Trip Report - Tuscany & Cinque Terre - June 2010
Jul 20th, 2010, 01:35 PM
#1
Original Poster
Trip Report - Tuscany & Cinque Terre - June 2010
I’d like to thank those who answered my questions and gave their opinions. Needless to say they contributed to a great trip.
Preamble
In the past our European trips have consisted of 2-5 days in 2-5 larger locations with a few daytrips. We’ve never been on a tour nor have we ever rented a car.
My wife suffers from motion sickness but is not affected by train travel. We have always kept bus travel to an absolute minimum. Since this trip had a fair number of bus rides planned my wife went fortified with wrist bands and Dramamine. Something must have worked as she made it thru the trip.
Now that we are getting a bit older and want to reduce luggage carrying, we decided to base ourselves in Florence for the entire 10 days and go on daytrips for 6 of those days. Two of the daytrips were actually overnighters and we took small backpacks. We kept our hotel room in Florence during these overnighters.
Weather
We arrived to clouds and essentially, those were the only ones we saw for the entire trip. Since we live in South Florida we are accustomed to hot weather. However, walking in 85 plus degree weather all day was a bit draining. However, I’ll take it any time over rain or cold.
Hotels
Since we planned on taking numerous daytrips, we wanted to be close to the train station. Following some positive comments here, I selected the Hotel Universo in Piazza Santa Maria Novella. It’s located right beside the front entrance to the church.
The construction in the piazza has been completed and this is now a very desirable location with crowds congregating in the evenings. Even though we had a front room facing the square the only noise we really heard was the early morning street cleaner.
The hotel has been renovated within the past few years. The rooms were very clean and the breakfast was more than adequate.
We’ve been in small rooms before. However, a hanging rack with six hangers was the only clothes storage provided. No drawers or shelves. If we were staying for a night or maybe two that may not have been an issue considering the positives. But living out of a suitcase for ten days was a bit much.
Also, it probably would have been good if I (I’m 5’8” tall) could sit on the toilet seat without hitting my head on the opposite wall.
The night-time desk clerk not only didn’t speak any English but I believe he hung up on calls we may have received (remember a 6 hour difference between Florence and the US east coast).
For the first overnighter we stayed at Hotel Firenze Continentale in La Spezia. This turned out to be an excellent choice. It’s a nice hotel with an excellent breakfast served in a sunny breakfast room. Considering it’s less than 100 yards from the train station our back-facing room was absolutely quiet.
We stayed at Antica Residenza Cicogna in Siena. It’s a nice B&B located a few short blocks from Il Campo. The rooms have been recently renovated and the breakfast was reasonably good. The only negative is that the owners are not there after 1PM. They give you a key to the front door and another for your room. I called several hours before arriving to tell them when to expect us since it was in the early evening when they are not normally there. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving our small backpacks in an unmonitored hotel so we carried them during the day. They were light so it wasn't an issue.
The actual owner had just given birth to her second child so it was her father (complete with Contrade (Siena has about 17 districts known as contrades) flag on his shoulders) who met us.
Restaurants
I went armed with a list of recommended restaurants. We never used any of them since we chose based on where we were, the menu and the restaurant being at least 2/3 full but with no wait.
In ten days we revisited two restaurants and had ten very good dinners in all of them. Service was friendly and pleasant in all of them. Favorites were outdoor terraces affording us a chance to people-watch while dining.
Crime/Pickpockets
Several years ago I changed my strategy from one of depending on luck to one of being a poor target.
I keep virtually nothing in my pockets other than a street map and about 20E. I have a small flat pouch the hangs from my belt loop and slips down the inside of my pants. This contains my credit card, driver’s license and a bit more cash.
Extra cash and our passports are kept in a money belt that is only accessed in the hotel room.
My reasoning is that I am a tourist and they are professionals. They have an obvious advantage.
We were not the victims of any crime nor did we hear of any that took place.
Airline
Last September Swiss Airlines was running a seat sale. While we did not book immediately at the lowest we did book very early. The flights and connections were quite uneventful and smooth.
Telephone
I purchased a 5E Europa International telephone card. We used it in the decreasing number of public telephones and in our hotel room.
We made at least 10-12 calls and the card still had time on it when we left.
The only issue we had is that the # key is used to end various sequences and on too many phones this key had been over-used and stuck.
Just before ringing, an amount is given over the phone. “For this call you have xxx minutes. This amount would vary from a few minutes to several hours. No rhyme or reason that I could think of.
Local Transportation
Most of our travel was done by train and we had almost no problems. We never purchased tickets at the counter and almost always used the vending machine and paid by credit card. We never had a problem and only one small station vending machine required cash only.
Preamble
In the past our European trips have consisted of 2-5 days in 2-5 larger locations with a few daytrips. We’ve never been on a tour nor have we ever rented a car.
My wife suffers from motion sickness but is not affected by train travel. We have always kept bus travel to an absolute minimum. Since this trip had a fair number of bus rides planned my wife went fortified with wrist bands and Dramamine. Something must have worked as she made it thru the trip.
Now that we are getting a bit older and want to reduce luggage carrying, we decided to base ourselves in Florence for the entire 10 days and go on daytrips for 6 of those days. Two of the daytrips were actually overnighters and we took small backpacks. We kept our hotel room in Florence during these overnighters.
Weather
We arrived to clouds and essentially, those were the only ones we saw for the entire trip. Since we live in South Florida we are accustomed to hot weather. However, walking in 85 plus degree weather all day was a bit draining. However, I’ll take it any time over rain or cold.
Hotels
Since we planned on taking numerous daytrips, we wanted to be close to the train station. Following some positive comments here, I selected the Hotel Universo in Piazza Santa Maria Novella. It’s located right beside the front entrance to the church.
The construction in the piazza has been completed and this is now a very desirable location with crowds congregating in the evenings. Even though we had a front room facing the square the only noise we really heard was the early morning street cleaner.
The hotel has been renovated within the past few years. The rooms were very clean and the breakfast was more than adequate.
We’ve been in small rooms before. However, a hanging rack with six hangers was the only clothes storage provided. No drawers or shelves. If we were staying for a night or maybe two that may not have been an issue considering the positives. But living out of a suitcase for ten days was a bit much.
