Bus trip II...on to San Gimignano

From Siena we hopped a bus to San Gimignano--the wonderful medieval city of towers. Once a proud town of over 76 towers, only 13 exist today. We visited the Collegiata, the city's "duomo." The exterior of the church belies the glory of the frescoes of the Old and New Testament--like many of those in Italy, time hasn't been kind to the paintings but those remaining are exquisite. I especially liked the series of the Noah's Ark story.

San Gimignano rests atop a large hill, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, making vistas particularly wonderful. The narrow sloping streets made walking a challenge, but each street had treats of its own--shops, osterias, views. On a very hot day, the shady streets were welcome.