September 28 Pisa & Lucca

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We can tell you for sure, that the tower in Pisa really does lean……Wow!
Today we drove to Pisa and viewed the Leaning Tower. How much fun to see! We had a bite of lunch in Pisa and then toured the Duomo (cathedral) there. In 1173 the work began on the “bell tower” to go along with the Duomo…what we now know as the “Leaning Tower”. Over the years the tower has tilted an additional 1 mm per year. By 1993 it was 4.47 m out of plumb, or more than 5 degrees from vertical. We were not overly impressed with the old walled city of Pisa, and the rest of the city was the busiest we have seen since Rome. Dennis did a wonderful job of driving us there and “Bella” (our GPS) was most reliable. She is the best value of this trip and I have to credit Dennis & Hertz for making this possible. To say that driving the back roads of Italy without it would be impossible is an understatement.

After leaving Pisa, we headed north to the walled city of Lucca. What a charming, romantic, and picturesque city!! Lucca became a Roman colony in 180 B.C. It became a self-governing city in the 12th century when it enjoyed prosperity in the silk trade. There seemed to be more local residents and less tourists in Lucca. There is some excellent shopping there, plus a large ampitheatre surrounded by homes, shops, and restaurants. Of course, there were several cathedrals and many historic buildings.

After leaving Lucca, Bella led us home on toll highways, back roads, and many round-a-bouts!! We finally returned “home” to Hotel Pescille around 10 pm. We can pack it in, but then, what else are we here for!! Buona Notte!!

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