Also, it probably would have been good if I (I’m 5’8” tall) could sit on the toilet seat without hitting my head on the opposite wall.
The night-time desk clerk not only didn’t speak any English but I believe he hung up on calls we may have received (remember a 6 hour difference between Florence and the US east coast).
For the first overnighter we stayed at Hotel Firenze Continentale in La Spezia. This turned out to be an excellent choice. It’s a nice hotel with an excellent breakfast served in a sunny breakfast room. Considering it’s less than 100 yards from the train station our back-facing room was absolutely quiet.
We stayed at Antica Residenza Cicogna in Siena. It’s a nice B&B located a few short blocks from Il Campo. The rooms have been recently renovated and the breakfast was reasonably good. The only negative is that the owners are not there after 1PM. They give you a key to the front door and another for your room. I called several hours before arriving to tell them when to expect us since it was in the early evening when they are not normally there. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving our small backpacks in an unmonitored hotel so we carried them during the day. They were light so it wasn't an issue.
The actual owner had just given birth to her second child so it was her father (complete with Contrade (Siena has about 17 districts known as contrades) flag on his shoulders) who met us.
Restaurants
I went armed with a list of recommended restaurants. We never used any of them since we chose based on where we were, the menu and the restaurant being at least 2/3 full but with no wait.
In ten days we revisited two restaurants and had ten very good dinners in all of them. Service was friendly and pleasant in all of them. Favorites were outdoor terraces affording us a chance to people-watch while dining.
Crime/Pickpockets
Several years ago I changed my strategy from one of depending on luck to one of being a poor target.
I keep virtually nothing in my pockets other than a street map and about 20E. I have a small flat pouch the hangs from my belt loop and slips down the inside of my pants. This contains my credit card, driver’s license and a bit more cash.
Extra cash and our passports are kept in a money belt that is only accessed in the hotel room.
My reasoning is that I am a tourist and they are professionals. They have an obvious advantage.
We were not the victims of any crime nor did we hear of any that took place.
Airline
Last September Swiss Airlines was running a seat sale. While we did not book immediately at the lowest we did book very early. The flights and connections were quite uneventful and smooth.
Telephone
I purchased a 5E Europa International telephone card. We used it in the decreasing number of public telephones and in our hotel room.
We made at least 10-12 calls and the card still had time on it when we left.
The only issue we had is that the # key is used to end various sequences and on too many phones this key had been over-used and stuck.
Just before ringing, an amount is given over the phone. “For this call you have xxx minutes. This amount would vary from a few minutes to several hours. No rhyme or reason that I could think of.
Local Transportation
Most of our travel was done by train and we had almost no problems. We never purchased tickets at the counter and almost always used the vending machine and paid by credit card. We never had a problem and only one small station vending machine required cash only.
Jul 20th, 2010, 01:36 PM
#2
Original Poster
Day 1.
We arrived in Florence at around 2PM, exited the arrival terminal, turned right and saw a “city bus” sign across the street. The “Volainbus”. For 5E a piece the bus lets you off at the train station or the bus terminal a block away after a 20-minute ride. Very convenient as it was a 5-minute qalk to our hotel.
By 4PM we had checked into the hotel and were out of our room. We walked over to the murky Arno, along the river and crossed the Ponte Vecchio and back. We went by the Ufizzi and into Piazza della Signoria.
A big change from our earlier visits was the Loggia dei Lanzi in the Piazza. In past visits it was a dark eyesore barricaded by a corroding fence. It has been cleaned up and opened to the public. A very welcome sight.
From there we wandered over to the Duomo and eventually circled back to our hotel, freshened up and went out for dinner. A very good first day.
Day 2.
Our first daytrip consisted of Cortona and Arezzo. I selected Cortona first as it requires a bus from the train station and returning from Arezzo would be easier.
The train stopped in Cortona-Camicua but the door wouldn’t open. A distinguished-looking man in a suit looked down and said that the “door isn’t opening because we are not yet actually at the platform, I believe”. From then on “I believe” meant, “I don’t know what I’m talking about”.
We got off at Terontola and took a somewhat longer bus up to Cortona. A very charming hill town with great views of the countryside. We wandered around the town, took in the views, had some lunch and stopped in the Public Park. A very good start to the daytrips.
From there we went to Arezzo. We are not really museum goers so frescoes were not on the itinerary. We wandered thru the town and stopped in Piazza Grande. It’s too bad there was construction work taking place in the Piazza as it had the potential to be one of the nicest squares on the trip. This is where some of the scenes for Life is Beautiful were filmed.
We returned to Florence by evening and saw people holding umbrellas and wet streets. It must have rained a bit though we didn’t feel any of it.
Day 3.
A day in Florence. We started by walking past the Duomo. There was no line at the entrance so we went in for a while. We continued on past the Accademia (of David fame) and saw a few people in the line for those with reservations and many people in the line for those without. Why anybody would go without reservations is beyond me.
We continued our wide outer circle by walking over to the tightly secured synagogue. I had to check my camera in a locker so my only photo was thru the outside gate.
After the synagogue tour we continued on to Santa Croce (yet another square obstructed by bleacher seats) and went thru the leather school in the monastery.
From there we wandered thru Piazza della Signoria (and somebody said all road lead to Rome) and back to our hotel to freshen up (hot). I’m not sure why we did that as my wife wanted to wander thru the flea market a couple of blocks from the Duomo. After about ten hot minutes she had enough so we walked by the Duomo.
We had been in Florence almost thirty years earlier and I climbed the Dome then. I had to prove to myself that I still had it. My wife had no interest in the climb so she walked around stopping in various shops. The wait was only about 15 minutes and I did the climb and enjoyed the spectacular views from the top. From the synagogue and Piazzale Michelangelo on the left to Santa Maria Novella on the right and Fiesole to the rear. Worth the effort.
We walked over to the river and crossed the first bridge below the Ponte Vecchio. After waiting for the bus to Piazza Michelangelo for about 20 minutes, we gave up and decided to try on another day.
Day 4.
