Italy
La Dolce Vita
Florence Travel Journal
May 22
Day 5 - On To Florence
A big day today – A travelling day – we head to Florence.
We are up early and catch the Vaporetta from the Rialto Mercato stop to Ferrovia which is just outside the Santa Lucia train station. We catch the high speed train for the 2hr journey to Florence. The train ride is comfortable and uneventful. I’m not sure how fast the train actually goes, however there were some sections where the countryside was passing by at a fast pace. We arrive, before noon, at Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. The train station is about a 15-20 minute walk to our accommodation – another Airbnb booking. We are met near the accommodation by our host Elisabetta, a lovely lady who greets us warmly and makes us feel very welcome. We are shown to our 3rd floor apartment and it is really nice and comfortable with all the amenities you need. Our Airbnb experience is great so far. The apartment is in a really great location, central to all the major tourist sites and landmarks. Within an 5 minute walk are the Ponte Vecchio (Bridge), the Piazza Della Signoria, the Uffizi Gallery and the Florence Catherdral (Il Duomo). How great is that!
During the afternoon, we set out to explore Florence and do a lot of walking.
We initially head towards the Il Duomo but don’t go inside. We spend time walking around it but do visit the Il Duomo museum, which houses many historic paintings and sculptures. We also go inside the Bell Tower that adjoins the Cathedral. There is no convenient elevator in this Bell Tower, so instead we climb the 414 steps to get to the top of the Tower. The views at the top are amazing. There are no skyscrapers in Florence, so your view is unimpeded and on a bright summer’s afternoon the scenery is worth the climb. From the top you also look across to the top of the dome of the Cathedral. You can also climb the Dome and get similar views.
We then walk to the nearby Piazza Della Signoria, a famous square and meeting place in Florence. Adjoining the square is the Loggia Dei Lanzi within which are some magnificent sculptures as well as the Uffizi Gallery. The Vecchio Palace is also located here. Outside of which stands a replica of the Statue of David. It stands where the original was placed before it was relocated to the Galleria Dell’Accademia for restoration and preservation. The Fountain of Neptune is also in the square outside the Vecchio Palace. Legend has it that after Bartolomeo Ammannati had completed his sculpture, Michelangelo’s appraisal was that it was a waste of marble. It looks incredible to me but somehow I think Michelangelo might have known a little more (well a lot more really) about sculpture than me!
We also take a first look at the Ponte Vecchio (Bridge) that spans the Arno river. We take a brief walk across the bridge but don't spend much time there. We will come back another day. We continue to wander the nearby streets for the rest of the afternoon/early evening before heading back to our apartment.
In the evening we have beer and Pizza for dinner – my two favourite food groups. We also walk around to see some of Florence at night. Oh and get some gelato as well.
A really good day – saw many sites and Florence is very easy to get around with all the major attractions close to one another.
May 23
Day 6 - Day Trip to Siena
Today we plan to take a trip to visit the Tuscan town of Siena. However first we want to go on the climb up the Florence Cathedral (Il Duomo) Dome.
We are up early to and take the 10 minute walk to the Cathedral. We want to get in early and beat the crowds. On many occasions, during the peak seasons, tickets sell out for the day so if you try to go in the afternoon, then you may not be able to get a ticket to go in. We get there at about 8:10am and quite a few people obviously have the same idea. The line is not too long so that is not too bad. The Dome climb opens at 8:30am, so we don’t have a long time to wait. The queue builds up quickly after we get there. We are one of the first groups to go in. Like the Bell Tower, there is no elevator to the top, it is a stair climb that winds its way all the way up. It’s a relatively steep climb and if needed there are several places to stop on the way up. Some of these stops have openings so you can get a first glimpse of the surrounds as you climb.
Before you get to the top, you are directed along a path that takes you back inside the Cathedral Building and nearer to the top of the Dome. It is effectively the base of the Dome. You then need to walk half way around the Dome before you can start climbing again. This is great, because you are now much closer to the top of the Dome and get a relatively close up view of the artwork that lines the inside of the Dome. The artwork depicts scenes including Gods, Kings and fairly inappropriate scenes involving the devil.
