Road-tripping Italia II
Pisa, sono arrivato!
After driving just over an hour, I arrived in Pisa and headed towards Piazza del Duomo
To the left, Battistero di San Giovanni, Cattedrale di Pisa in the center, and to the right... I'm drawing a blank on the name at the moment. I started at Battistero (baptistery) di San Giovanni.
I stepped in and slowly started walking around, examining the intricate floor and the cool stained glass windows. I then decided to go up, to get a better view of it:
As I was contemplating the dome and architecture, someone stepped in the center of the Battistero to make a demonstration of the acoustics of the place, and it was awesome. Here's how it sounds:
After the Battistero, I headed towards the Cattedrale di Pisa, where I took my sweet time to contemplate all the statues, arches, stained glasses and paintings adorning the cathedral. At this point, I don't really have many more adjectives or clever ways to describe how beautiful everything is, so I'll let some of the pictures I took do the talking for me:
Once I finished examining the inside of the church, I started walking towards Camposanto while feeling grateful to be able to appreciate all these pieces of art and architecture, some of which had been standing there since 1092! During this reflecting moment, I stumbled upon one of the biggest fresco I've seen in my life: Triumph of Death and last Judgement:
After wandering around Camposanto, I headed towards my last stop in the Piazza: the leaning tower. There's little that hasn't been said about it, but what truly stood out was the imaginative and amusing ways people posed for photos with the tower:
Naturally, there was a very long line to climb to the top, so I opted to meander through Pisa's streets, looking for lunch and to catch a glimpse of the Arno river.
After a full day of walking and exploring, I concluded my visit to Pisa by [drum roll, please] having pizza!
All the feelings, Firenze!
My time in Tuscany was quickly coming to an end, and my last destination was Florence, the city that saw renaissance unfold first hand. It was also the city where my dad spent his undergrad years - definitely a period of rebirth for him. Driven by curiosity and a sense of nostalgia, the first thing I did was to stop by my dad's undergraduate school. Conveniently, the school happened to be a two-minute walk from Hotel Azzi, the place I was staying. Unfortunately, the school had moved somewhere (or dissolved?). I went over to the person working at the front desk and asked about the school. Unfortunately, he was unable to assist me - he barely spoke english, I barely speak any italian, and my itañolo (a blend of italiano and español) was useless. Nevertheless, I snapped a picture to document my visit to the place that had once been my dad's alma mater.
My next stop was the Mercato centrale. At this point I remember two things: I was overwhelmed by all the options, and even though I can't remember exactly what I ate, it was so good that I went back for seconds the next day.
After leaving the mercato, I strolled aimlessly around the city. At the leather market, I spotted some seriously cool brown leather jackets that ranged from 200€to 400€, something I've been wanting for a while but had not included in my budget for this trip. Moreover, I learned that good, "Made in Italy", leather items are often pricier, suggesting that unusually low prices should make you question its authenticity, quality and production origin. Choosing the more affordable options available in the market is perfectly fine, but be mindful that you might not be getting exactly what you're offered.
I continued walking and eventually reached the Ponte Vecchio, a stunning bridge lined with shops on both sides, offering a fantastic view to the Arno river. Looking back, I might not have fully captured everything I'm describing here.
Afterward, I headed to the Galleria dell'Accademia Di Firenze for the chance to see Michelangelo's David. I had not bought tickets in advance, so I wasn't overly optimistic to get in, thinking "if it works great; if not, I'll check it next time I come back". Fortunately, I was able to get a ticket. It was surprisingly empty. I think it might be due to arriving nearing closing time. The gallery featured truly fantastic marble sculptures that looked like they're about to move, yet the spotlight does belong to Mr. David!
In case you are unable to visit David, there's an alternative option. In Piazzale Michelangelo, there's a bronze replica smacked in the middle of the square. There are also bronze replicas of all his other marble statues. And the best part? It comes with a view!
My next stop required some proactive planning to secure a ticket: The Uffizi Gallery holds the most amazing art collection. Whether you look at the paintings, the ceilings, the domes, the floors, or the statues, you're in constant awe!
Following my time at the Uffizi, I decided to try visiting the Duomo di Firenze. Unfortunately, the line was ridiculous, so instead I opted for something less crowded, which led me to the gardens of the Palazzo Pitti, an awesome place to enjoy the statues sprinkled around it and to sit down and admire them without having people next to you trying to snap pictures of them:
There was one more awesome moment during my visit in Florence: The perfect farewell gift!
And with this souvenir, I concluded my time in Tuscany.
The best part of this Tuscany trip? Understanding why you loved Italy, especially Florence so much, Dad!
Make sure to check all the pictures and videos on my instagram
In summer 2023, I was able to return to Italy and will share my experiences from various cities, starting with Milan!
