wrenwood

I've read that SG is very crowded. How early can we get there and still have shops, churches, the Tower etc open?

Would you lunch there or in Monteriggioni or somewhere in between?

Any place else on this day we should think about including? We're staying outside Castellina in Chianti.

Holly_uncasdewar

The crowds will start arriving as soon as the tourist sites open up. Your best bet would be to plan to arrive after 4 pm, when the crowds start to disperse, but the sites and shops are still open. Then have dinner when you're done looking around.

adrienne

Avoid weekends when there are lots of people. First thing in the morning mid week is the best.

If you have time you can add Volterra.

Tesana

when are you going? after Oct. 1, hours are shorther , opening around 11, after Nov 1 hours are curtailed quite abit. i remember 2-6,
but i have gone there as early as 9 in sept. and most everything was open, including tourist office. (except 1-3) resturants usully opened at 12:30 for lunch, i would avoid fridays and saturdays to avoid tourist and local crowd. if you arrive after 16:00hr (4pm) you will not have much daylight available, assuming you are going this fall.

maybe this willhelp:

http://www.comune.sangimignano.si.it...vici#section-0

HappyTrvlr

For a goodd day,go to Volterra first and stop in SG on your way back to Castellina.

HappyTrvlr

As far as crowds, we spent six weeks in France and Italy this past May and June and did not encounter crowds as we have on other trips. This was a nice surprise, especially in Florence.
We had no problem parking near tne wall in SG.

rhkkmk

its the bus loads of people you want to avoid so consider their timing