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Capannori

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    • Italia 2024
      2
      2122
      Day 9

      Day 2 - Florence (Uffizi Gallery)

      August 21 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

      Today I will post in a few parts, starting with the Uffizi gallery to see some very famous work of art. You’ll recognise many of these in particular Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Medusa by Caravaggio. You’ll also see some random Michaelangelo and de Vinci lol.Read more

    • TravelerLucca to Siena
      Day 1

      Florence to Lucca

      June 27 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      We arrived in Lucca early this afternoon (27th) after stopping over in Pisa for a few hours to check out the Leaning Tower. Tomorrow we take the train to San Miniato and commence our 95km walk on 29th. Lucca is a stunningly beautiful city surrounded by a 4.9km wall we walked around this morning (28th). It is another hot day forecast to be around 32°. I must admit to feeling somewhat apprehensive about the effect of the heat on our walk, which commences with a 25.46km 'stroll' tomorrow. I'm sure that last .46 will feel like the longest half kilometre by the end of the day. Catching the train back to Pisa shortly and then on to San Miniato. Ciao for now xxRead more

    • Italy
      111
      Day 6

      Pisa Day Trip

      September 15 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

      We started our day going to the Cathedral de San Martino to get our credentials for our walk that we will begin on Tuesday. Credentials are books that one can get stamps from hotels, cafes, and churches along the way to aide as a momento of one's trip and to prove that you walked the required distance to get a certificate of completion. We wanted to get them in advance so we can begin walking early on Tuesday.

      From there we took the train to Pisa. The train system in Europe makes getting around so easy. We walked from the train station and took in sights that Rick Steves pointed out in his walking tour. We stopped along the way and had our first gelato of the trip.

      Soon we reached the Field of Miracles. That is where the leaning tower of Pisa is as well as a duomo (church), baptistry, museum and cemetery. We toured the baptistry, the duomo, and the cemetery. We also climbed the 250+ steps to the top of the tower. As soon as we walked in the tower we could feel the lean of the building. The tower, and many buildings in the city, lean because they are built on a silt foundation which shifts easily. If you look closely, the baptistry also leans. When the tower was being built, someone said, "Is it me or is the building leaning?", but they kept building anyway. The tower is hollow and the stairs are thin and cylindrical. Once at the top, we had views of the city including a local soccer game. There are 7 bells in the tower. They don't ring anymore so as not to put more stress on the building as they are very heavy, but a recording of the bells is played for church services. We got to hear the recording for the evening service. On the ground, it was fun watching so many people taking the famous picture of someone pushing the tower back up. Given the number of people "pushing", the tower should be back to normal in no time.

      It was a short train ride back to Lucca and the walled part of the city. We walked part of the way around on the wall top which has been widened into a walking/bike path before descending into the narrow street town. For dinner we went to the grocery store for fresh bagette, cheese, grapes and wine and picnicked in the garden of our hotel.      Read more

    • RiedelTravelToskana
      Day 14

      Irgendwas fehlt hier

      May 8 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      Da das Handy meldete, dass unser Auto vollgeladen ist, ging ich schnell zum Auto um es abzustecken.

      Auf dem Parkplatz angekommen, sah ich nur wie ein Auto ganz dich an unserem steht und dann wegfährt. Am Auto angekommen, stellte ich fest, dass vorne das Kennzeichen fehlt und einiges zerkratzt ist.

      Somit bin ich dem Auto hinter her, was zum Glück paar Lücken weiter geparkt hat. Die Frau stieg aus und war sich keiner Schuld irgendwie bewusst.

      Leider konnte Sie nur italienisch und die Übersetzerapp war auch keine Hilfe.

      Mein größtes Problem war, dass ich unser Kennzeichen nirgends fand. Irgendwann holte die Frau unser Kennzeichen aus Ihrem Auto.

      Da mittlerweile eine Strafgebühr wegen der Ladeüberziehung lief, zog ich erstmal das Auto vom Strom. Die Zeit nutze die Frau auch und schwang sich aufs Rad und war weg.

