Call us <i><b>pazzo </b></i> (crazy).....

We just grabbed an incredibly low airfare and booked Italy (leaving in 2 weeks). We fly (from LAX) into Florence at 12:10pm on Monday, October 26. We leave out of Milan on Friday, November 6 at 10:50am.

Our main concentration for this trip will be exploring/relaxing and soaking in Cinque Terre (3 days there on the last trip was not enough!) and the Northern towns of the Italian Riviera. Since our airfare deal has us flying into Florence, we decided to show our son around and spend a couple days there while taking in a new sight-Lucca.

We took our first trip (3 weeks) to Italy 2 years ago (after <u>heavy duty</u> planning/research for 2+ years). This time we'll have our active 8 year old son in tow. He is resilient and a very easy traveler. He loves a variety of "adult" foods, hiking, museums, and art. We enjoy traveling on the go and bouncing from place to place works well with us.

(our last trip...we did Venice, Florence, CT and Tuscany. We had seen Uffizi, David, Piazzale Michelangelo, Santa Croce Church, Duomo, Leaning tower-Pisa, Hiked all CT villages.)

I've already begun researching and narrowing down available accomodations in Florence and Lucca. We're looking for something "Italian" as quaint/clean in the 90-100 Euros range. (lower would be even better since its close to low season)

<b><u>LODGING</b></u>
Vernazza: Armanda Apartment (120E per night)
Lucca: Il Seminario B & B, Residenza Centro Storico, ???
Florence: Hotel Cestelli, B & B Bonsignori, ???

So far, here's our plan. Would kindly ask for critique, suggestions, advice...

<b>Monday, October 26: Florence</b>
*settle into Florence. relax, walk around and take in the city, eat gelato,
*see "David" in late afternoon (our son can't wait to meet him...seriously!)

<b>Tuesday, October 27: Florence</b>
*climb to top of Duomo
*visit Florence American Cemetery
*Science Museum &/or Palazzo Strozzi (Galileo exhibit)
*more gelato
*sunset at Piazza Michelangelo

<b>Wednesday, October 28: Lucca</b>
*leisure morning. walk the Arno. maybe Fiesole (if we stay 2 nights in Lucca and train there late afternoon)
*train to Lucca
*check out the historical center, piazza, churches, etc.
*walk/bike ride the walls
*climb the tower
*excellent Luccan cuisine
*more gelato

<b>Thursday, October 29: Lucca </b>
*more exploring
*sitting in cafes
*eating more good food/gelato

<b>Friday, October 30: Pisa-Vernazza </b>
*leisure morning
*train to Pisa (store luggage at train station)
*climb to top of tower (get advance tix)....can't leave Italy w/out a pic of son at tower.
*eat lunch
*explore Pisa on foot
*train to Vernazza

<b>October 30-November 5-Cinque Terre</b>
6 nights at Armanda apartment in Vernazza
*hike the 5 villages (weather permitting)
*explore the other villages
*possible day trips to Camogli, Sestri Levante, Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, Recco, Rapallo, Genoa. (we will narrow this down once we get advice/research)

<b>Thursday, November 5</b>
*late afternoon train to Milan
*Novotel or First Hotel in Malpensa

<b>Friday, November 6</b>
(sad) free shuttle to airport; back to reality-home.

<b><u>Questions:</b></u>
*Can Lucca be best explored in just one night and 2 full days or 2 nights?

*If we do Lucca for one night, should we spend a night (11/4) in more Northern towns (Camogli, Santa M., etc.) to explore those villages while moving closer towards Milan?

*Any suggestions on must-do's in Lucca/Pisa (besides the obvious)?

*Any suggestions on musts in the towns above CT?

*recommended lodging in less that 100E range in Lucca/Florence for family of 3?

*kid stuff to not miss?

This board and its members were priceless resources in making our last trip absolutely perfect!

Grazie mille.

Regarding Lucca, I think you can certainly take in the high points (all of which you mention) of the city in one night. When I visited, we arrived at lunch time and left the next day at 2pm, and felt that we got to see and experience everything we came for.

Regarding your hotel budget, consider Hotel Illaria. It was higher than the 100E you list, but it included a very good breakfast, bikes, and there is an all day bar that has drinks and snacks. The costs for these items might make it worth paying a higher base rate for the hotel.

Thank you. Hotel Illaria looks very lovely. It is going for E159 for 3 of us, which is more than we wanted to spend, but will consider it.

Just bringing this to the top for other comments from Fodorites.

Regarding the Hotel Illaria, I was just impressed with the free bikes to use - I'm not sure how much bikes would rent for, but if it was something like 10E each, it might just be worth it for the ease.

Enjoy your trip!

In Florence you might want to visit the toy shop on Via Camillo Cavour - from the Duomo follow the buses down Via de Martelli which becomes Camillo Cavour. From the Duomo it is about 4 to 5 minute walk. The shop stocks every toy to suit any age & will delight your son. Prices are reasonable too.

David will be closed on Monday.

kybourbon-thx for the heads up!

johng-we'll add the toy shop to the list. grazie.

In Pisa on the way to the tower, there is a church that claims to have a thorn from the crown of thorns. It is no longer held in the church by the river as stated in guide books. It is in a chapel next to the hospital - go past the police station, opposite the horticultural gardens, then you will see the hospital entrance, carry on along the road past the hospital & on the left there is an entrance way with turnstiles - they were open & free to enter the Sunday we went, in the courtyard go left & the chapel entrance is there. The thorn is held in a glass display - 11 o'clock to the door entrance.
As this is on the way to the tower which is at the top of the street it will not take you off your route.
My son has a collection of 1 cents with impressions of the leaning tower, the Duomo, Piazza Navona, Spanish steps & a few others to go with the ones from New York & Paris. The machines are dotted around major attractions or train stations.

johngerard - My daughter smashed coins all over Europe when she was younger. I think she still has them.

Your son will just be old enough to be allowed to climb the tower, but with restrictions. You probably should warn him in advance since he might not like it.

>>Children under the age 8 are not allowed under any circumstances on these visits
Children between 8 and 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult and held by hand all the time
Teenagers between 12 and 18 years of age are allowed on the tower only if accompanied by responsable adults <<

In Lucca La Romea BB might be in your price range, not sure. I paid 90 Euros 3 yrs ago. I love Lucca, I would suggest a two night stay there.

loved the Hotel de Ville in Florence .
in Lucca, rent bikes and ride on the wall
I'd skip Pisa
Pienza/Volterra and Sienna are wonderful
eat a lot of wonderful Gellatto

Thank you all. We'll do 2 nights in Lucca. We did Pienza and Siena on our last trip and loved both.