July 14, 2019- San Gimignano and Cortona

Another beautiful, sunny day in Tuscany! Students were excited to visit San Gimignano and Cortona today.  Our first stop was San Gimignano, the town of the fine towers. A small, walled medieval town, it is known for its medieval architecture and its many towers. The main piazza is Piazza della Cisterna, a triangular square lined with medieval houses. In fact, the historic centre of San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Duomo of San Gimignano is a 12th-century church with frescoes by Ghirlandaio. The panoramic views from this town are breathtaking! San Gimignano is known for its saffron, white wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano, but also for its gelato. Gelateria Dondoli was voted the best gelato in Italy. Students all enjoyed cones or cups of up to 3 flavours. Some savoured the lavender, cinnamon, rosemary and cheese and olive flavours. Mr. Dondoli was happy to pose for a picture with the group.  Students had lunch and then we departed for Cortona, a hilltop town in southern Tuscany.  This beautiful city was the setting for the movie, "Under the Tuscan Sun". It is a city enclosed by stone walls that date back to Etruscan and Roman times.  There are many interesting places to visit here.  The characteristic shops in this city offer local handmade items.  We left Cortona and headed back to Siena, where students rested before dinner, while many students did laundry.  After another delicious dinner, some students went out to the majestic and enchanting Piazza del Campo.  The winning contrada of the July 2nd Palio, la Giraffa paraded through the streets, and we all felt the passion of these "contradaioli".