A double daytrip (overnighter). Unless we took a 9:08 train (too early) from Florence to Lucca, taking the train to Pisa to see The Tower and then continuing on to Lucca got us there at the same time.
After doing some research, I found that there’s a little known train station (Pisa San Rossore) that’s no more than a ten minute walk from the Tower.
The following is for those who have not used this station. There are four train tracks going through this station. Looking north (towards Lucca or Viareggio) the two tracks on the left go towards Viareggio and the two on the right go towards Lucca.
Since we were coming from Florence (and the train continued on to Viareggio) we got off on the left hand track, went underground (they call it subway) to the right and exited the station area. The only mistake we made was when presented with three street options we took the one to the right when the one to the left would have saved a few minutes of walking.
Upon returning to the station we went to the very first track (far right hand track) as we were going to Lucca. Now that we’ve done it, it’s very simple.
Since our interest was to see the Tower in Pisa, this stop of less than an hour was perfect. I was glad to see that all the souvenir stands were kept to the side and did not obstruct any views.
This was a fun, if cheesy place as taking photos that made it appear that people were attempting to push the Tower vertical or hold it in their hand were the popular pastime.
It’s interesting to actually see how far the Tower is from vertical compared to the adjacent Cathedral.
After a short 20 minute train ride we arrived in Lucca. Compared to the throngs in Pisa, Lucca was almost deserted. Lucca appeared to be a very clean, quiet (except for the square with World Cup screen) town.
We wandered through one beautiful square after another and along the main street to the opposite side of town. We rented bikes and took a leisurely ride on the city walls that circle the town. On the way we stopped for a snack and took some photos. We stopped (as did others) when we came to the gardens of Palazzo Pfanner.
Following the bike ride we continued to walk around the town and of course I had to climb the Torre Guinigi for outstanding views of the city and countryside. It was amusing to see trees growing out of the top of a tower this tall.
Lucca is an excellent stop for those who want to see a top-ranked tourist site that for some reason doesn’t attract large crowds.
After several hours in Lucca we took the train to La Spezia where our hotel was less than 100 yards from the train station.
There has been some question as to where we should stay for our one day in Cinque Terre. The choices were La Spezia, Lerici or one of the five CT villages. I selected La Spezia as it’s right on the train line from Lucca/Viareggio, required a very short level walk to the hotel (A/C and breakfast included) and is only a few minutes from the CT villages. I knew we would arrive early in the evening and didn’t want the hassle of walking up or down a vertical hill to find our non-air conditioned “hotel” (apartment). It worked out perfectly for us.
After checking in we took the train (8 minute ride) to Riomaggiore and walked down to the ocean in time for a spectacular sunset. Either because of the angle of the town or the time of year, the sun set sharply to the right and not straight out into the ocean. There were people all over the rocks watching this event which I’m fairly sure repeats daily.
We had an excellent dinner at an outdoor restaurant facing the ocean. The end to another picture perfect day.
Day 5.
What’s a strike? During hotel checkin the previous evening we overheard the reception clerk and a guest discussing the next day’s train strike (huh?). It appeared that there was going to be a strike between 10AM and 6PM. If this were the case our train back to Florence wouldn’t be affected but our first train of the day to Riomaggiore would.
We decided that if there was a strike we would start with a ferry ride from La Spezia to Portovenere and then onward in that direction.
However, when we returned to the hotel from the Riomaggiore sunset and dinner, the latest word was that the strike would be from 2PM to 6PM. Maybe. We reverted back to our original plan. Maybe.
After breakfast we took the 10AM train, walked around Riomaggiore and then started the first hike to Manarola. The Via dell’Amore.
Like almost all couples we stopped at the bench with the “kissing couple” back to have our picture taken (with our camera). It was amusing to see the man who sat down alone only to have his wife take his picture. There’s probably a message there.
We walked around Manarola for a while and then continued with the hike to Corniglia. This section is obviously longer and steeper but still not a problem.
The plan was to hike two sections (which we did), take a train in either direction for one stop and then a ferry to Portovenere. We missed the train by less than a minute and the next one wasn’t due for over an hour. If it was running (remember the strike).
We asked the person at the ticket counter about our options. He said the next train, if it ran, was due in over an hour. Or, we could hike back. We asked him if it would be running. He then asked us. . . .
“Do you know what a strike is?” While we were sure we did, we said we didn’t so he would explain. It turns out we didn’t. During a strike maybe the train will run and maybe it will not. That applies to each train and not for the general system.
We opted to hike back from Corniglia to Manarola as we were sure it would be easier in that direction. It’s also easier than going to Corniglia as the upslope is longer and less steep. After arriving in Manarola we stopped for a lunch salad, bought a ticket and took the ferry, with more great views, to Portovenere.
Maybe it was because we were a bit tired, or maybe it was because Portovenere lacked the quaintness of the smaller towns or maybe it was because it appeared to be more commercial but after an hour or so we took the bus back to La Spezia, picked up our backpacks from the hotel and took the next train back to Florence.
On the train we met a family (couple with two teen-aged sons) from Australia. On the trail one of the sons tripped while running and twisted his ankle. I suspect it was more than a sprain as it looked quite swollen and caused them to cut short their day. Interesting to compare stories with strangers.
The Cinque Terre was an excellent diversion from the cities and towns of Tuscany. And the views don’t play second fiddle to any others. An excellent couple of days.
Day 6.
Medici Villa day. The plan was to take a short 15 minute train ride to Castello and take a taxi to Villa La Petraia (a very good plan as I didn’t realize it’s all uphill from the train station). Then, after touring the Villa, walk back to the train station with a stop at Villa Castello (the actual villa is not open to the public) to see the gardens.
We would then take a train to Prato and a bus to see what is described as “the best known Medici villa” – Poggio a Caiano.
Well, try to find a taxi in a “half horse town”. Eventually, we went into a restaurant and ask them to call a taxi. After about 15 minutes a taxi pulled up and we were off to Villa Petraia.
Two things made this an excellent, worthwhile visit. The spectacular inner courtyard with its frescoes and another guest who spoke English and translated some of the commentary. The gardens are really not very exciting.
