Gelateria Dondoli is one of San Gimignano's most iconic culinary stops, transforming a simple…read moregelato into a memorable Tuscan experience. It is located in the heart of Piazza della Cisterna, the award-winning gelateria is known for its rich, ultra-creamy textures, high-quality local ingredients, and inventive flavors created by master gelato maker Sergio Dondoli. While classics like pistachio and chocolate are exceptional, the shop is especially famous for creative combinations such as saffron and pine nut cream or pink grapefruit with sparkling wine. We tried Rosemary Baby (Raspberry and Tuscan rosemary) and safron and pine nut cream gelato. Nothing like we ever tasted...The atmosphere is lively and energetic, with long lines that reflect its international reputation. We waited in line about 30 minutes but was well worth it. Despite the long line and higher prices, Gelateria Dondoli remains a must-visit destination. Enjoying a cone beneath the medieval towers of San Gimignano turned the experience into more than dessert...it becomes part of the town's charm, and unique character.

Gelateria Dondoli is one of those places that gets a lot of hype, and it definitely draws a crowd…read morein San Gimignano. When we visited, there was a line about 15 people deep out the door, but it moved reasonably quickly. They offer a wide range of unique flavors -- things like rosemary, lavender, and other creative combinations you don't usually see. It makes for a fun experience trying something different. All the flavors we tried were good, and overall the gelato was excellent. We've had some incredible gelato elsewhere in Italy, but this was still very enjoyable. Worth stopping in if you're in San Gimignano. Grab some and enjoy by the well in the center of the piazza.

The one saving grace walking to the top of the narrow cobblestone street of 13th century San…read moreGimignano, is there is a gelato shop. The main street was built with an uphill incline so all the water (and debris) would flow downhill. I presume it was also for defensive measures. GdO self proclaims itself to have the best gelato in the world. I wanted to try the saffron flavor that the tour guide recommended. The gelato was very good in texture. However, I really didn't taste the saffron. Mija & ITC ate gelato every night, and they said, very good, but not the best they had. Nonetheless, the staff is super friendly, and the line moves quickly. There is no seating, so we sat in the alleyway of an adjacent side street. GdO is a good place to stop and enjoy a gelato while you are exploring the medieval city of SG.

Lots of hype about this place but I honestly did not taste it. Clean location, friendly staff but…read morewe had better in Venice. The town is absolutely beautiful and the location of this place could not have been better. It was hot the day we visited so to cool off a gelato was in order. Just not a four or five star place.

The best gelato of my life! The basil lime is absolutely perfect. The pistachio butter was sublime…read more Wishing I lived in Italy just so I could eat this gelato regularly!!

Superb gelato. This was one of the best we had in Italy! The wait was about five minutes but that…read morewas ok since it was sooooo good. Most flavors had handwritten tags, so you know it's fresh!

pretty decent gelato! really sweet woman running the shop with standard gelato flavors. They won an…read moreaward for their mint gelato which was nice but it was more creamy than we expected and not really refreshing. It was still good, just not what we expected.

Great gelato, super friendly service. Their mint is quite authentic. For the main tourist drag it…read morewas our fave desert in town.

Disappointing coffee We stopped for coffee at this little…read morebar near the main gate. The coffee was quite bitter and watery - very disappointing!!

In San gimigano and you will find this in a few 5 steps after entering the main gate. They have…read moregelato, coffee and some food items. We stopped here for coffee and gelato and some cold beverages. The staff is friendly and they do have outdoor seating.

This gelato shop has some unique flavors to choose from, however, it was the least memorable gelato…read moreshop for me. I believe I picked the Nocciola (hazelnut) and A Serena (sheep milk ricotta, pine nuts, honey). We enjoyed our gelato outside the shop with a view of the Lungari Di Pisa.

t's a cute little gelato shop, right by the riverfront. Very limited seating capacity inside, no…read moreseats outside, although the street itself is pretty busy and noisy I don't think anyone would seat outside anyway. Service was excellent, ice cream was good, not the best we had, but the combinations were really interesting. Ask for flavors of the day

Hands down the best pistachio gelato I had in Italy. Nowhere else came close! Really creamy gelato…read moreand the perfect balance of flavours. The line wasn't bad when we went but I've heard it can get busy.

