Small-Group San Gimignano and Volterra Day Trip from Siena

based on 119 reviews

Duration:8 hours (approx.)
Location: Siena, Tuscany

From $

Book in 2 easy steps:

1. Select A Date

2. Enter Total No Of Travellers

ADULT (Age : 3 to 99)

Free Cancellation

Upto 24 hours in Advance.

Mobile or paper ticket accepted

Top Selling Tours & Activities

Full-day Tours

Private and Luxury

Bus Tours

Good for avoiding crowds

Small Group

Day Trips

Cultural Tours

Historical Tours

Archaeology Tours

PRODUCT DETAILS
TRAVELER REVIEWS
TRAVELER PHOTOS

Embrace the medieval charms of Tuscany's towns on a full-day trip to San Gimignano and Volterra from Siena. With an attentive local guide, walk round the Fortress of Monteriggioni, explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of San Gimignano, and visit an alabaster workshop in Volterra. Enjoy a delicious lunch on a small Tuscan farm and spend time at your leisure exploring these rustic hill towns that are steeped in rich Italian history.

Numbers are limited to eight people on this small-group tour, ensuring you'll receive personalized attention from your guide.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Basilica Cateriniana Di S. Domenico
Meet your guide in front of the church of San Domenico in Siena at 9:30am, easy to find even if you are arriving from out of town with your own car, as there is parking in the vicinity.
2. Cantinetta di Monteriggioni - Montechiaro Organic Wine Experience
Travel north into the first Chianti hills and take a walk around Monteriggioni, a medieval and perfectly preserved fortress with a complete ring of city walls and turrets built in the 13th century and mentioned by Dante in his Divine Comedy: this was once Siena’s main bastion of defense against the armies of Florence. Enjoy its quiet and charming atmosphere browsing the alleys and shops of local crafts and products, or lighting a candle in the local church as the pilgrim's once did.
3. San Gimignano
Continue to the fascinating town of San Gimignano, one of the most characteristic hilltop towns of Tuscany, with its many austere medieval towers that defiantly survived the centuries and are still proudly standing today. Recognized as a UNESCO site of world heritage, this city is a great testimony of medieval architecture. Walk along the ancient route of the Via Francigena, the main route that took all travelers and pilgrims of Europe to Rome and the Holy See. The bustling San Gimignano flourishes with artisanal boutiques of the local trades and stores, selling the towns famous ‘red gold’ or saffron spice as well as the Vernaccia white wine, so traditional and old that Dante mentions it in the 13th century.
4. San Gimignano 1300
Brief visit to the minature museum and marvel at what San Gimignano looked like during the Middle Ages
5. Volterra
After working up an appetite browsing squares, streets, churches and stores of San Gimignano, visit a small family-run farm and enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch prepared using the farm's own seasonal products. During lunch you will taste dishes prepared with saffron accompanied by the refreshing Vernaccia white wine. After lunch, continue on the panoramic roads towards Volterra, the ancient Velathri, a city that harmoniously combines Etruscan and Roman ruins with medieval and Renaissance architecture, with the unavoidable modern buildings and furnishings. Visit a small, artisanal workshop and meet the craftsmen that have been working the local alabaster for decades. Witness this ancient art of sculpting this stone into precious masterpieces.
6. Cathedral of Volterra
Enjoy leisure time walking along the streets of the historical centre of Volterra, visiting the town’s famous Etruscan museum or simply marveling at the millennia old Etruscan arch, the Roman theatre or the more modern monuments and shops in town. On some occasions the itinerary might vary a little. In this case, the tour could be slightly modified but will maintain a similar general imprint, of the same duration and with all the same inclusions.