Following the tour we took a hot downhill walk to Villa Castello and spent some time in the spectacular gardens.
I would highly recommend this part of the day for those who have a car. Otherwise I would pass.
We then took the train to Prato and bus to Poggio a Caiano. After waiting about 45 minutes for the next tour, we found that although larger than Petraia did not have any outstanding qualities.
I would have liked to spend some time in the historic part of Prato but we were tired and took the train back to Florence.
Day 7.
Sunday - a Florence day. Since most stores are closed the itinerary included the Accademia Museum, the Synagogue (already done on day 3), possibly the Bargello and Fiesole.
Did I write that I can’t understand why anybody would go to the Accademia or Ufizzi without reservations? We had reservations to the Accademia (passed on the Ufizzi as we’ve been there twice before and wanted the museum visits to be “light”).
The visit to the Accademia was an excellent visit. We had been there almost thirty years earlier and all we remembered was David and possibly a Slave or two. While David is the worthy highlight followed by the Slaves, there’s much more.
Some of the paintings have adjacent small video screens that show clips that focus in on details of the paintings and give explanations. I’m sure this didn’t exist during our previous visit and we found it most informative.
People just sit (or stand) looking at David from all angles. There are very few works that cause such as reaction (Mona Lisa, Las Meninas and possibly a few others). These are the ones that make a tourist museum goer feel like an art lover. For a few minutes anyway.
We decided to leave the Bargello for our last day so as to avoid museum overload.
Late in the afternoon we decided to head over to the train station and take the #7 bus to Fiesole. Well, we tried the bus depot, the train station and all of the bus stops outside the train station. No #7. It turns out you can’t get there from here. The #7 bus stop is at Piazza San Marco. We decided to leave Fiesole for the last day.
Day 8.
A double daytrip (overnighter). According to the schedules, the train to San Gimignano misses the bus connection by about 15 minutes. We considered chancing the bus all the way but then decided on the train. The transportation gods must have been looking down on us. When we arrived in Poggabonsi the bus to SG was outside the train station. My wife asked the driver to wait as I went inside to buy bus tickets. He waited and we saved a lot of time.
San Gimignano was another spectacular town. The only disappointing part is that I never really got a good view of the town’s towers at the same time (possibly a view when approaching a town). I was glad we got there a couple of hours earlier than we might have as we wandered for several hours. I climbed the Torre Grossa (of course) for great views of the town and countryside. We had some gelato in the main square that is billed as the world champion. To me the daily gelatos were all excellent.
Bt 5PM we left SG taking the bus to Siena. We met the hotel owner’s father (see hotels above) and checked in. Before long we were walking around Siena. It was only a few days (evening of June 28 and the Palio was on July 2) before the Palio so pre-race festivities were in full swing. Groups of people were walking around the town with their Contrade flags draped over their shoulders. Occasionally they would break into song. A few times we saw small parades and once a horse was leading the group.
We walked around Il Campo and decided on a restaurant for dinner.
Day 9.
Sienna. After breakfast we wandered over to Il Campo and took in the last part of the pre-Palio trial races. It was quite crowded at the entrance to the Campo but we did manage to see two races. During one of them a horse lost its rider and finished the race riderless.
We walked over to the synagogue and since it wasn’t one of the published open times we rang the bell (a sign at the door indicated that they would answer in they were in – they weren’t).
We considered going to Palazzo Pubblico (Civic Museum – “Good Government Bad Government”) but the large crowd dissuaded us. Consequently, I also passed on the 332 step climb of the Torre del Mangia (probably the only tower I passed on).
We wandered over to the Fortrezza Medicea and while it has a nice, shady, tree-lined promenade it really has no outstanding views of Siena or the surrounding countryside.
By late afternoon we took the bus down to the train station and just made the next train back to Florence.
Day 10.
A Florence day. The plan for today was to see any remaining sights and do any shopping that had not already been done.
We started the day at the nearly empty Bargello. While there are some interesting works housed there, the Bargello is clearly not sat the same level as the Accademia or the Ufizzi.
To make things easier the Baptistry Doors Competition Panels by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi and Donatello’s David are all within feet of each other. My appreciation for the panels was lacking while I felt the minor crowds surrounding Donatelli’s David were much deserved.
We then wandered through the streets, browsed in some bookshops, people-watched and enjoyed the sights on our last day.
We decided to try for a visit to the elusive Fiesole.
We walked over to Pizza San Marco and several minutes later a #7 bus appeared. What a difference when both you and the bus meet at the same place. After a 20 minute bus ride we got off at what is probably the town’s main square. We were impressed at the general look of the area in spite of my wife sitting on some gum on a bench. We were given some ice in a bar across the street and in a few minutes the gum was just another note on the trip.
Facing the Bell Tower we turned left and walked up Via San Francisco until Ristorante la Riggia. Just below the restaurant on the opposite side of the street there’s a public tree-lined terrace with park benches. While it was fairly hazy, we still had excellent views all the way down to Florence. This was a good place to relax for a while before walking back down to the bus stop and returning to Florence.
The plan for this trip entailed taking several risks. We’ve never taken a trip based solely in one location. The two overnighters had us walking around all day in the heat (who knew it would be that hot) with backpacks (though relatively small and light) and the number of daytrips could have had the “If it’s Monday we must be in. . .” effect.
In retrospect, if I knew during the planning what I know now, I probably would have made changes to Villa Medici day. While Castello’s Villas Petraia and Castello were worth the visit, it was somewhat of a hassle getting there without a car. Having seen these two Villas, I would have passed on Poggio a Caiano unless you really want to go to Prato.
All in all an excellent trip.
Photos of the trip can be viewed at:
www.travelwalks.com
We arrived in Florence at around 2PM, exited the arrival terminal, turned right and saw a “city bus” sign across the street. The “Volainbus”. For 5E a piece the bus lets you off at the train station or the bus terminal a block away after a 20-minute ride. Very convenient as it was a 5-minute qalk to our hotel.
By 4PM we had checked into the hotel and were out of our room. We walked over to the murky Arno, along the river and crossed the Ponte Vecchio and back. We went by the Ufizzi and into Piazza della Signoria.
