San Miniato

San Miniato is in an ancient and important city that had Etruscan and then Roman settlements. Based along "Via Francigena", here took residence Federico Barbarossa. From its dominant position, the German Emperors had been exercising power and control over the whole of Tuscany. San Miniato is very rich in history: walking along the main street, you can see important buildings (Palazzo Bonaparte, Grifoni, Migliorini, and that of the Episcopal Seminary). On the main road you can admire some tower-houses (the one of Matilda is now known as the bell tower), the numerous Churches like San Jacopo and San Francesco, and the Cathedral, from which you can admire a wide and beautiful view over the Arno valley. The hinterland of San Miniato is well-known for a variety of prized white truffle, Tuber Magnatum Pico, is the most valuable truffle. The National White Truffle of San Miniato Show transforms the city for the entire month of November into a huge open-air tasting workshop and in many restaurants you can taste "the food of the kings"!