Still not entirely recovered from our trip to Florence, we lazed in our apartment and out on the terrace for most of the morning. After a couple of coffees and some water we took a short walk to the bus stop about noon and boarded the #130 bus from Siena to San Gimignano. The air conditioned bus took a leisurely route through the Tuscan countryside, and we could see several hill towns rising above the vineyards, olive orchards and fields. The heat was already rising and the air shimmered as we headed northwest toward the tower town of San Gimignano, about 40 kilometers away.

San Gimignano is noted for its concentration of towers, most built in the 14th century when the town lay along the pilgrims road from Northern Europe to Rome. At one time there were over seventy towers, but now only 14 survive. They were built by residents of the town as private fortresses and as a display of wealth. Again because of the plague, as well as changing routes of travel the town became an isolated backwater for several centuries and the towers and the town were left undisturbed until the last century when it became a draw for tourists like us.

Dropped off by the bus in front of the main gate, we walked through the walls and entered a beautiful medieval city, now reborn as a tourist attraction, with artisans shops and restaurants. It was early afternoon and we were hungry, so we stopped in a convenient and cool restaurant for our lunch. Nearly two hours later we emerged into the heat and wandered the town. Several terraces and the ruins of an old monastery(?) gave us spectacular vistas of both the town and the surrounding countryside. The towers are curious, with only a couple of windows in each as they project skyward. The main square is called the Piazza della Cisterna, after the large well that occupies the center.

After a pleasant wander through the town and some souvenirs we headed back to the bus stop for the ride back to Siena. Once again the air conditioning was welcome as the temperature had climbed to the mid-nineties. We may be acclimating to the heat, as our water consumption although still copious doesn’t seem as urgent as when we first reached Paris. Tomorrow we’re off to Rome for the final days of our trip. It’s been great so far.