This Makes Me Laugh: Italy, IV - San Gimignano (Tuscany)

Dates: Thursday, June 14th to Saturday, June 16th

Hotel: Hotel L'Antico Pozzo, Via San Matteo 87, San Gimignano, 53037 // http://www.anticopozzo.com/en/
Visits:

Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta --- The church in the center of town, it includes images from the new and old testament along the sides of the interior walls, the beautiful example of the stars in the heavens patterned on the ceiling, as well as a chapel to the town's popular Saint Fina.

Palazzo Comunale --- This includes a gallery, some history, and a tower one may climb which offers a stunning view of the city center and the surrounding Tuscan countryside.

San Gimignano 1300 --- This museum touts a full model of San Gimignano as it would have looked in 1300...including the 72 towers it once had (today it only has 15, I believe). Besides the miniature it comes with quite the history lesson about the people of the time period and life in the city and in the country. They also explain how it was constructed and the future projects on which they are working.

Museo del Vino --- More of just a wine bar, this place does have a little display on the history of making of the region's Vernaccia wine. We became experts, having tried Vernaccia and sparkling Vernaccia at diVinorum already, we tried the Vernaccia Riserva (fabulous!) that was aged longer in oak barrels. J also tried one that was not aged as long. The sparking the Riserva were best!

The Gates, The Wells, and The Fountains --- We found out about these from the San Gimignano 1300 display. We walked to the different gate entrances around the town. The two wells (we had only known of one) as well as to the fountains outside of the city walls (which are like a spring where water can be obtained).
Note: Ferie del Messi --- There is an annual medieval festival, Ferie del Messi, that takes place in June every year. Of all the weekends it was coming up while we were there! We left early on Saturday for Rome, unfortunately. We wish we could have stayed!

Food:

dal Bertelli --- Via Capassi 30, Italy --- An awesome little place on the side street, right around the corner from our hotel. The offering was simple. Sandwiches with bread, your choice of two salamis, and pecorino cheese. Wine as well. Run by a gentleman who has his family ties with the town (check out the family tree and pictures on the wall inside his shop) you can later see sitting out on Via San Matteo in the afternoons. The food certainly kept us going!

Gelateria di Piazza --- Piazza della Cisterna 4, San Gimignano 53037 --- Do it!!! This place was ridiculous. The longest lines at any gelateria in Italy. Grapefruit and sparkling wine, saffron with pine nuts and vanilla, mint. Wait mint? No, not that green-colored, mint-flavored stuff. Creamy white gelato tinted the slightest green with infinite tiny chopped up pieces of mint in every bite. Seriously try the saffron. Try it all. Take my money. This place is continually voted one of the best gelaterias period.

DiVinorum --- Piazza della Cisterna 30, San Gimignano 53037 --- We stopped in for wine and loved the ambiance (a vine was grown up and over the outdoor area to create perfect shade, literally a ceiling!) and people so much that we visited again the next day where we also tried two of their bruschetta: classic tomato and basil as well as the surprising smoked tuna and chive.

Bar Pasticceria Lucia e Maria --- Via San Matteo 55, San Gimignano 53037 --- This is where we watched the Croatia/Italy Euro 2012 match, learned choice Italian phrases, spoke to some hilarious Bavarians, and enjoyed the best Aperol Spritz on the trip and some ice cold Moretti beer alla spina (on tap).

Peruca --- Via Capassi 16, San Gimignano 53037 --- On the same side street right near our hotel lies our favorite restaurant of the town, Peruca. I really need to post some pictures of this place and the dinner. I will have to do that in another edit. Many of the pictures my camera lens was steamed up but the food and restaurant were all exquisite. J and I ordered two dishes to split: the ravioli with pecorino cheese, pears, and saffron cream with pine seeds and the gnocchi with porcini mushrooms and truffle sauce. Mom had the pork steak with roasted potatoes. This is not your normal pork steak. Here I had the cantuccini biscuits with Vin Santo mentioned in my Florence post and mom had this caramel three layer cake that was dense and sweet. /// http://www.peruca.eu/

Le Vecchie Mura --- Via Piandornella 15 --- Originally our plan was to return to Peruca, but during an evening time stroll J and I had stumbled upon a cute little restaurant situated on a Tuscan overlook off the center of the town. We thought that it would be a great place to watch the sunset and eat our last Tuscan dinner. Unfortunately we were never able to make a reservation or communicate with anyone there so we returned the next night. In waiting for it to open we noticed diners on another level of the town below with the same view on more of an overlook. Upon investigation this restaurant was La Vecchie Mura. With a wonderful sunset, Chianti Classico, lasagna, a wild boar dish, cheese and sage ravioli, a lemon tart and berry panna cotta to top it off, we toasted to Tuscany and bid farewell to the day.

J representing Fiorentina on the steps of the Collegiata. While walking up a side street two men started yelling (cheering?) what we understood to be "Grande! Grande!" They were very happy with J's jersey. We think they were Fiorentina fans.