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : carrie_t
This was one of my favorite tours! It’s a great way to see Tuscany when you don’t have a car! Our guide was very knowledgeable and made the drive fun!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-29 03:23:06

Posted By : Mark_M
This guided experience was our favorite of three weeks in various parts of Italy. Daniele was an excellent guide. He made the tour feel very personable and was full of relevant knowledge. The lunch at the winery was an unforgettable experience. We never felt rushed. We had the best day. Such an amazing experience. Can’t more highly recommend.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-24 12:12:40

Posted By : Maria_M
This tour was one of our best highlights from our trip to Italy! Francesco (Kecco) was a fantastic tour guide and who shared interesting information about the Tuscan villages we visited that day. He was also an amazing driver and we felt safe and cared for.

The homemade lunch at the agriturismo was delicious and we were able to enjoy a leisurely time enjoying the Tuscan views and tasty food!

I would recommend this tour to anyone who visits Siena!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-15 02:25:50

Posted By : jankF9278VX
We had an enjoyable and memorable day on this trip. Julianna, our guide, was awesome. We appreciated the small group on our trip. There were so many highlights - San Gimignano, lunch at the winery, the alabaster artist, and Volterra! We highly recommend this trip!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-07 10:33:46

Posted By : Elizabeth_B
Excellent tour with a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide. A great balance of history, scenery, artisans, historic town walks and a superb lunch (thanks to Mama). Our special visits were carefully chosen and made us feel that it was a bespoke tour. Experts sharing there knowledge and passion complemented our guides information.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-03 15:23:46

Posted By : Alison_K
Great tour, knowledgeable guide, delicious lunch with warm host family. Guide prepared us well for each stop.Volterra would have come alive more had we been able to visit the alabaster studio, but alas…
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-27 12:59:00

Posted By : Marloes_J
It was a wonderful trip. Gorgeous towns, amazing lunch with view and wines, and the energy and enthousiasm of our guide made it a day to remember
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-26 15:36:06

Posted By : Martha_K
Our guide was truly awesome! He was so knowledgeable, expressive, fun, and energetic! He was also right on time, meeting spot was in a location that was easy to find, and he was a good driver! The van was very comfortable with nice big windows to view and photograph the countryside. The tour was worth every penny that we paid. I was traveling with my sister, brother, and sister-in-law and we all enjoyed all of our activities and felt it was well worth the cost. One activity that stood out was our visit to an alabaster artisan’s workshop where we watched him perform his craft and then were able to purchase items he made. He was both gifted and kind. The second was a visit to a saffron farm where we were treated to a delicious meal and educated about the growing and harvesting of saffron. The farm was beautiful, the food and wine delicious, and our guide and host wonderful. I can’t think of a thing that could have been better on the entire tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-25 22:37:05

Posted By : Holly_V
Excellent tour- our guide, Giovanni, was wonderful. He shared the perfect amount of information without overwhelming us, and kept us safe and organized throughout the day. I thought we had just enough time in each of the 3 towns we stopped at. Lunch at a family’s farmhouse was so special- they let us try their olive oil and wine that they make, and they ate lunch with us which was really nice. The drive to Volterra at the end of the day was long and I think the company should consider doing a shorter trip that just includes Monteriggioni and San Gimignano and ends after the farmhouse lunch- Volterra was cool to see but just a long day in my opinion. Overall though, do not hesitate to book this tour or any others offered by Tuscan Escapes- they are an excellent company! We also booked a private day trip from Rome to Siena with Tuscan Escapes, with a stop in Montepulciano and that was also wonderful.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-25 03:09:58

Posted By : Pam_H
Our guide, Juliana, was outstanding!! Every part of the day was perfect. We had ample free time in the cities on our own. Lunch at the private home of the owners of Terre Di Sovernaja winery was a special time. We tasted their wines and olive oils and had some sent home. We saw the workshop of an alabaster artist with demonstrations. A true highlight of the day. He sells some of his work in his small gallery next to his workshop. Be sure to take home a piece of his artistry. Take extra cash because he only accepts cash. A true artisan! This tour covers a lot of different experiences and sights. We were glad we chose this particular tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-07 15:16:31