One-day excursion from Siena to San Gimignano and Volterra with tasting and traditional lunch

If you want to visit two of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany, do not miss this fantastic tour: you will live an unforgettable day discovering San Gimignano and Volterra, passing through Monteriggioni and enjoying an excellent lunch based on typical products.

• The tour will start from Siena: after meeting your guide, you will climb on board a comfortable minibus with all the comforts and start your journey to Monteriggioni, the charming village also mentioned by Dante in his Divine Comedy. Here you will stop for a while to admire the majestic medieval walls that surround this ancient village: built in the XIII century, they have remained perfectly intact until today.

• The second stage will be at a very picturesque village, San Gimignano, famous throughout the world for its structure and for its 14 medieval towers that make its profile truly unique. In your spare time you can stroll along the narrow streets of the old town dotted with shops, craft workshops and charming restaurants where you can taste Vernaccia, the most famous locally produced wine. You can also walk along the Via Francigena, the centuries-old Roman pilgrimage route. In 1990, San Gimignano was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for being a precious, perfectly preserved testimony of Medieval architecture. But that's not all: this village also has several museums that are worth a visit, such as the Civic Museum which houses the paintings of important painters, the Museum of Sacred Art and last but not least, the Wine Museum.

• At this point you will probably start to feel a bit peckish, so you will move to a small family-run farm where you can enjoy a delicious traditional lunch based on fresh and genuine products of the region. In particular, try the tasty saffron recipes: saffron is one of the characteristic products of the area, accompanied by delicious Vernaccia.

• After lunch you will head to Volterra, going along beautiful scenic roads: the first stop is at a small workshop of alabaster, unfortunately one of the few still in activity. For those who didn’t know, alabaster is a type of stone that was first used more than two thousand years ago ago by the Etruscans. Though no longer the fulcrum of the economy of this beautiful village, manufacturing alabaster to create works of art remains a fascinating activity which preserves a great centuries-long tradition.

• Once you leave the workshop you will reach Volterra, formerly called Velathri, a city rich in history, a perfect fusion of Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance artistic influences. Here too you will have free time to discover its sights: among the things not to be missed we would like to mention the renowned Guarnacci Etruscan Museum and the incredible Roman Theater, located in the archaeological area of Vallebuona, a real architectural jem that will leave you gobsmacked. A large part of the city walls dating back to the 4th century BC can also be visited, as well as two of the city gates, Porta dell'Arco and Porta Diana and the old Acropolis which contains the foundations of two ancient temples.
  Alternatively, you can opt for a walk around the historic center where you can breathe a timeless atmosphere: in the many craft shops you can taste some typical products or buy souvenirs choosing among the wonderful alabaster objects that have made Volterra famous all over the world.

We are convinced that after having visited these places, beautiful gems nestled in the Tuscan countryside, you really won’t be looking forward at the idea of getting back on the minibus to head home. But we are sure that it will be an experience that you will always treasure in your heart!