A big change from our earlier visits was the Loggia dei Lanzi in the Piazza. In past visits it was a dark eyesore barricaded by a corroding fence. It has been cleaned up and opened to the public. A very welcome sight.
From there we wandered over to the Duomo and eventually circled back to our hotel, freshened up and went out for dinner. A very good first day.
Day 2.
Our first daytrip consisted of Cortona and Arezzo. I selected Cortona first as it requires a bus from the train station and returning from Arezzo would be easier.
The train stopped in Cortona-Camicua but the door wouldn’t open. A distinguished-looking man in a suit looked down and said that the “door isn’t opening because we are not yet actually at the platform, I believe”. From then on “I believe” meant, “I don’t know what I’m talking about”.
We got off at Terontola and took a somewhat longer bus up to Cortona. A very charming hill town with great views of the countryside. We wandered around the town, took in the views, had some lunch and stopped in the Public Park. A very good start to the daytrips.
From there we went to Arezzo. We are not really museum goers so frescoes were not on the itinerary. We wandered thru the town and stopped in Piazza Grande. It’s too bad there was construction work taking place in the Piazza as it had the potential to be one of the nicest squares on the trip. This is where some of the scenes for Life is Beautiful were filmed.
We returned to Florence by evening and saw people holding umbrellas and wet streets. It must have rained a bit though we didn’t feel any of it.
Day 3.
A day in Florence. We started by walking past the Duomo. There was no line at the entrance so we went in for a while. We continued on past the Accademia (of David fame) and saw a few people in the line for those with reservations and many people in the line for those without. Why anybody would go without reservations is beyond me.
We continued our wide outer circle by walking over to the tightly secured synagogue. I had to check my camera in a locker so my only photo was thru the outside gate.
After the synagogue tour we continued on to Santa Croce (yet another square obstructed by bleacher seats) and went thru the leather school in the monastery.
From there we wandered thru Piazza della Signoria (and somebody said all road lead to Rome) and back to our hotel to freshen up (hot). I’m not sure why we did that as my wife wanted to wander thru the flea market a couple of blocks from the Duomo. After about ten hot minutes she had enough so we walked by the Duomo.
We had been in Florence almost thirty years earlier and I climbed the Dome then. I had to prove to myself that I still had it. My wife had no interest in the climb so she walked around stopping in various shops. The wait was only about 15 minutes and I did the climb and enjoyed the spectacular views from the top. From the synagogue and Piazzale Michelangelo on the left to Santa Maria Novella on the right and Fiesole to the rear. Worth the effort.
We walked over to the river and crossed the first bridge below the Ponte Vecchio. After waiting for the bus to Piazza Michelangelo for about 20 minutes, we gave up and decided to try on another day.
Day 4.
A double daytrip (overnighter). Unless we took a 9:08 train (too early) from Florence to Lucca, taking the train to Pisa to see The Tower and then continuing on to Lucca got us there at the same time.
After doing some research, I found that there’s a little known train station (Pisa San Rossore) that’s no more than a ten minute walk from the Tower.
The following is for those who have not used this station. There are four train tracks going through this station. Looking north (towards Lucca or Viareggio) the two tracks on the left go towards Viareggio and the two on the right go towards Lucca.
Since we were coming from Florence (and the train continued on to Viareggio) we got off on the left hand track, went underground (they call it subway) to the right and exited the station area. The only mistake we made was when presented with three street options we took the one to the right when the one to the left would have saved a few minutes of walking.
Upon returning to the station we went to the very first track (far right hand track) as we were going to Lucca. Now that we’ve done it, it’s very simple.
Since our interest was to see the Tower in Pisa, this stop of less than an hour was perfect. I was glad to see that all the souvenir stands were kept to the side and did not obstruct any views.
This was a fun, if cheesy place as taking photos that made it appear that people were attempting to push the Tower vertical or hold it in their hand were the popular pastime.
It’s interesting to actually see how far the Tower is from vertical compared to the adjacent Cathedral.
After a short 20 minute train ride we arrived in Lucca. Compared to the throngs in Pisa, Lucca was almost deserted. Lucca appeared to be a very clean, quiet (except for the square with World Cup screen) town.
We wandered through one beautiful square after another and along the main street to the opposite side of town. We rented bikes and took a leisurely ride on the city walls that circle the town. On the way we stopped for a snack and took some photos. We stopped (as did others) when we came to the gardens of Palazzo Pfanner.
Following the bike ride we continued to walk around the town and of course I had to climb the Torre Guinigi for outstanding views of the city and countryside. It was amusing to see trees growing out of the top of a tower this tall.
Lucca is an excellent stop for those who want to see a top-ranked tourist site that for some reason doesn’t attract large crowds.
After several hours in Lucca we took the train to La Spezia where our hotel was less than 100 yards from the train station.
There has been some question as to where we should stay for our one day in Cinque Terre. The choices were La Spezia, Lerici or one of the five CT villages. I selected La Spezia as it’s right on the train line from Lucca/Viareggio, required a very short level walk to the hotel (A/C and breakfast included) and is only a few minutes from the CT villages. I knew we would arrive early in the evening and didn’t want the hassle of walking up or down a vertical hill to find our non-air conditioned “hotel” (apartment). It worked out perfectly for us.
After checking in we took the train (8 minute ride) to Riomaggiore and walked down to the ocean in time for a spectacular sunset. Either because of the angle of the town or the time of year, the sun set sharply to the right and not straight out into the ocean. There were people all over the rocks watching this event which I’m fairly sure repeats daily.
We had an excellent dinner at an outdoor restaurant facing the ocean. The end to another picture perfect day.
Day 5.
What’s a strike? During hotel checkin the previous evening we overheard the reception clerk and a guest discussing the next day’s train strike (huh?). It appeared that there was going to be a strike between 10AM and 6PM. If this were the case our train back to Florence wouldn’t be affected but our first train of the day to Riomaggiore would.
We decided that if there was a strike we would start with a ferry ride from La Spezia to Portovenere and then onward in that direction.
However, when we returned to the hotel from the Riomaggiore sunset and dinner, the latest word was that the strike would be from 2PM to 6PM. Maybe. We reverted back to our original plan. Maybe.
