Certaldo - 12 km from San Gimignano
Certaldo is a city of Etruscan-Roman origin and the birthplace of the poet Giovanni Boccaccio. Inside the ancient village, located on a higher level than the modern town, you can visit the home of the famous poet with his library specializing in all the editions and translations of the Decameron. In "Certaldo Alto" you should visit also the Palazzo Pretorio with the frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli.
In July the medieval center of Certaldo comes to life with tightrope walkers, acrobats, storytellers, creating an atmosphere suspended in time in this beautiful and evocative town. These 5 evenings represent the most important Italian festival dedicated to street theater: Mercantia.