Viareggio/Monterossa

From Florence it was just a short train ride to the Tuscan shore and the town of Viareggio. The town is lacking any kind of historic center and caters mainly to Italian tourists. It actually looks a lot like Patras which in this instance is not actually a compliment. The buildings are all fairly new and as such they are mainly just concrete boxes. The beaches are wide, sandy, and covered in chairs. The water is completely calm and was actually very chilly. There is a large promenade right off the beach with gelato stands and swim shops. When we first began to walk around we could tell that something was a little off and after a while we realized that this was not much different than the beaches back home. It is definitely an authentic Italian beach town and is probably overrun with Italians in the summer but it was not exactly what we were looking for. It was the perfect place to go and relax but we were more interested in awe inspiring sights. That night we looked up trains to Cinque Terra as it was on the way back to Pavia and definitely different than the North Carolina coast and uniquely beautiful.



In the morning we arrived in Corniglia and began to search for a hidden beach that had been recommended in the NY Times. After a kind of crazy walk behind a train station through a drainage pipe and a couple of back yards we came to a padlocked gate. At this point we were ready to kick ourselves for ever leaving the beaches of Viareggio but luckily there are plenty of other beaches in Cinque Terra. We arrived in Monterossa to a beach devoid of Italians and covered in tourists, but the scenery was breathtaking and we couldn't have been happier. We spent the day lounging on the beach and contemplating our ideas on traveling. We decided that the reason touristy spots are so packed is because they are absolutely amazing and if you want to be in awe you should stick to the beaten path. After all they are famous for a reason.

Florence 2

Our second day in Florence began with a trip to the Cathedral Santa Croce. This is the oldest cathedral in the city and houses the remains of some of the most famous Italians including Dante, Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. The exterior is covered in white, green and pink marble and looks amazing despite it being nearly 600 years old. The inside is beautifully decorated with all of the chapels containing a tomb of a very important Franciscan. We took our time making our way around the huge space and admiring the amazing sculptures. In the back of the church is a small room dedicated to St. Francis who is said to have begun the parish in the late 1200’s. There is a piece of cloth from his robe and some of his other belongings on display in wooden cabinets. Connected to the very back of the church is a leather school. Here skilled craftsman create shoes, bags, and wallets using traditional techniques and tools. From the church we headed across town to the Uffizi Gallery.




Michelango's Tomb


Galileo's Tomb


Dante's Tomb



The Gallery is housed in what were originally the offices of the Florentine magistrates but are now filled with the enormous art collection of the Medici family. The vast hallways are absolutely packed with amazing works from a myriad of different artists and periods. It was overwhelming at times but we managed to make it through and see the works by famous artists like Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Titian, Botticelli, Raphael, and Rembrandt. It was amazing to see so many great works in just one building. I couldn’t take any pictures inside so I can’t show the paintings but I did manage to take a shot of the many sculptures sitting outside. After the museum we had another delicious meal of bread bowls full of a hearty stew. Florence is an absolutely amazing city; completely packed with amazing food, art, history, and despite the tourists a lot of culture. On our walk to the station we got another cone of delicious Gelato and were ready to hit the Mediterranean coast.

Florence 1

Rachael and I hopped off the train with stomachs rumbling, ready to get some of the famous Tuscan food. Our guide book recommended a restaurant that was very close to the train station so before we even found our hotel we decided to stop and eat. The restaurant had a fixed price two course meal with many different options. For the first plate I chose rice with a spinach and cheese sauce while Rachael got pasta in a spicy red sauce. For the main course I got a veal shank in red sauce and Rachael got a large fillet of grilled swordfish. Everything was absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. With such an amazing introduction we knew that it was going to be a great couple of days.

We checked into our hotel which was in the center of town and had an excellent view of the enormous dome on top of the cathedral. After getting settled and a quick rest we hit the town. Our first stop was the nearby Piazza della Signoria which is the main square in the center of the town. The square is covered in amazing statues and fountains and was the first home of Michelangelo’s David. The square is bounded on one side by an imposing palace, another by the famous Uffizi Gallery and on all others by cafes teaming with people.









