Day 5 San Gimignano and Siena

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Finally, we see the Tuscan sun as we travel to San Gimignano. This 12th century town is a real gem and known for its towers, built by noble families within the walls of the town. San Gimignano was one of the towns welcoming travelers on pilgrimages from France to Rome. Today, only 14 of the 70 towers remain. After sampling pastries, we had some time to explore and got some great pictures.

After leaving San Gimignano, our driver Roberto, delivered us to Siena. Siena was once a capitol city and a rival to Florence. Naturally, it has its own cathedral to show off the wealth of their noble familes. Plans to enlarge the Duomo were interrupted by the plaque of the 1300's. Plazza Del Campo is the main plazza and it's great event today is the Palio, abare back horse race that has been taking place since 1283.

As we had coffee and cookies on the square, I called the credit union to complain that I still could not use my debit card. Two phone calls and three tries later, I was finally able to withdraw 100 euros. We will see what tomorrow brings.

After leaving Siena, Leo and Roberto surprised us with dinner in Monterriggioni, a medieval hilltop town built in 1203 (Roberto's birthplace). It is completely encircled by high walls and towers and today it's population is less than 100. We enjoyed a great meal specializing in local vegetables. We all ate too much and the ride back to Florence was very quiet. A great day under the Tuscan sun.

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