As you start the climb again the steps and passageway gets narrower. At last we reach the top and walk outside. The top of the Dome is a little higher than the Bell Tower which you see quite clearly from the Dome. Donna is nervous with heights so is keen to keep to the inside of the path around the top of the Dome. However she ventures out to look near the edge on a couple of occasions. The view of Florence is very similar but definitely worth another look.
Coming down from the Dome is definitely easier than the climb, but by now the stairwell is crowded and we have to squeeze past the ascending tourists in some places while waiting your turn to proceed in other spots. When we get back to the base of the Dome, the exit stairs are separated making it much easier to go down the stairs.
Now we journey to Siena. We make our way over to the Bus Station which is hidden behind the Santa Maria Novella train station. We catch the express bus to Siena which takes about 1hr 20mins
Siena is a medieval town that was once a rival to Florence. It has narrow stone streets and curving street scapes.
The hill top is adorned by the Siena Cathedral – a grand Basilica of green and white marble. The Cathedral also has an adjacent Bell Tower and Museum.
Nearby we find ourselves at the local square – the Piazza Del Campo. It’s a very beautiful square and meeting place that is lined with shops, restaurants and a clock tower (Mangia Tower) all housed in ancient buildings. There is also a Fountain (Fonte Gaia), shaped like a small swimming pool which attracts many people to it. The Piazza is filled with tourists, as expected, and we also stop here for lunch, and of course, some gelato as well.
After lunch, we continue to wander the streets of Siena which are lined with many old sites and buildings full of character. There are also many churches in Siena just like most Italian towns, it seems. Donna does some leather jacket shopping and finds a suede leather jacket that fits perfectly. We also come across a bakery where we buy some cream and sugar filled pastries – they are magnificent. Siena is wonderfully ancient scenic town with a history and buildings dating back many centuries. However sadly it is time to head back to Florence. We find the bus station and catch the bus back. This time we catch the non-express bus which takes about 20 mins longer than the express bus but stops at a couple of other towns on the way back.
Once in Florence again we head back to our apartment for a rest with some beer/wine and cheese.
Later that evening we head out again and find a local restaurant, Gustaleo, for dinner. I have Carbonara for entrée and Scaloppine for main. Donna has mussels for entrée and Norwegian lobster pasta for main. Once Donna’s main arrives we then understand that Norwegian lobster looks very similar to our yabbies and not at all like we were expecting. The food is really good and we have a great meal.
So the end of yet another wonderful day – it was great to see some more of Tuscany and our Italian trip is just one great historic site after another, with still plenty more to come.
May 24
Day 7 - Exploring Florence and Leather Jacket Shopping
Once again up early and have breakfast in our apartment. Today we plan to explore in and around Florence. Everywhere we want to go is within walking distance so it will be easy to get around.
First site to visit is the Pitti Palazzo (Palace). To get to the Pitti Palace we need to go across to the other side of the Arno river. We walk across the Ponte Vecchio to get there. We get there for the 8:15am opening. There is virtually no one there, no queues to join, so we gain entry as soon as we arrive. It costs €13 each to get in and that includes entry to the Palatine gallery, Royal Apartments and the Modern Art museum. All are housed in the Palazzo and contain an incredible amount of artwork, statues and sculptures, grand frescos, beautiful tables and other furniture and of course, amazing ornate guilded ceilings. Another spectacular site.
After the art saturation from the Pitti Palace we take the 20-25 minute walk up the hill to the Piazzale Michelangelo. To get there we walk along the Arno river. The river is free flowing and really no different in colour to our Yarra river at home – a nice brown colour! As we have walked around Florence we have noticed a really large number of small vehicles (just like the Smart Car). Given the narrow streets and very un-grid like pattern of the streets, these seems a very simple way to get around Florence. Parking is very easy as well. We follow the signs and head up a long wide set of steps to get up to the top of the hill and the Piazzale.
