The triangular Piazza della Cisterna is the lower of the two linked squares at the heart of San Gimignano, and the more atmospheric of the pair. Towers lean in from three sides, the paving stones are worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic, and the 13th-century well sits in the middle like the axle around which the whole town revolves. It's the natural place to stop and get your bearings when you first arrive.
The best time to be here is early morning, before the tour groups come through the gate, when the light catches the travertine and the towers cast long shadows across the square. The café terraces are pleasant for a coffee; in the evening the piazza fills with people and the towers are softly lit.