See the best highlights of Siena and San Gimignano with your private driver and private transportation! Explore these unique towns in central Tuscany!
This excursion is for up to 8 participants. For larger groups, please see our
Livorno Siena and San Gimignano with Private Guide Excursion.
You will meet your English-speaking driver who will serve as your narrator/guide and then hop aboard your air-conditioned transport for the 1-hour and 45-minute journey to your first stop, the town of Siena. Enjoy the countryside as you head into central Tuscany to experience the medieval-style buildings of this quaint town.
On arrival at the city's historic area, a UNESCO World Heritage site, your driver will give you a commentary on the must-see attractions before setting you free to explore the town for approximately 4 hours on your own. The town is rich with history and sites to see.
The main sights include the Piazza dei Campo, the shell-shaped, main square that is home to the famous Palio horse races each year. The city hall, Palazzo Pubblico stands over the piazza with its Tower, Torre dei Mangia, visible from miles.
The Italian Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral dates from the 1300's and is a masterpiece of architecture. The Piazza Salimbeni is home to the Piazzo Salimbeni, once a private palace from the 1300's. The Sanctuary of Santa Caterina and the Siena Synagogue attract many visitors. A stroll down the Via di Citta will take you past the Palazzo Chigi-Saracini as well as other intriguing architecture from the 12th century.
You might want to take time to sample some of the traditional Tuscan cuisine and local wine. Your driver will be able to offer suggestions for lunch spots. Food, beverage, and admissions to any museums or sites are at the guest's expense.
Meeting up at the transportation, you will then set out for the approximately 40-minute drive to the town of San Gimignano. The area has been inhabited since the 3rd century BC. San Gimignano is known for its unusual homes within the walled city. Due to feuding families in the 1200's, tower houses began to spring up. In an attempt to have the showiest, families continued to build and add on until there were more than 70 tower homes looming over the town, the tallest being 230 feet tall. It is easy to see why in 1990, UNESCO added the entire Historic Center to its World Heritage List.
You will have free time to explore the Piazza della Cisterna, the main square of the town. The Piazza Duomo is home to the Collegiate Church, whose frescoes were saved from the Nazis in the 1999 film "Tea with Mussolini." You may recognize the locations of the many scenes that were filmed here. You can also see the Palazzo Communale and the mayor's Palazzo Podesta. The approximate time in the historic district is 75 minutes.
When your exploration time comes to a close in San Gimignano, you will rejoin your transportation for the 90-minute drive back to your Livorno cruise pier.
