Tuscany's medieval Manhattan — 14 surviving towers and the world's best gelato
San Gimignano is a hilltop town in Tuscany whose skyline of 14 medieval towers (72 originally existed) earned it UNESCO inscription and the nickname 'Manhattan of the Middle Ages.' The towers were built as status symbols by rival noble families competing for dominance in the 13th century. Inside the walls: Piazza della Cisterna with its 13th-century well, the Collegiata with its extraordinary biblical fresco cycles, and Gelateria Dondoli — winner of the World Gelato Championship multiple times.
San Gimignano grew rich on saffron and sat on the Via Francigena pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, which brought merchants and pilgrims through its gates for centuries. The plague of 1348 killed more than half the population and permanently weakened the town, preventing the construction-boom demolition that erased medieval fabric from wealthier Tuscan cities. The town submitted to Florence in 1353 and stagnated for 500 years — preserving its medieval character accidentally. UNESCO inscribed the historic centre in 1990; it receives over 3 million visitors annually.