'The Prison' is as popular with San Gimignano locals as it is with visitors, something that can't be said of many places in this tourist-driven town. The menu is full of delightful surprises – dishes are seasonally focused and many utilise local saffron and Vernaccia wine. Set menus (€15.50 to €25) offer good value.
Osteria delle Catene
San Gimignano
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.29 MILES
Home to the world's greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art, Florence's premier gallery occupies the vast U-shaped Palazzo degli Uffizi (1560–80),…
Basilica di Santa Maria Novella
23.5 MILES
The striking green-and-white marble facade of 13th- to 15th-century Basilica di Santa Maria Novella fronts an entire monastical complex, comprising…
17.87 MILES
Consecrated on the former site of a Roman temple in 1179 and constructed over the 13th and 14th centuries, Siena's majestic duomo (cathedral) showcases…
17.99 MILES
Entered via the Palazzo Pubblico's Cortile del Podestà (Courtyard of the Chief Magistrate), this wonderful museum showcases rooms richly frescoed by…
23.36 MILES
This fortress palace, with its crenellations and 94m-high tower, was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio between 1298 and 1314 for the signoria (city government…
23.96 MILES
At the heart of Florence's university area sits Chiesa di San Marco and an adjoining 15th-century Dominican monastery where both gifted painter Fra'…
23.6 MILES
Florence's duomo is the city's most iconic landmark. Capped by Filippo Brunelleschi's red-tiled cupola, it's a staggering construction whose breathtaking…
23.62 MILES
This awe-inspiring story of how the duomo and its cupola came to life is told in this well-executed museum. Among its sacred and liturgical treasures are…
Nearby San Gimignano attractions
0.1 MILES
There are three museums in this complex. The ground floor is home to a part-reconstructed 15th- to 18th-century pharmacy known as the Speziera di Santa…
0.1 MILES
The crumbling shell of the town's 14th-century fortress commands views across the valley and has a small playground and plenty of space to picnic in. It's…
0.1 MILES
This late-13th-century church is best known for Benozzo Gozzoli's charming fresco cycle (1464–65) illustrating the life of St Augustine. You'll find it in…
4. Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine Experience
0.12 MILES
San Gimignano's famous wine, Vernaccia, is celebrated at this museum and enoteca next to the rocca (fortress). Interactive exhibits on the 1st floor trace…
0.14 MILES
Parts of San Gimignano's Romanesque cathedral were built in the second half of the 11th century, but its remarkably vivid frescoes, depicting episodes…
6. Palazzo Vecchio del Podestà
0.15 MILES
A late-13th-century structure featuring the 51m Torre della Rognosa. It's not open to the public.
0.15 MILES
Works of medieval religious art from San Gimignano's key churches are on display in this modest museum. Particularly beautiful items made from precious…
0.16 MILES
The 13th-century Palazzo Comunale has always been the centre of San Gimignano's local government; its magnificently frescoed Sala di Dante is where the…