MONTERIGGIONI AND SIENA

• SAN GIMIGNANO

A beautiful town nestled between the Sienese hills and the sunny Val d’Elsa hills, surrounded by thirteenth-century walls and rich in still intact medieval charm.

Start by filling your wineglass with Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which is straw yellow in colour with golden reflections that become more pronounced with age.

Before you leave, however, remember to stock up on the precious local gold: the saffron of San Gimignano, a precious spice with an intense flavour and a protected designation of origin.

The world-famous Gelateria di Piazza is right in the center of Piazza della Cisterna and is the best gelato in San Gimignano.

• MONTERIGGIONI

Monteriggioni is a charming hilltop town in Tuscany, Italy, a medieval walled village. It is in a spectacular location, surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and farmland, with the town’s 14 towers and well-maintained walls.  The castle town (or fortified village) was built in 1213 by Siena to protect the area from neighboring Florence.

• SIENA

A city of thousands of colours, rich in history and culture and with a medieval charm that is still nearly intact today.

Every corner of Siena hides treasures and glimpses to be photographed.

Strolling through the red streets of Siena, you will be attracted by the inviting smells of Sienese cuisine, which has its roots in the past and is based on genuine products such as vegetables, pulses and meat.

For a richer meal, you can play it safe with pici pasta with wild boar ragout served in every restaurant and trattoria in Siena.

Sienese cuisine is also rich in sweets such as panforte di Siena, which dates to the 13th century and can be found in any café and pastry shop in the city. Cavallucci are tasty biscuits with walnuts and candied fruit, but if you love almonds, you might want to try ricciarelli of Siena, oval-shaped sweets made of almond paste enriched with vanilla and candied fruit.