UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN: OUR TIME IN SIENA, FLORENCE, AND PISA

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Ciao! Our four days exploring the region of Tuscany has come to an end. On Thursday we picked up our car in Rome and drove a scenic route along to the coast to Siena. Siena is one the most beautiful medieval cities in Italy, second only to Florence for its artistic and architectural treasures. Siena sits on top of a very high hill and has many narrow streets. After spending the afternoon and evening in Siena we headed towards Florence (Firenze in Italian) to find our hotel which was located in Campi Bisenzio (about 10km outside of Florence). The drive took a couple of hours longer than expected. The roads around Florence are difficult to navigate, it was late at night, raining, and we were lost. We tried calling the hotel but the night time clerk did not speak English well enough to give us directions. We checked in around 1 am and promptly fell fast asleep. The next couple of days we spent visiting the creative, artistic city of Florence. We visited many sites including the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge, Duomo (Cathedral), and Piazza Della Signoria. Piazza Della Signoria is a large outdoor sculpture gallery with elegant cafés and restaurants. Here you can find a full size replica of Michelangelo’s David (The original is in the Galleria dell’Accademia elsewhere in Florence), Cellini’s Bronze Perseus (it shows Perseus triumphantly holding the severed head of Medusa), and Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women. The scenic views of the city along the river Arno and from the Piazzale Michelangelo were stunning. Our final stop in Tuscany was Pisa. Our hotel was located just outside Pisa along the coast of the Mediterranean in Marina di Pisa. We visited Campo dei Miracoli, home of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. We stopped at a lovely restaurant near the Leaning Tower and had a fantastic lunch. The lasagna was to die for! Afterwards, we worked off our lunch by climbing to the top of the tower. We found the climb quite disorienting because of the tilt of the tower. Once we reached the top we had a fantastic view of the city. Located next to the tower is a striking Duomo and a large green lawn where many people sit to enjoy the view. We ended our time in Tuscany by walking along the coast as the sun set over the Mediterranean.

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Photos

Michelangelo's David
Located in the Piazza della Signoria, Florence.

Our Italian Ford Fiesta
Stopping to look at the Mediterranean on the way to Siena.

Enjoying a rest stop along the coast
On the way to Siena

Standing next to the coast
Another stop on the way to Siena to admire the water.

The Campo
Located in Siena. Every year on July 2 and August 16, the Campo fills up for the Palio, a vital part of Siena life since the Middle Ages. There is a three lap horse race around the square with jockeys dressed in medieval costumes.

Florence city sign
It is prohibited to:
"Lie down, camp or behave in an indecent way."
"Leave dogs unleashed or leave dogs droppings uncollected."

Ponte Vecchio
Built in 1345. This bridge has survived two major traumas. It was spared on Hitler's orders during the 1945 bombings. Secondly, in 1966 the water level rose so high that a fortune in gold was washed away in a flood.

Shops on Ponte Vecchio bridge
Florence

Standing along the river Arno in front of Ponte Vecchio
Florence

The Duomo in Florence
There is room for 20,000 people in this cathedral. There are 463 steps to reach the top of the dome on the Duomo.

Comments

[Mom]

Wow - amazing photos, kids! Love them!