These are two of the best know and most beloved towns in Tuscany. Absolutely full of character and history. The latter was featured in the film "Tea With Mussolini"
Volterra was the home of the Etruscans and the museum dedicated to them is wonderful. They left behind so many of their masks, funeral urns, excavated cities and their jewellery and everyday implements it is hard to realise that it was BC that they lived and walked in these parts. What craft man ship. Later the Romans came and built on so much of the city and they also left huge remains.
Remains of a very large Roman theatre in Volterra
San Gimignano once had 13 very high towers, now only a few remaining. No one knows what function they served back in the 8th century. The town churches and palaces are full of delightful, beautiful frescoes by well known artists of the middle ages. There are wonderful views from the walls of the town. Today there are so many visitors it is best to try to spend the night there when it becomes magical and quiet. By day the trippers wander around with cameras in every direction and the "gelaterias" are in full swing with the huge cones and so many flavours to be tried.
The nice thing about a camper is that one can stay close by for the night and explore at leisure - no buses or trains to catch.
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wonderful tiny side streets
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| Volterra graveyard. |
Remains of a very large Roman theatre in Volterra
San Gimignano once had 13 very high towers, now only a few remaining. No one knows what function they served back in the 8th century. The town churches and palaces are full of delightful, beautiful frescoes by well known artists of the middle ages. There are wonderful views from the walls of the town. Today there are so many visitors it is best to try to spend the night there when it becomes magical and quiet. By day the trippers wander around with cameras in every direction and the "gelaterias" are in full swing with the huge cones and so many flavours to be tried.
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