We were in Italy a few weeks ago and were staying in Volterra. We took a day trip to San Gimignano and also checked out the hill town of Certaldo about 10km away. I'd recommend it to anyone to take the additional time to see Certaldo. While San Gimignano is quite a site with it's impressive towers, the crowds can be over whelming and the beauty of the town can be lost. As a result, after seeing the sites of San Gimignano we traveled to the next hilltown of Certaldo just 10 minutes away. You have to take a fun funicular ride to the top of the old town and what you get is a wonderfully preserved, uncrowded hilltown. It's a joy to stroll around, you have a great view of San Gimignano in the distance, and plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from. It's not currently in Rick's guidebook but they have a town hall with free information you can pick up to read about it's history and sights. Enjoy!
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