22 Sept - San Gimignano, Medieval Manhattan

One thing I have to say about Italian paths: they could be better marked. Then again, maybe its a nation-wide conspiracy forcing visitors to let go of any preconceived notions relating to itinerary. Once I figured out the many (faded, verrrry faded) ways in which the trail was (or not) blazed, it all worked out well enough. Anyway, good to have San Gimignanos hulking towers on a hilltop in my crosshairs from afar.

This trail is actually pretty cool. Part paved back road, part dirt road, part gravel path and part serious hiking trail, I made my way to San Gimignano often with no other sound other than the gravel beneath my feet and the whistlijng wind in my ears. Now thats exactly the kind of peace and quiet I was hunting for.

San Gimi. A town that started off as a muddy Etruscan village back in 200 BC. Its claim to fame is the rivalry between two wealthy landowners who sought to outdo each other architecturally. The result: a Montague-Capulet style feud in the midst of keeping up with the Joneses. By the time they were done, San Gimi boasted of 70 towers that could double as an escape route when the rival Volterra lords paid them an unwelcome visit. Today, 14 of the towers remain standing but it takes little imagination to conjure up the majesty of the skyline as it must have looked back in the day. Dante even visited in 1300! No wonder they refer to it as the Medieval Manhattan.

A late lunch was sounding pretty good but I caught the staff between meals. Sadly, I had to forego the house specialty: wild boar in chocolate sauce! My pecorino ravioli with a Moretti chaser made for a respectable stand-in however.

San Gimi is a fine spot for people-watching, I could think of much worse hangouts. Already have my camping digs scoped out for the night. Now need to figure out where to next.