° Volterra - San Gimignano

Volterra is unique among the artistic cities of Tuscany; the mutability of its landscape highlights the change of Seasons contributing to the captivating atmosphere of mystery, melancholy and solitude.
The city is built of stone; the streets, the towers, the palaces and the austere city-walls. The yellow-grey stone is known as “panchino” in which sea shells of rare beauty often appear.
The city craftsmen work a local stone called alabaster. This is a white stone which is particularly soft and easier to carve than marble. Almost as if it were the stone of the gods the Etruscans used it to carve sarcophaguses and funerary urns, which were richly decorated. You can admire the main collection of these urns in the Guarnacci Museum. You will also have the opportunity to visit an alabaster work shop to watch the artisans as they create one of kind works of art out of this spectacular stone.
Other sights of interest are the Roman theatre, a well-preserved complex, complete with a Roman bath house; Le Balze, a deep, eroded limestone ravine; the 13th century Palazzo dei Priori the oldest seat of local government in Tuscany wich is believed to have been a model for Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio; The Cathedral and the Baptistry.
The day continues with the visit of San Gimignano: a town of beautiful towers and famed for its medieval skyscrapers, high walls and narrow streets that typify most people’s image of a Tuscan hill town.Learn about the famous Guelph-Ghibelline conflict that inspired the local famiglie to build their fortified towers as their form of defense against the enemies, as well as the times of the Black Plague when the population and power of San Gimignano was devastated. The ceramics of Santa Fina, the famous Vernaccia wine, saffron and handmade works, have contributed to the “reawakening” of a town that has become a must for tourists over the past couple of decades

Duration: Volterra-San Gimignano 8/9 hours
Cost: Price includes english speaking driver-guide at your disposition for all tour long.
up to 3..... 400€
up to 6..... 460€
up to 8..... 500€