Although I didn’t enjoy the book all that much, Frances Mayes “Under the Tuscan Sun” did kick-start a desire to spend time in the Tuscan region of Italy. This desire was strengthened four years ago when my sister and family came home from a trip abroad singing the praises of a city called Lucca. They had come here to participate in the wedding of her best friend from high school. For these reasons we decided that we would spend some time here and so booked a room with a balcony overlooking a courtyard in Lucca, an ancient city hidden behind imposing Renaissance walls. Last week on our arrival we were extremely happy to find that the room was actually a large apartment complete with kitchen and laundry. After weeks of living out of hotel rooms and b and b’s the ability to spread-out, cook and do our laundry has been a luxury.
Whilst full of winding cobblestone streets and known as the city of over 100 churches, Lucca has shown itself to be a quirky, fun city with great food and great shopping. Puccini was born here, Greenday are playing in the city center (about 100 m from our room) next week and the Rolling Stones will be playing from the ancient walls in September this year. Although Lucca has no really famous monuments nor paintings – it features in the ten most visited places in Italy. The pull is elusive but definite.
What has made this city even better for us is the ability to visit its neighbours. Florence is an easy 80 minute train journey whilst Pisa a mere 25 minutes down the track.
We did Pisa first as it was smaller, closer and had the added pull of its infamous “Leaning Tower”. Exiting the train station we felt like we had embarked on a pilgrimage as we, along with many other tourists, faces glued to our Google Maps – started the trek from the station to the Tower. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is amazing. It appears suddenly around a corner and one can only stare. Much more beautiful and leaning much further than we were expecting.
After spending the next few days exploring Lucca city, walking her walls and getting out among the countryside (on one occasion following an ancient aqueduct) it was time for Florence.
When one arrives in a foreign place one is always assailed by that disoriented, need to familiarize oneself immediately feeling. It’s a sign of how much we have been travelling that on arriving in Florence – a large city full of narrow streets and lots of tourists – that within half an hour we had overcome that initial discombobulated feeling. Ducking into a hotel to ask for a map thus managing to ditch the Iphone – we explored the city properly.
Florence cathedral blew us away while Ponte Vecchio (ancient shop lined bridge that appears in many movies) was fun. We had decided prior that we would not have time nor energy to enter the famous Uffizi Gallery (home to Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Leonardo da Vinci’s The Annunciation) so had to content our self with the external view. Likewise the Galleria dell’Accademia for the original Michelangelo’s David. Instead we made do with the replica – the free version one can see standing in a public square where the original once stood. Florence was an experience but it was too busy. There were too many large tour groups who got in one’s way and visiting here so soon after another London terrorist attack lead to feelings of insecurity.
Today’s a take it easy before Venice tomorrow day. The balcony is loaded with washing, we are finishing up whats left of the food in the fridge and we look forward to attending the nightly Puccini concert this evening.
Some fun facts – Poppies grow like weeds in France and Italy. One can take ones dog on the train. TV ads go on for about 10 minutes but then you get a good solid amount of actual program viewing before the next lot. When one presses the button at a pedestrian crossing – the traffic actually stops!
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