After admiring the beautiful sculptures we headed north to the Cattedrale di Santa Maria. Outside of the Cathedral is the baptistery which has three sets of ornately decorated doors. The doors were actually a competition between famous renaissance artists and really showcase their abilities. The final product of the competition is amazing with the gold leaf still shining brightly over the square. Across from the baptistery is the amazing cathedral. It is covered in white marble with inlaid designs of green and pink marble. In addition to the inlays there are many sculptures and paintings above the doors and in little niches in the exterior. This site is actually very important in the history of art not just for its beauty but because it is where 3D perspective in paintings was first invented.









After surveying the amazing exterior of the cathedral it was time to go in and get to the very top. The vast interior was almost completely void of decoration and added to the splendor of the dome. The dome was covered with an enormous fresco depicting the three tiered universe. After a long climb we reached the bottom ring of the dome and got an up close look at the painting. The bottom portion showed a gory scene of hell with people chewing their own flesh and the devil throwing others into the fire. In the center was earth and showed the struggles of man trying to look to heaven and away from hell. Jesus spanned the gap from earth to heaven where there were cherubs flying and angels playing harps. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. After admiring the beauty of the interior we started the last part of the climb to the very top of the cupola.





The climb through the dark and narrow corridor was the most exciting part of the whole journey. The walls were covered in old brick and stone with lights hanging at sporadic intervals, much like what I imagine an old mine would look like. As we climbed higher the ceilings got shorter and the walls began to curve. At the very end the path opened as we walked across the spine of the dome to the very top. Upon exiting we were hit by bright sunlight and an amazing view of the city below. The area on top of the cupola was extremely small and only guarded by a thin iron rail that ran around the very edge. Needless to say it was unnerving but the view was so spectacular that I really couldn’t focus on anything else, not even my fear of heights. Looking out over the city you could see the many beautiful churches, palaces, and also the Tuscan pine forest off in the distance. On the walk down my fear of heights began to creep up as the steps were very steep and I had lost my sense of adventure. Once on solid ground I was very happy to admire the Dome from beneath and continue our tour of the city center.






We walked through more bustling squares and past grand palaces on our way to the Ponte Vechio. The bridge is famous for being completely covered in jewelry shops which cantilever over the water barely clinging to the sides of the bridge. The little street is full of people admiring the enormous amount of gold and diamonds packed into the tiny space. On one side of the bridge there is a raised walkway that was used by the Medici family to travel across the river from one of their palaces to another never having to set foot on the sidewalk with the commoners. Unlike the Medici’s we were more than happy to wander through the crowded streets and on to dinner.




For dinner we stopped at a little restaurant and ordered more delicious Tuscan pasta, red meat, and wine. The food was again phenomenal and completely lived up to its reputation. On the walk back we got a little turned around and didn’t realize it until we had come to the serial killer museum. After getting spooked by the likenesses of Hannibal Lecter and the gruesome details of real murders like Ted Bundy we decided to break out the map and get on the fast track back to the hotel. In just one day Florence had quickly become one of my favorite Italian cities and I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for day number two.

Pisa

Rachael and I were not expecting much in the way of a sight seeing adventure and planned the trip to Pisa as just a short break on our way to Florence. After having seen so many pictures of the leaning tower we were pretty sure of what it would look like but felt that since our train passed through the town we might as well stop and have a look. Our dull spirits were immediately lifted when stepped through the gate and entered the Campo di Miracoli (field of miracles). In the center of a huge lawn were the three beautiful marble structures of the baptistery, the cathedral, and the leaning tower itself. We found a spot in the grass with a view of the whole scene. The weather was perfect and despite the large number of tourists there was still plenty of room to spread out. After lunch we took a walk around the tower making sure to document our trip with the official leaning tower picture pose. On our way back to the station we passed by some of the most incredible souvenir shopping I have ever seen. Everything there was touristy, tacky, and hilarious. When I saw the leaning coffee mugs I had to break out my wallet and despite having only stayed for little more than an hour I think I bought more souvenirs here than anywhere else. When we left we were happy to be on our way to the beautiful city of Florence but still had smiles on our faces from the carnival type atmosphere surrounding the leaning tower.