Lynnaustin

Tivoli is a must for engineers.

Peter_S_Aus

I would suggest that, looking at your schedule, your Critical Path incorporates Negative Float.

The leaning tower is on a par with the film of the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridge - interesting, for about ten minutes.

There's more interesting engineering in Venice - the Campanile in San Marco having its pile cap constrained with titanium rods, and strain gauged, for example.

dreamon

A few years ago I travelled in northern Italy, spending only 2 or 3 nights in each place, as you are. Although I would certainly have liked longer, I still had a wonderful holiday. The trick is to accept that you can only see a limited number of things. I can see why you want to see Pisa - Enjoy!

stepsbeyond

jabolla,

I only suggested you drop the Vatican because of how you described yourselves. I thought you might be doing it out of guilt. If you want to see it, go!

stepsbeyond

I'm stunned that people who can't see the beauty in the tower in Pisa open their mouths about it all. Along with its neighboring Duomo and bapistery in the justly named "field of miracles", it is in and of itself one of Italy's greatest aesthetic accomplishments, a fabulously gorgeous piece of architecture.

The fact that it leans attracts all sorts of bozos to the site who just are there for 10 minutes to take a goofy picture and go. But I've enjoyed my time there more than I've ever enjoyed the Vatican. Or Venice.

Senga

We were in Italy last May. We spent 3 nights in Rome (2 at the start, 1 at the end), 4 nights in Amalfi, 3 nights in Florence (with a 4 hour stop in Pisa) and 4 nights Santa Margherita Ligure (one day spent travelling to all the Cinque Terre towns). It was so relaxing and we really thought we got a good feel for the places we visited without being exhausted at the end of the trip. I would skip Boboli Gardens and visit the free rose garden in Rome which will be opened when you are there. Whatever you decide to do you'll enjoy it!

Lexma90

On your Vatican visit, yes of course, dash through if that's all the time you have - on this visit! I'll bet you return.

On our most recent visit to Rome, we booked tickets in advance for the Vatican, and got a 9 am entrance time - on a Saturday, the first weekend of October. We arrived at the Museums shortly before that time, walked past the very, very long line to purchase tickets, showed our voucher to the guard, and were admitted. Once inside, we picked up our tickets and were on our way.

At that time of day, the museum was not so crowded. You could easily walk through the Museums to the Sistine Chapel.

charnees

I do think everything will take longer to do than you expect. But enough people have said that.

I suggest that in Florence you climb to the top of the dome of the Duomo. That's a real engineering experience. If you have not read "Brunelleschi's Dome", do so before you go.

jabolla

Good news - DH has given in and Pompeii can wait for the next trip. This will give us a full day in Rome and will simplify plans. And, we can visit the Vatican Mueseums on a day other than Saturday. We will definitely reserve our entry time for the Vatican Museums in advance - either the first entry time or one of the last. Is it true that crowds are less after lunch? If we stick to the one or two things that we have planned on seeing/doing, it will be a lovely trip.

charnees: Climbing the dome was on the "if there's time" list, and now there just may be. We'll definitely read Brunelleschi's Dome before the trip. Thanks.

Peter_S_Aus

I took an interest in campaniles in Venice – it’s the engineer in me, I suppose, and, given that I was not visiting Pisa, the concept of leaning – and falling – structures interested me, as it may interest the OP.

The campanile of Sant’ Angelo fell three times before they finally gave in and demolished it, the tower of San Georgio dei Greci leaned from its inception, and has caused concern since 1816. It serves as a great photo opportunity from the Ponte de la Pieta on the Rive degli Schiavoni, and must surely be digitally captured when it falls – there are photographers there all the time.

The San Marco campanile fell and was re-constructed, while, in 1515, the campanile of the Oratory of the Virgin, near San Giobbe, was trashed overnight by the monks of the adjacent monastery. They were so infuriated by the ringing of the bells they flattened it: they had to rebuild it at their own expense. I took a look – it’s near the Ponte de Tri Archi in Canneregio, and I couldn’t see where the new brickwork had been coursed in – but after all, it has been 500 years, and things weather.

The list to starboard on the Carmini campanile was solved by boring holes into the brick on three sides of the campanile, driving in wooden wedges, and then eating the wedges with acid, allowing the campanile to settle into the cavities. It’s been standing for 450 years since this treatment, and the responsible – and, one must allow, most brave – engineer is buried in the church.

The campanile of Sant’ Angelo was less fortunate. A Bolognese, one Aristotle, undertook to correct the lean, and they do know something about towers in Bologna. His method was secret, but involved excavating the foundations, and the lean was corrected. Until the scaffolding was removed, and the campanile collapsed. Aristotle fled to Moscow, where he built part of the Kremlin.

There is work being done now on the campanile of the Frari – the campanile structure was tied to the cathedral structure centuries ago, and now with differential settlement of the foundations, the campanile is pulling a chunk of fabric out of the cathedral. It’s delicate work, mapping the movement of the two structures relative to each other.

On Burano, the inclination to the south on the San Martino Vescovo campanile rivals the tower at Pisa, and when it falls, it will surely put the adjacent soccer pitch out of action for months. One can only hope there is not a game in progress at the time. Doubtless Buranese mothers have been warning their sons of the danger of the falling campanile for several centuries. Buranese males, being of an independent streak, will have been ignoring the warnings for the same period.

lmhornet

"Sorry, but your schedule is insane"

The very adjective I would have used. I would also add to the the insanity all the posts by people who have posted rplies about minor chances that will fix things.

rebroc1

I spent a day in Pisa. While a day was enough, I'm glad that I went for the tower, Duomo and Baptistery. That was a nice day. If you haven't been, I would suggest going. Even if you don't climb the tower, it is facsinating to just stare at from all angles.