      Somit stand ich nun da. Kurze Zeit später kam der Rest der Gruppe und Andi und ich sind erstmal zur Polizei gegangen. Und wer saß da schon da. Die Frau von vorhins.

      Bei der Polizei konnte aber so richtig auch keiner Englisch. Naja mit Übersetzer haben wir das Protokoll ausgefüllt.

      Nun heißt es nach Deutschland kommen und hoffen dass mit der Versicherung alles klappt.      Read more

      See translation
    • Backpacking en Italie 🇮🇹
      Day 36

      Lucques

      November 16 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

      Ce matin je prends un café à l’auberge, et je vais à la gare pour prendre le train de 10h20 en direction de Lucques. Après 30 minutes je suis déjà arrivée. Je vais en direction opposée au centre historique pour voir l’aqueduc de Nottolini puis je repasse de l’autre côté de la gare pour entrer dans les remparts. La vue depuis les remparts est super, il y a une belle promenade et les arbres sont très jolis avec les couleurs de l’automne. Je me balade ensuite dans la ville, je passe par la place Napoléon. Ce week-end, il y a un marché d’antiquités, donc il y a des stands un peu partout dans la ville. Je me pose devant l’Église San Michele in Foro au soleil pour manger mon picnic. Je continue de me balader c’est très sympa, il y a de l’animation, il fait soleil, les gens sont contents.
      Je vais jusqu’à la Basilique San Frediano puis à la place de l’amphithéâtre, une place ovale. Il y a juste quelques restos autour, ça fait un peu vide. Je vois ensuite la tour de l’horloge et la tour Guinigi. Je vais sur la place de la Cathédrale Saint - Martin de Lucques il y a encore plein de stands d’antiquités, je traîne, je regarde un peu tout. Je retourne ensuite à la gare prendre mon train de 14h30 avec lequel j’arrive à Prato à 15h30. Puis je reprends un bus à 16h05 jusqu’à Bologne. J’arrive à 17h40. Je rejoins mon parrain, Dominique, vers le parking où il a garé sa voiture pour poser mon sac. On va prendre l’ « apéritivo » dans un bar qu’il connaît. Miam le fromage c’est trop bon 🤤 On part vers 21h, on est en terrasse et il commence à faire sacrément froid. On prend la route pour Pavullo, où il habite. On arrive vers 22h30. On prend une tisane chez Angela qui habite à côté, et on va dormir.      Read more

      See translation
    • Laurie ReynoldsHeading to Tuscany
      212
      Day 12

      Another travel day

      September 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

      Back on the train to Pisa to connect to the train to Lucca. All of this is a little hard on Joe but he’s been a trooper. Up and down the stairs, crowd huddling in the shade, one person says—I just heard the platform was changed. The masses move to the stairs. Another says —no that’s a different train. Finally a real Trenitalia person appears and tells us to stay put. Then the train arrives and there is more confusion. Nothing that anyone who has traveled by train in Italy hasn’t experienced. And I am not knocking Italian trains. They put US trains to shame a million times over. Connection in Pisa was effortless, and even though I could not figure out how to get my ticket stamped, the very nice men in uniforms just told us to sit down and not worry. Note to self: next time, make sure to use the Trenitalia app. Much easier.

      Our hotel is in the middle of the historic center and about a 30 minute walk in Joe time from the train station. We walked because our B&B didn’t open till 2 pm. It was sunny and a bit hot but we went straight through the historic center.

      Joe napped while I walked around. I went to the plaza built where the Roman amphitheater once was and two pretty stunning Romanesque churches. All the columns and capitals were from Roman temples, so no display of Romanesque inside.

      After Joe’s nap and shower we grabbed a couple of slices of pizza from a place where the 35-50 person line had evaporated. Then the aimless walking took us to the entrance of San Giovanni, another Romanesque church that sits on a 9th century crypt, which sits on a 4th century baptistery, which sits on a 1st C BC Roman villa. Unfortunately no entrance was possible because of the Puccini (who’s from Lucca) celebration. But we learned there would be an opera concert in the church this evening. A performance of some “ greatest hits.” So we bought the tickets and had a light snack in a café nearby. In a beautiful square. Where we are waiting till concert time. This is a charming place, no doubt about it. Some tourists but most definitely a real city.      Read more

    • Laurie ReynoldsHeading to Tuscany
      1
      Day 12

      Opera in the evening.