After breakfast we took the 10AM train, walked around Riomaggiore and then started the first hike to Manarola. The Via dell’Amore.
Like almost all couples we stopped at the bench with the “kissing couple” back to have our picture taken (with our camera). It was amusing to see the man who sat down alone only to have his wife take his picture. There’s probably a message there.
We walked around Manarola for a while and then continued with the hike to Corniglia. This section is obviously longer and steeper but still not a problem.
The plan was to hike two sections (which we did), take a train in either direction for one stop and then a ferry to Portovenere. We missed the train by less than a minute and the next one wasn’t due for over an hour. If it was running (remember the strike).
We asked the person at the ticket counter about our options. He said the next train, if it ran, was due in over an hour. Or, we could hike back. We asked him if it would be running. He then asked us. . . .
“Do you know what a strike is?” While we were sure we did, we said we didn’t so he would explain. It turns out we didn’t. During a strike maybe the train will run and maybe it will not. That applies to each train and not for the general system.
We opted to hike back from Corniglia to Manarola as we were sure it would be easier in that direction. It’s also easier than going to Corniglia as the upslope is longer and less steep. After arriving in Manarola we stopped for a lunch salad, bought a ticket and took the ferry, with more great views, to Portovenere.
Maybe it was because we were a bit tired, or maybe it was because Portovenere lacked the quaintness of the smaller towns or maybe it was because it appeared to be more commercial but after an hour or so we took the bus back to La Spezia, picked up our backpacks from the hotel and took the next train back to Florence.
On the train we met a family (couple with two teen-aged sons) from Australia. On the trail one of the sons tripped while running and twisted his ankle. I suspect it was more than a sprain as it looked quite swollen and caused them to cut short their day. Interesting to compare stories with strangers.
The Cinque Terre was an excellent diversion from the cities and towns of Tuscany. And the views don’t play second fiddle to any others. An excellent couple of days.
Day 6.
Medici Villa day. The plan was to take a short 15 minute train ride to Castello and take a taxi to Villa La Petraia (a very good plan as I didn’t realize it’s all uphill from the train station). Then, after touring the Villa, walk back to the train station with a stop at Villa Castello (the actual villa is not open to the public) to see the gardens.
We would then take a train to Prato and a bus to see what is described as “the best known Medici villa” – Poggio a Caiano.
Well, try to find a taxi in a “half horse town”. Eventually, we went into a restaurant and ask them to call a taxi. After about 15 minutes a taxi pulled up and we were off to Villa Petraia.
Two things made this an excellent, worthwhile visit. The spectacular inner courtyard with its frescoes and another guest who spoke English and translated some of the commentary. The gardens are really not very exciting.
Following the tour we took a hot downhill walk to Villa Castello and spent some time in the spectacular gardens.
I would highly recommend this part of the day for those who have a car. Otherwise I would pass.
We then took the train to Prato and bus to Poggio a Caiano. After waiting about 45 minutes for the next tour, we found that although larger than Petraia did not have any outstanding qualities.
I would have liked to spend some time in the historic part of Prato but we were tired and took the train back to Florence.
Day 7.
Sunday - a Florence day. Since most stores are closed the itinerary included the Accademia Museum, the Synagogue (already done on day 3), possibly the Bargello and Fiesole.
Did I write that I can’t understand why anybody would go to the Accademia or Ufizzi without reservations? We had reservations to the Accademia (passed on the Ufizzi as we’ve been there twice before and wanted the museum visits to be “light”).
The visit to the Accademia was an excellent visit. We had been there almost thirty years earlier and all we remembered was David and possibly a Slave or two. While David is the worthy highlight followed by the Slaves, there’s much more.
Some of the paintings have adjacent small video screens that show clips that focus in on details of the paintings and give explanations. I’m sure this didn’t exist during our previous visit and we found it most informative.
People just sit (or stand) looking at David from all angles. There are very few works that cause such as reaction (Mona Lisa, Las Meninas and possibly a few others). These are the ones that make a tourist museum goer feel like an art lover. For a few minutes anyway.
We decided to leave the Bargello for our last day so as to avoid museum overload.
Late in the afternoon we decided to head over to the train station and take the #7 bus to Fiesole. Well, we tried the bus depot, the train station and all of the bus stops outside the train station. No #7. It turns out you can’t get there from here. The #7 bus stop is at Piazza San Marco. We decided to leave Fiesole for the last day.
Day 8.
A double daytrip (overnighter). According to the schedules, the train to San Gimignano misses the bus connection by about 15 minutes. We considered chancing the bus all the way but then decided on the train. The transportation gods must have been looking down on us. When we arrived in Poggabonsi the bus to SG was outside the train station. My wife asked the driver to wait as I went inside to buy bus tickets. He waited and we saved a lot of time.
San Gimignano was another spectacular town. The only disappointing part is that I never really got a good view of the town’s towers at the same time (possibly a view when approaching a town). I was glad we got there a couple of hours earlier than we might have as we wandered for several hours. I climbed the Torre Grossa (of course) for great views of the town and countryside. We had some gelato in the main square that is billed as the world champion. To me the daily gelatos were all excellent.
Bt 5PM we left SG taking the bus to Siena. We met the hotel owner’s father (see hotels above) and checked in. Before long we were walking around Siena. It was only a few days (evening of June 28 and the Palio was on July 2) before the Palio so pre-race festivities were in full swing. Groups of people were walking around the town with their Contrade flags draped over their shoulders. Occasionally they would break into song. A few times we saw small parades and once a horse was leading the group.
We walked around Il Campo and decided on a restaurant for dinner.
Day 9.
Sienna. After breakfast we wandered over to Il Campo and took in the last part of the pre-Palio trial races. It was quite crowded at the entrance to the Campo but we did manage to see two races. During one of them a horse lost its rider and finished the race riderless.
We walked over to the synagogue and since it wasn’t one of the published open times we rang the bell (a sign at the door indicated that they would answer in they were in – they weren’t).
We considered going to Palazzo Pubblico (Civic Museum – “Good Government Bad Government”) but the large crowd dissuaded us. Consequently, I also passed on the 332 step climb of the Torre del Mangia (probably the only tower I passed on).
