Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano

Towers.

Today's stage is short, so our plan is to walk to San Gimignano this morning, look around and then walk a few km out of town to get ahead on tomorrow's much longer stage.

Today's date: 1.10.20

Weather: sunny with showers

Steps: 27,645

Distance: 18.61 km

Climbing: 819 m

We had breakfast at the b and b while admiring the exceptional view towards San Gimignano.

The via descended from Gambassi Terme and there were good views back to village.

The route then pressed on through a familar landscape of rounded hills covered in a patchwork of woods, olive groves and vineyards.

There was nowhere to grab a coffee but the stage was short, though it would have been nice to step out of the rain showers.

San Gimignano is extraordinary. It is a relatively small walled-village filled with towers. There are fine churches and it is well preserved though entirely given over to and filled with tourists. It is the kind of place you can buy a broadsword but not an apple.

We got a stamp at the tourist office and had lunch in a side street. We then had a very touristy ice cream in the square before walking on. We agreed that it would be good to return out of season.

We grabbed a coffee before leaving town and then walked on to our pilgrim accommodation. The village looked great in the evening sun and there were views to the south-east where we will walk tomorrow.