio (closer in, around 20€ daily). In the north, convenient if arriving from Certaldo, opt for Parcheggio Bagnaia Superiore or Parcheggio Bagnaia Inferiore (at a rate of around 15€ daily). In all cases, only cash payments are accepted. All car parks are controlled by means of security cameras.
For more information, along with a parking map, see the tourist board site:
Web: www.sangimignano.com/en/san-gimignano/guide-to-the-town/parking-and-urban-transport.asp