      September 16, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

      At our Puccini celebration concert, we heard bits and pieces from Madame Butterfly, Toscana, Turandot, La Boheme. One tenor and one mezzo-soprano who alternated. Then a couple of pieces together. I’m no opera expert but even I recognized something from Madam Butterfly! Very fun in a Romanesque church no less.

      Then we took a stroll around the lit-up cathedral, followed by a light dinner in a cute café restaurant we passed on our way back to the hotel. This was a very nice intro to Lucca.      Read more

    • Laurie ReynoldsHeading to Tuscany
      311
      Day 13

      Tourist day in Lucca

      September 17, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

      I got back from my early morning walk at about 9:15, and based on Joe’s response, I was not too optimistic about how our day would unfold. But two cappuccinos and a big breakfast later, he was ready to go.

      The cathedral visit, and seeing the archaeological excavation under San Giovanni, were both top notch. All these layers, and bits and pieces of each layer remain, going back to the Romans from about 2 C BC. It was fun to climb around the sub-church layer, where archaelogists had identified the villa, the early Christian church, the Baptistery, and even a 12 C church destroyed later that century to make way for the current church. I climbed the two bell towers while Joe waited patiently. The Cathedral has an 8 C Volto Santo, which is a wooden crucifixion that comes with the tradition/legend that it was carved by Nicodemus shortly after the Resurrection. Carbon dating disproves that theory, but it has been confirmed as being from the 700s. They are currently doing serious renovation work on the cross and figure of Christ, so it is not hanging in its chapel. But the work space is glass-enclosed, so you can watch the work when it’s in process.

      After the cathedral and church, we found ourselves on the 16-17 C walls that surround the city. They replaced the original Roman walls, and the later medieval walls, expanding the perimeter of the city as they went. This is now an absolutely wonderful 5 km Via Verde - lots of bikes and carts and walkers on a shaded path that has multiple access points within and without the walls. Joe and I walked about 3 km on the path, and I’ve walked the whole circle twice by myself — once in early morning and once when Joe went to take his nap.

      Since we hadn’t eaten any lunch, our last pre-nap stop was at a café outside one of my favorite churches - San Frediano, with a white marble facade (brought over from the Roman amphitheater) and 12C mosaics on top.

      We’re doing a zoom baby shower for my niece and her husband in a few hours, and I will be there!      Read more

    • TravelerJen's Adventure
      1
      Day 352

      Lucca

      February 8, 2023 in Italy

      Well today didn't go as planned our cooking class was cancelled due to the people having covid.
      So instead we had a wonder round the whole city had a lovely rustic Italian lunch.
      Then we both headed to Florence.
      We had the best dinner in an 1950s American diner
      It was so cool they were going round rollerskating and everything.
      Officially going into a food coma!!!      Read more

    • Carmel CarlsenVia Francigena - part 2
      232
      Day 34

      Day 30: Lucca - rest day

      May 22 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

      I've done the math, and my guidebook tells me that I have walked 589 km from my starting point (Echevennoz), and I now have 405 km to go until Rome. Therefore, I'm officially over 1/2 way! The Puccini concert last night was great. I sat in the front row and made friends with a man from Israel. He's recently been cycling in Portugal. The world is full of the most interesting people. Today, I was a lot more laid back, I barely walked at all. I climbed the Guinigi tower, which has seven oak trees planted at the top, and provides some lovely views of Lucca and the surrounding mountains. I'm sharing a photo of the Labyrinth that is carved into one of the pillars at the Cathedral here. It is a welcome to pilgrims and a symbol of the spiritual path that leads the believer to salvation. I also visited the Via Francigena museum. There was not much there, some good videos, but not much else.Read more

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