The Piazzale is a lookout high above the river and the city. From here you can get a wonderful view of Florence. The Il Duoma, Vecchio Palace, Ponte Vecchio are all in good sight. There are also some small market stalls selling souvenirs and we buy some T-shirts. There is also another copy of the statue of David in the Piazzale. So now we have seen 2 copies of David but are yet to see the real thing – that will come tomorrow. This is a great spot to take some photos of Florence and get those wonderful landscape shots of the city. We spend about 45 minutes here looking around, taking in the wonderful views and trying to capture them on photo. On our way back we stop at a local ‘Conad’ supermarket and buy some pasta and sauce for dinner being inspired to try some of the fresh pasta while in Italy.
We stop back at our apartment to drop off our groceries and have some lunch washed down with a beer. Then back out to explore further.
The ‘New Market’ is near our apartment and we wander through the Piazza Della Signoria to get there. Each day we make several trips through the Piazza, seeing the fabulous sculptures on display – just amazing. The New Market is not very big and we wander through it. There are lots of leathergoods – jackets, bags, luggage, belts wallets. Although we see several items that we like, we don’t buy anything.
We then head back to towards the Il Duomo.
But first we visit the Bittistero, also known as the Baptistery of Saint John, which adjoins the Cathedral. The Battistero is where baptisma used to be performed. The building is about 1000 years old and is octagonal in shape clad with green and white marble. The interior is fairly empty and sparse however the domed roof is adorned with artwork as are the walls. The Battistero has famous bronze doors to the south and east side. The doors are constructed of a series of panels each depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist.
After the Battistero we head across to the Il Duomo. This is the main Cathedral in Florence and absolutely dominates the Piazza. Photos just don’t seem to capture the massive size of this imposing building. We take another wander around the building before we go inside. The Il Duomo is clad in a combination of pink, green and white marble which is just stunning. There are some sections that are undergoing a clean/restoration process to bring them back to their brilliant vibrant colour. Inside the Cathedral does not have the immediate impact of the St Mark’s Basilica, however it is still a sight to behold and a truly magnificent example of architecture. As expected it is very busy with tourists inside the Cathedral however we don’t feel crowded and are able to wander around freely to explore the inside.
Below the Cathedral is the excavation of the older remnants of the church. It is now an archaeological site. We are able to access this area and go down to have a look. It is well laid out with a lot explanation of what the current site would have looked like in centuries past.
After the Cathedral we head back through the Piazza Della Signoria to apartment for a short break. We then walk back towards the Arno river and head towards the Ponte Vecchio. Given Florence is the home of leather goods, we are on the lookout to get some leather jackets to take home. We have been on lookout throughout our time in Florence however we haven’t the bright jackets just yet. We cross the Ponte Vecchio and go to a leather shop on the street corner just over the Bridge. We had looked here previously and decided to go back. Given it is still in the afternoon it is not too busy and we have plenty of time to look. We both find jackets we like, I get a brown jacket while Donna gets a black jacket.
After getting our jackets we go back to our apartment to catch-up on news etc. We cook the fresh pasts we bought earlier in the day for dinner. This pasta is really good and it is really noticeable how must tastier the fresh pasta is.
After dinner we wander out again to see Florence at night. We make our way to see the Basilica of Santa Croce. There is certainly no shortage of churches to visit in Florence. It is cool out so we wear our leather jackets.
As we head towards the Piazza Della Signoria, we hear loud music. At the front of the Vecchio Palace, we discover that there is a dress rehearsal for an operatic show (the next night) taking place. We spend some time watching the show. The Piazza, as expected is bustling with people and with it all lit up, it looks great.
The courtyard under the Vecchio Palace is open so we wander in to take a look and also to take some photos.
From the Vecchio Palace we continue walking through some of the main streets of Florence doing a bit of window shopping. Along the way we, of course, stop for some more gelato and Donna window shops for a Gucci handbag.
Finally, we also walk back to the Arno river to see the Ponte Vecchio lit up at night before heading back to our apartment.
