+39 347 1464195
The classic tour of San Miniato begins with a visit of San Domenico’s church, a medieval building hosting valuable frescoes and numerous works of art. The tour continues up to the Republic’s Square, dominated by the Palace of the former Seminary. From here we will walk uphill again, and reach the Cathedral’s Square, which is overlooked by some of San Miniato’s oldest buildings: the Cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and San Genesio, the Tower of Matilde, the Bishop’s Palace and the Vicarial Palace.
Higher up, from the top of the hill dominated by the Tower of Frederick II of Swabia, you will enjoy a beautiful panoramic view extending from the Valdarno hills to the Apennine Mountains; back down towards the city centre you will visit the eighteenth-century Church of the Holy Cross and also the Town Hall.
The classic city tour is enhanced by the visit of the city museums: the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art, which is the ideal completion of the city churches’ visit thanks to its many paintings, liturgical furnishings, ceramic basins and sculptural remains; the Venerable Confraternity of the Mercy with its collection of works of art, devotional objects and also an ancient horse ambulance; the collection of archaeological finds showing that the area was inhabited since the Etruscan times; the Town Hall, recently restored, and the adjacent Loretino Oratory.
Together with our Professional Tour Guides you will discover the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque city treasures: the tour includes a visit of the Franciscan Assemblage, built on the ancient Lombard oratory which gave its name to this noble city and was donated to St. Francis in 1211. This beautiful Renaissance cloister and the church interior host valuable art masterpieces. The walking tour will continue with a visit of the Cathedral: the Shrine of the Holy Cross, containing an XI century wooden cross that is venerated and thought to be miraculous. Finally, from the Seminary Square, beyond the Toppariorum Door, we will reach the Church of San Domenico, a clear proof of the deep devotion and patronage of the most eminent families of San Miniato.
While discovering the historical and artistic treasures of San Miniato, your walk will be livened up by “delicious” stops inside the many delicatessen & food shops of this lovely city. They are the perfect business card to present, understand and appreciate the gastronomic specialties of the area. From the famous white truffle, to the finest Chianti wines. From the fragrant olive oil, to the “Cinta Senese”* cured meats (*the ancient Tuscan swine breed immortalised in Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s frescoes). From the tasty “mother of San Miniato” artichoke, to the crunchy “Cantucci” biscuits. San Miniato, with its slow rhythm and charming look, typical of the Tuscan good way of life, will pleasantly surprise its visitors.
The guided tour of San Miniato can be matched to guided tours of some of the most fascinating Tuscan cities, such as Pisa, Vinci, San Gimignano, Certaldo, San Vivaldo.
This video, with its aerial images, makes even more tangible the beauty of this city, its monuments and the beautiful landscape that surrounds it, a corner of Tuscany absolutely to find out! A flight over more than a thousand years of history that will make even more attractive your guided tour lead – of course! – by our Tour Guides!