This gelateria is located on a quaint street in Florence. Not super busy, except when other people…read moresee folks in the store they start flooding in. They had delicious unique flavors like the Dubai chocolate and the creamy pistachio ricotta, family liked it so much they wanted it twice in our three days in Florence (we wanted to try a bunch of different gelato spots). We enjoyed the Nutella, Stracciatella, and cookies n cream flavors. Staff were very friendly. Small size was adequate as they overfill it well, although of course larger size in gelato speak is always better.

Intro: I was in Siena for Palio, the medieval horse race that takes place twice a year. It's a huge…read moredeal and that means Siena is going to be congested and a madhouse. An hour or so before Palio, I stopped by La Vecchia Latteria for a snack. Ambiance (2/5): This gelateria is pretty small, so given the timing, ordering was a bit of a mess. There's a small indoor area and the line was out of the door. Definitely a grab and go type spot instead of other ice cream shops that have plenty of seating and are bigger. No seating here. Service (3/5): Given the demand, they were trying to do the best they could by taking orders as quickly as possible. More of a controlled line would have been nice but they were working hard which is always appreciated. Drinks (N/A): Like most gelaterias, they have various soft drinks and water. I didn't order anything. Food (3.5/5): As usual, I went with the medium which allows you to select two flavors. I tend to go with a fruity flavor and a creamy flavor. The selection here is nice and consistent with the hundreds and hundreds of gelaterias that are spread out throughout Italy. Overall: Located in the heart of Siena, La Vecchia Latteria is one of the best and one of the oldest gelaterias in town. It makes for a good spot for a refreshing dessert on-the-go.

Great gelato spot in Siena. Short wait but well worth it. Tried some flavors but overall the…read moreflavors were delish. Would definitely come back and visit after some pasta

I got very lucky and there was a very short line when I visited (around 5pm on a thursday). They…read moreclose around 6 so that is maybe why there was no one. If the espresso bar side is closed, you can go to the gelato side and they have the pistachio and orignal there as well. The full menu is only available at the espresso bar. I ordered the hazelnut and it was delicious. I still dream of this affogato. Smooth, rich, perfect mix of sweetness and bitterness. I do think this is worth a stop if you are in Florence.

I heard about Vivoli from a couple of tourists whom I was standing in line with at one of…read moreFlorence's historical sites. I later saw a video about the same spot on Instagram. The seed was planted, so I made it a point to check out Vivoli when I was in the Saint Croce neighborhood. There appeared to be 3 queues at Vivoli: one for the cafe/bistro, one for the gelateria, and one specifically for affogato. I think it was possible to get the affogato from the first queue, but I stood in the affogato only line just to make sure. The queue moved pretty quickly. I probably waited around 15-20 minutes to place my order, which I did on a self-serve automated kiosk. I gave my ticket/receipt to a barista after paying, and then she started working on my drink right away. The process of making the affogato was very fast, and it was fun to watch. I noticed that unlike a regular affogato back in the USA, which is typically one big gelato scoop, Vivoli fills half a cappucino sized cup with gelato and then adds scoops around the edges to form a square shape. I got pistachio, so the gelato gets dipped into chopped pistachio bits. (The pistachio bits did add a nice texture.) Lastly, fresh espresso was poured in. Vivoli had a counter that could fit about 3-4 standing persons. Other than that, there's no where to sit inside the affogato storefront. Mostly everyone else tried to find a spot outside to enjoy their affogato. Although I did enjoy my affogato, I didn't find it particularly different than one I've tried back at home. It was just the prettiest.

This delicious gelato place is worth the calories! So adorable and the owner is beyond friendly…read more This place had many flavors to choose from and it's so incredibly inexpensive. Highly recommend!

We have been all over Italy. We visit every year and this is our favorite Gelateria in all of…read moreItaly! Gelato in general is good but the gate here is outstanding! My favorites; chocolate orange and pistachio