We wandered over to the Fortrezza Medicea and while it has a nice, shady, tree-lined promenade it really has no outstanding views of Siena or the surrounding countryside.
By late afternoon we took the bus down to the train station and just made the next train back to Florence.
Day 10.
A Florence day. The plan for today was to see any remaining sights and do any shopping that had not already been done.
We started the day at the nearly empty Bargello. While there are some interesting works housed there, the Bargello is clearly not sat the same level as the Accademia or the Ufizzi.
To make things easier the Baptistry Doors Competition Panels by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi and Donatello’s David are all within feet of each other. My appreciation for the panels was lacking while I felt the minor crowds surrounding Donatelli’s David were much deserved.
We then wandered through the streets, browsed in some bookshops, people-watched and enjoyed the sights on our last day.
We decided to try for a visit to the elusive Fiesole.
We walked over to Pizza San Marco and several minutes later a #7 bus appeared. What a difference when both you and the bus meet at the same place. After a 20 minute bus ride we got off at what is probably the town’s main square. We were impressed at the general look of the area in spite of my wife sitting on some gum on a bench. We were given some ice in a bar across the street and in a few minutes the gum was just another note on the trip.
Facing the Bell Tower we turned left and walked up Via San Francisco until Ristorante la Riggia. Just below the restaurant on the opposite side of the street there’s a public tree-lined terrace with park benches. While it was fairly hazy, we still had excellent views all the way down to Florence. This was a good place to relax for a while before walking back down to the bus stop and returning to Florence.
The plan for this trip entailed taking several risks. We’ve never taken a trip based solely in one location. The two overnighters had us walking around all day in the heat (who knew it would be that hot) with backpacks (though relatively small and light) and the number of daytrips could have had the “If it’s Monday we must be in. . .” effect.
In retrospect, if I knew during the planning what I know now, I probably would have made changes to Villa Medici day. While Castello’s Villas Petraia and Castello were worth the visit, it was somewhat of a hassle getting there without a car. Having seen these two Villas, I would have passed on Poggio a Caiano unless you really want to go to Prato.
All in all an excellent trip.
Photos of the trip can be viewed at:
www.travelwalks.com
Jul 20th, 2010, 03:24 PM
#5
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Myer,
Good to read that La Spezia worked out so well for you. Where did you eat dinner that night? And how did you get back to your hotel?
Also, future travelers might be interested to know where you rented bikes in Lucca and for how long, the cost, etc.
Lots of helpful information in your trip for everybody.
Good to read that La Spezia worked out so well for you. Where did you eat dinner that night? And how did you get back to your hotel?
Also, future travelers might be interested to know where you rented bikes in Lucca and for how long, the cost, etc.
Lots of helpful information in your trip for everybody.
Jul 20th, 2010, 04:47 PM
#6
Original Poster
zeppole,
We ate in Riomaggiore. Not long after the sun set my wife selected Enoteca Dau Cila based on the menu and it being almost full. We ate outdoors facing the water.
We took the train back to La Spezia. Just a couple of minutes ride. The trains run until a bit after midnight so there was no problem.
In Lucca we entered the town thru the south gates near the train station. We wandered around a bit and passed a bike rental but decided to walk thru the town.
At the top of via Fillungo on the left we saw a couple of bike rentals. The one we rented from is Cicli Bizzarri. I think it was about 5E for the two of us per hour. Not very expensive. I think the ride around the town including stopping for a picnic snack took about an hour. That included several photo stops.
At several spots around the town there are ramps leading onto the wall. Bizzarri is located right near a ramp at Piazza Santa Maria del Borgo. A nice pleasant ride.
We ate in Riomaggiore. Not long after the sun set my wife selected Enoteca Dau Cila based on the menu and it being almost full. We ate outdoors facing the water.
We took the train back to La Spezia. Just a couple of minutes ride. The trains run until a bit after midnight so there was no problem.
In Lucca we entered the town thru the south gates near the train station. We wandered around a bit and passed a bike rental but decided to walk thru the town.
At the top of via Fillungo on the left we saw a couple of bike rentals. The one we rented from is Cicli Bizzarri. I think it was about 5E for the two of us per hour. Not very expensive. I think the ride around the town including stopping for a picnic snack took about an hour. That included several photo stops.
At several spots around the town there are ramps leading onto the wall. Bizzarri is located right near a ramp at Piazza Santa Maria del Borgo. A nice pleasant ride.
Jul 21st, 2010, 04:30 AM
#9
Original Poster
madams77,
Thanks. It was a great trip.
I just upgraded my camera from a 4 year old Canon 350xt DSLR and Sigma 17-70 lens to the new model of the same camera. A Canon T2i (550) and a Canon 15-85 lens.
While the camera is just an upgraded version of the same model there have been several significant improvements; High ISO quality is now excellent allowing me to get pretty good indoor and evening shots, the viewing screen is larger and higher def and the camera now has HD video capability though it's not as convenient as a good camcorder.
Thanks. It was a great trip.
I just upgraded my camera from a 4 year old Canon 350xt DSLR and Sigma 17-70 lens to the new model of the same camera. A Canon T2i (550) and a Canon 15-85 lens.
While the camera is just an upgraded version of the same model there have been several significant improvements; High ISO quality is now excellent allowing me to get pretty good indoor and evening shots, the viewing screen is larger and higher def and the camera now has HD video capability though it's not as convenient as a good camcorder.
Jul 21st, 2010, 05:47 AM
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Thanks for the information on your camera Myer. We have a Canon EOS Rebel XSi and can only hope that our pictures come out half as good as yours when we go to Umbria in October! We still need to master the food closeups we like to take. Sometimes they come out a little blurry even when using the MACRO.
Jul 21st, 2010, 10:54 AM
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Could you tell some more details about visiting the synagogue in Florence? My new husband and I are planning to go to Florence on our delayed honeymoon/First Anniversary-moon in September 2011 and I very much would like to see the synagogue and the Jewish Quarter. Can you tell me a little more about the tour of the synagogue? What is the cost/how long is it? Can you go to services?
