Tuscany: Florence, Pisa & Siena

It's been 1 week since we got to Italy and we've covered alot of ground. In some ways it feels rushed, but I can honestly say I don't feel like I missed anything. I've seen and experienced each and every place we've been and extra time there would have just been spent lounging (and we had enough time for that on all the trains we've been taking).

Here is a map of Italy to show were we've been so far.

Florence

Florence is an Italian city. It is full of history and wonderful things to see. The problem with Florence is that things are so close together you can't actually gain the perspective needed to enjoy any of it. Most of it you can barely see. Here is what we did see.

Duomo exterior


Duomo interior

The Baptistry with its famous gilded bronze doors

(nicknamed 'The Doors of Paradise' by Michelangelo)



the doors depicting stories from the Bible

walking down the famous Ponte Vecchio (known for the goldsmith shops that line it).

This is the only bridge that was not blown up during WWII.

Ponte Vecchio

An arch

The lucky boar. Make a wish, touch his snout, and put some money in.

Pallaza Vecchio from Piazza della Signoria

The Rape of the Sabine Women. Just one of many statues in the Piazza

didn't eat there but liked the name

Church of Sant Croce, where Dante, Gallileo and Michelangel have been laid to rest.

inside

Dante's tomb

Michelangelo's tomb

the courtyard

This is Michelangelo's David. He is at the Gallery for the Academy of Fine Arts. He is about 20 feet tall and absolutely gorgeous. The detail is amazing and seeing the original creation was absolutely the highlight of my trip to Florence

Pisa
Best known for the Leaning Tower, Pisa is a small city with a must see sight.

and we saw it from our hotel room balcony. Can you believe the view??

like all people we took our pictures with the tower

it really does lean quite a bit

and it is gorgeous against a blue sky

beside the tower is a cemetery

that was basically destroyed during WWII

The frescoes were destroyed, but the sketches beneath remained

The Baptistry is in the square, opposite the tower

In the centre of the square is the Cathedral

the cathedral and the leaning tower

Pisa is truly a place that needs only 4 hours (max!!!), but since we had to sleep somewhere, it was a good enough place to rest.

Siena

This is Italy's best preserved Medieval town.

The town is built on 3 hills, so there is always a nice view (and a good workout)

inside the Baptistry

Duomo exterior

Duomo interior

Siena was gorgeous, but the best part of this town, was the view just outside the city.

Tuscany really is something else.

But for all of you who may be jealous of the nice weather we are getting...keep this picture in mind

This is a Canadian frozen at the railway station. It is sunny, but it's certainly not warm (0-7 degrees)

We're in Naples now, so look out for the post on Naples: the armpit by the sea.

Till then, take care. XOXO