Day Trip from Florence (Feb 4, 2025)

Congratulations if you guessed Pisa as the destination for our day trip.  It was only 88 km (55 mi) from Florence--and the train tickets were cheap--so we decided to go.  

On the train.

Pisa train station

It took about an hour to get there, and we each had a coffee and a pastry across the street from the station (it's become a habit).  The infamous tower is 1.7 km (just over a mile) from the station so we took a city bus which was easy since the bus station is right beside the train station.   They also allowed you to tap your credit card to pay, so it was all very convenient.  We were also checked by ticket inspectors--which had me nervous since the machine did not issue us a ticket--but the inspector was able to scan my card to determine payment.  I didn't know they could do that.  Then (since we obviously look like tourists) she helpfully told us that we were at the stop for the tower.

Approaching the tower.  The baptistry and cathedral are first along the walkway.

Fe "holding" the tower

Both of us and the tower

Putti fountain and tower

Looking back from the way we entered

We did not climb the tower or go into the cathedral and baptistry--a ticket that combined all three was 28 EUR (about 30 USD) per person--since we'd climbed many towers and seen quite a few cathedrals on this trip already.

Outside this complex was an area for souvenir sellers which also had a McDonald's:

Pisa McDonald's

The first tiramisu we'd ever had at a McDonald's.  It was pretty good.

The souvenir area with a view of the old city wall.

Of course, there is more to Pisa than the tower so we decided to walk back to the station.

View over the Arno River

Santa Maria della Spina church

View along the side

Piazza Vittorio Emanuel II

Carousel in the square

We finally got back to the station and rode back to Florence.  I'll admit I napped on the trip--but I was startled awake by another ticket inspector.  I am glad we remembered to validate our train tickets before boarding since I think the fine is a couple hundred euros.  I've read that a lot of tourists get caught making that mistake, so consider this your PSA.

Florence Sights (Feb 3, 2025)

As I've written before, this trip is not like any other we have taken.  That means doing laundry when we can, eating out less often, not buying so many souvenirs--otherwise, watching the budget more carefully.  Sometimes, instead of starting first thing in the morning we start touring in the afternoon--and that's what we did today so we could see Florence at sunset.

Riverside view

Street View

Street view

Looking downstream to the Ponte Vecchio

Palazzo Nasi Quaratesi

Tower of San Niccolò.  I would've climbed it bit it was closed.

The point of today's journey was to go to Piazzalle Michelangelo and the tower was located near the beginning of the path to the top of the hill where it's located.

View of the Cathedral (Duomo) on the way up.

View at the top.  Now I know where all those pictures you see online were taken.

Bronze replica of Michelangelo's David in the plaza.

Here we are

Florence at sunset

Another view

View of the bridges over the Arno

Silhouette of  David

The climb wasn't steep but it was long, although I am very glad we did it.  The views were amazing and I think we got some good pictures.  Once it got dark everyone started leaving (we weren't the only ones with this idea) and we took a bus back to the apartment.  Money well spent, and that includes the focaccia we got for dinner at the place next door.

A trip to a famous nearby town is on the agenda for tomorrow.  Can you guess which one?

Walking Around in Florence (Feb 2, 2025)

Our first full say in Florence was a Sunday and that's the best time to take a walk around town (IMHO).  Since the city is the birthplace of the Renaissance, there is a lot to see.

View across the Ponte Santa Trinita.  Our place was just a few minutes walk from here.

Santa Trinita Church

View of Florence from across the Arno River

Chiesa di San Frediano

View of the Ponte Vecchio.  I haven't seen anything like this since I was in Bath (England) with my dad in 2010.

Chiesa di Santo Stefano al Ponte

Palazzo Lafrendini

The city is full of art--including modern pieces.  Albero della Pace by Andrea Roggi (2021), in memory of the victims of a 1993 car bombing.

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Orsanmichele church and museum (I went inside later).

Fe and the Palazzo Vecchio

Statues in the plaza

Fountain of Neptune

Entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio

Columns and fountain inside

Another view

Anna Maria Luisa de Medici.  She is credited with making Florence the city of art it is today.

Leather Market

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral)

Side of the cathedral showing the dome

Fe and I in front of Giotto's Bell Tower

Piazza della Repubblica

Fe and the Triumphal Arch in the plaza

Fe and a view along the Via dello Studio

Closeup of the Ponte Vecchio

Walking along the bridge

Monument to Benvenuto Cellini, Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author

All this on the first day and I can't help but think we just scratched the surface.  We both had a great time looking around and I'm thinking that this city is beating out Rome on my favorite list.  Shocking, I know, but Florence is beautiful--wherever we look it's something new to see.  There are a lot of tourists here so it may be geared to that, but I have to wonder what it would be like to see this every day.  Tomorrow, we'll dig a little deeper.