Florence is such an easy city to get around and with so much history nearby, you just run out of superlatives to describe the city as well as our trip to date.
May 25
Day 8 - Art Overload
Today will be another full day – this time seeing some historic artwork. We will see the real statue of David as well as visit the Ufizzi gallery. One again we are up early – you have to make the most of the short time you have in Florence.
We have a pre-booked time of 8:15 am to get into the Galleria Del’Accademia which houses the real Statue of David. The Galleria is about a 20 minute walk from our apartment and we get there a little before 8am. There is already sizable queue of people waiting to buy tickets. Fortunately we have pre-booked tickets so join the queue of people who have already booked their tickets. This queue is quite small and we are one of the first few groups in line. The Galleria opens at 8am however it is closer to 8:15am before people are let in.
The line of people with the pre-booked tickets are let in first which is great. To get in you need to go through an airport like security check first. Once inside we immediately go to see the statue of David before seeing anything else in the Galleria. We are let in first with a small group of people. There are very few people gathered around David and I think it remains that way for the first 15 minutes or so. This fantastic as you are able to get some clear photos and really enjoy the viewing of David without the crowds. Would definitely recommend pre-booking tickets for the first session of the day – it is well worth it.
Once the crowds start to arrive we decide to move on and see some of the other major artwork and sculptures within the Galleria. We have a Rick Steve’s audio guide which we use to take us on a tour of the galleria. It works really well and provides some great insight to the artwork within the galleria.
The galleria contains other ‘less famous’ sculptures by Michelangelo including some famous unfinished sculptures. The galleria also house the plaster cast mold for the famous ‘Rape of the Sabines’ sculpture. The original marble sculpture is located at the Loggia Dei Lanzi (which adjoins the Piazza Della Signoria).
There are also many other sculptures, statues, paintings different centuries on display within the Galleria. Most are from churches and as expected, depict religious scenes. The Galleria also has some unusual musical instruments and what is believed to be the first upright piano. We spend about 1.5 to 2 hours at the Galleria. We take a final look at David before we head out of the Galleria.
Located near the Galleria is the San Lorenzo market. The market is well known in Florence, particularly for leather goods. It is a collection of small stalls all packed together over several streets. There is also an indoor area containing fresh fruit, vegetables, meat deli products and food stalls. Upstairs are restaurants and bars. It’s a really nice area. In the food market I tried some almond biscuits called Cantuccini. I had never had them before, they are great! We stop here for lunch. After lunch we continue wandering the market and visit a few more leather shops
On the way back to our apartment we stop by yet another church, this time the Basilica di San Lorenzo. It is not as spectacular or ornate as some of the churches we have seen, but it has its own history and charm.
We have a 4pm reservation to get into the Ufizzi gallery. It is only a few minutes walk from our apartment so we don’t have far to go. Inside is an overwhelming number of painting, sculptures, statues and other artwork. We wander through exhibitions from artists including Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Botticelli, Reubens, Rembrandt – to name just those I remember. You can certainly understand why the Ufizzi is deemed one of the great and most important art galleries in the world. We spend about 2.5 hours at the gallery – though you could easily spend all day or longer.
That night we head out for dinner at a local restaurant before calling it a day.
Another good day – saw plenty of historic artwork, however for me seeing the towering sculpture of David was the highlight.
May 26
Day 9 - Day Trip to Pisa & Lucca
Another day to look forward to – visiting Pisa to see and climb the Leaning Tower as well as going to see the historic walled town of Lucca.
We are up at 6:30am to catch the 7:38 train to Pisa. The train trip takes about 50mins – 1hr. We have a 9:30 booking to go into the leaning tower and climb the stair to the top. We arrive at Pisa Centrale station and head straight to the Piazza Dei Miracoli, where the leaning tower is located. It’s about a 25 minute walk. We arrive at the Piazza to see beautiful lush green lawn within which is the Leaning tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the museum. On a bright summer’s morning, the view is spectacular of the lawn against the wonderful white marble buildings.