We also will be taking a day trip from Florence to a Tuscan hill town (or maybe an overnight) and I am still doing research on it. Can you tell me a little more about Lucca?
Thanks!
We also will be taking a day trip from Florence to a Tuscan hill town (or maybe an overnight) and I am still doing research on it. Can you tell me a little more about Lucca?
Thanks!
Jul 21st, 2010, 05:42 PM
#12
Original Poster
madams77,
Your food closups are most likely being shot under dim conditions. Unless you're shooting in excellent conditions photography is a compromise. You have to decide what to give up.
I don't know which lens you have. The older kit lenses (the ones that didn't have IS) were only marginal. The newer ones are reasonable.
You want to make sure your shutter speed is fast enough to freeze the shot. Also, you don't want to shoot with the lens wide open. At leat 1 to 1.5 stops from wide open. To make up for this you'll have to shoot at a high ISO.
Your image will most likely be somewhat noisy but you can use NeatImage or Noiseware (both have free versions) to reduce the noise.
I would rather a noisy image (that can be improved) than a blurred one.
= = = = = =
hikrchick,
We went to the synagogue on what I call an outer rim day. We walked up past the Accademia and then made a clock-wise arc to various sites.
We really didn't notice a "Jewish Quarter" (I'm not sure how you'd really recognize one). We did notice a couple of kosher restaurants but not much else. There must be somewhat of a Jewish population.
If you look at my photos, you'll see one of the synagogue. The building on the right is a school. That photo is taken from the outside and thru a wrought iron fence.
I asked somebody how many children went to the school but don't remember the answer.
As we approached "the compound" there was a gateway on the right side guarded by 2-3 police. I assume they were guarding the school entrance on that side. They directed us to the left side where there was a ticket booth and turnstile.
You can't bring in cameras or backpacks. They have individual lockers big enough for a camera.
Inside there's a gift shop, museum and the sanctuary. When we walked into the sanctuary there was a "tour" in progress. A rather entertaining woman was giving a history lesson. We sat down and listened for about 10 minutes and then moved on. Their web site gives hours for services so I imagine you can go.
If I remember correctly the charge is 5E per person. It's open Sunday to noon Friday.
= =
Lucca is not a hill town. The train station is right near one of the wall entrances. Lucca didn't have the tourist crowd of San Gmignano, Sienna or even Cortona. If fact we saw very few people who looked like tourists.
We were there about 4 hours or so before move on to La Spezia and Cinque Terre. I remember thinking it's a very nice, quiet town/city. Other than one square that had a large outdoor tv with people watching the World Cup, there were no crowds.
We wandered thru some of the streets and then up via Fillingo, the main shopping street. We detoured into Piazza Anfiteatro and stayed there a while before moving on and renting bikes.
While riding on the wall we saw a group (I almost called it a crowd) of people gathered and looking down at Pallazo Pfanner.
We spent a very pleasant few hours there. It probably would have been nice to stay and have dinner there but we had decided on Riomaggiore's sunset for dinner.
Your food closups are most likely being shot under dim conditions. Unless you're shooting in excellent conditions photography is a compromise. You have to decide what to give up.
I don't know which lens you have. The older kit lenses (the ones that didn't have IS) were only marginal. The newer ones are reasonable.
You want to make sure your shutter speed is fast enough to freeze the shot. Also, you don't want to shoot with the lens wide open. At leat 1 to 1.5 stops from wide open. To make up for this you'll have to shoot at a high ISO.
Your image will most likely be somewhat noisy but you can use NeatImage or Noiseware (both have free versions) to reduce the noise.
I would rather a noisy image (that can be improved) than a blurred one.
= = = = = =
hikrchick,
We went to the synagogue on what I call an outer rim day. We walked up past the Accademia and then made a clock-wise arc to various sites.
We really didn't notice a "Jewish Quarter" (I'm not sure how you'd really recognize one). We did notice a couple of kosher restaurants but not much else. There must be somewhat of a Jewish population.
If you look at my photos, you'll see one of the synagogue. The building on the right is a school. That photo is taken from the outside and thru a wrought iron fence.
I asked somebody how many children went to the school but don't remember the answer.
As we approached "the compound" there was a gateway on the right side guarded by 2-3 police. I assume they were guarding the school entrance on that side. They directed us to the left side where there was a ticket booth and turnstile.
You can't bring in cameras or backpacks. They have individual lockers big enough for a camera.
Inside there's a gift shop, museum and the sanctuary. When we walked into the sanctuary there was a "tour" in progress. A rather entertaining woman was giving a history lesson. We sat down and listened for about 10 minutes and then moved on. Their web site gives hours for services so I imagine you can go.
If I remember correctly the charge is 5E per person. It's open Sunday to noon Friday.
= =
Lucca is not a hill town. The train station is right near one of the wall entrances. Lucca didn't have the tourist crowd of San Gmignano, Sienna or even Cortona. If fact we saw very few people who looked like tourists.
We were there about 4 hours or so before move on to La Spezia and Cinque Terre. I remember thinking it's a very nice, quiet town/city. Other than one square that had a large outdoor tv with people watching the World Cup, there were no crowds.
We wandered thru some of the streets and then up via Fillingo, the main shopping street. We detoured into Piazza Anfiteatro and stayed there a while before moving on and renting bikes.
While riding on the wall we saw a group (I almost called it a crowd) of people gathered and looking down at Pallazo Pfanner.
We spent a very pleasant few hours there. It probably would have been nice to stay and have dinner there but we had decided on Riomaggiore's sunset for dinner.
Jul 21st, 2010, 06:00 PM
#13
Thanks for your report and the wonderful photos! I enjoyed reading about your adventures. And the weather info was helpful for this San Franciscan. Always good to get a sense of where the poster is coming from.
Jul 24th, 2010, 11:44 PM
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Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Myer for sharing this with the Fodor's community. I read your travel report with great interest and enjoyed the many photographs. I was particularly interested, because I just finished reading a book by Kinta Beevor titled "A Tuscan childhood". This book describes the author's childhood in Italy around the beginning of the 20th century. This book inspired me to start planning a trip to Florence so thank you very much for your many good descriptions and travel tips.