We take some photos before we need to get ready for the climb up the tower. Of course, we have to take the obligatory photos of arms raised trying to hold the tower up. That just a mandatory in visiting the Leaning Tower and who are we to break with tradition. Though it really does take a long time to try and line the photos up.
We are ready for our 9:30 climb up the tower. Numbers are limited and groups are let in every 15-20 minutes, so it is not crowded at all. We climb the steps and you can notice the lean of the tower.
The climb is not as high or as arduous as the Il Duomo Dome or Bell Tower. We get to the top and it is very open however there is protective wire all around the top. The view of Pisa is great. It also has no tall buildings blocking the view. The view of the Piazza down below is also fantastic.
We spend about 20 minutes or so at the top taking photos and video. It is then time to go down.
After we leave the tower we spend more time walking around the Piazza. We go into the Cathedral. Inside the Cathedral is another example of wonderful architecture. The walls are lined with large paintings and the roof is engraved and golden. The huge doors of the Cathedral are made of brass and have 3D scenes in its panels.
After we have finished exploring the Piazza we head back into the main centre of Pisa. The Arno river also flows through Pisa and provides some good photo opportunities. We spend a little more time wander the main streets of Pisa before we head back to the train station to take the trip to Lucca.
The train ride to Lucca takes about 30 minutes. The station is just outside the main walls of Lucca. Lucca is an ancient walled town which is still intact. We climb the stairs to the top of the wall to go into the city centre. Lucca is really beautiful town, though so is every other Italian town we have been to. We stop for lunch at a café and have kebabs which are really good. So far, in both Venice and Florence, we have not noticed many non-Italian food restaurants or cafes.
We walk toward the city centre and arrive at the Guinigi Tower. At the top of the tower is roof garden with mature trees growing there. You can clearly see the trees from street level below the tower. We climb to the top to see the garden but also to take in the view. The view is great, as expected.
From here, we walk to the Piazza Anfiteatro. This is a circular courtyard surrounded by restaurants and shops. Entry is through one of 2 big archways. In ancient times, this was the site of a Roman theatre. There are areas and some remnant stonework from those ancient times still visible. Here we stop for gelato.
We continue wandering the streets which are fascinating and come across numerous beautiful sites and buildings. We head back to the wall to hire bicycles. The wall is very broad and can hold cars although they are not allowed to be driven on the wall. The top of the wall is major meeting place as well as a place for people to jog and walk. We hire bikes for an hour and ride at a leisurely pace along the top of the wall. The path along the top is lined with trees and there are also areas of parkland to stop and relax.
The ride is about 4.5 kms and at our leisurely pace takes about 40 minutes. The path is mainly flat and easy to ride. It is a really beautiful part of Lucca.
Lucca is an absolute gem of a town in Italy, I could happily spend several days in Lucca. Sadly we need to head back to Florence. We catch the 4:30pm train and arrive back in Florence about 5:50pm. We stop by the supermarket for food to have for dinner back in our apartment.
It is our last night in Florence so we want to make the most of it. We once again head out after dinner to soak up the nightlife of Florence.
We wander through several streets and go through the Piazza Della Republicca, a nice area with restaurants and a carousel ride. The streets are vibrant and full of people. Florence is a very pretty city at night. We also find our way back towards the San Lorenzo market area. Donna has been looking constantly for a red leather jacket. There are a few leather shops open so this is Donna’s last chance to get a red leather jacket in Florence. As it so happens, they have just the jacket Donna is looking for and so she gets her 3rd leather jacket of the holiday. Although I was not looking for another jacket, I can’t walk away empty handed, so I also get another jacket as well. Mine is a vintage brown colour, which is more a casual leather jacket than a dressy leather jacket. With our jackets in hand we finally head back to the apartment. On the way we walk past the Il Duomo which is beautifully lit up at night. Our final look.
Florence is such a wonderful city and getting out to see some of the neighbouring towns has also been special. I really hope to come back to Florence some day.