DIY Italy trip

Since the entrance to the main sanctuary of the Duomo is free you might as well see inside but you may be slightly disappointed with what you see inside as the decorative is sparse.But since the entry is free do light a candle and put some Euro coins on one of the donation boxes.

And while you are near the Duomo you might as well admire the bronze- glazed door of baptistery of San Giovanni located in front of the entrance to the cathedral.

If you are inclined to get an aerial view of the city you can walk up 463 steps to the top of the Duomo. We did not as my wife has pains on her legs.

Explore the area around the Duomo and do some serious people gazing. You can choose to purchase painting from artists who sets up shop near the Duomo.

No vehicles are allowed in the area which is a blessing.Have a gelato in one of the lovely lanes near the Duomo.

And then you enter the next room and see David at a distance.

While walking towards David do not get too mesmerised so as to admire two other sculpture by Michelangelo.

Take your time to admire David. There is even a seating space around the wall behind David. It will be difficult to get your perfect picture of the flawless sculpture with so many tourists hanging around.

The statue originally stood in the Piazza Della Signoria which we had visited on Day 2.After you had your heart’s fill the staggering statue carved from a single block of marble , do visit the room containing a collection of sculptures by Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni.

Next go upstairs and admire the mostly religious paintings by major artists from 13th to 16th century. The collection is renowned for its gold-ground paintings.The highlight must be a tapestry .

Plan to spend at the most one and a half hour at the Accademia Gallery.

Next we went to the Santa Maria Novella station to check out the site to report for tomorrow’s Tuscany trip. While we were there we visited the Santa Maria Novella church.There is no clear sign to the entrance. The church is interesting but you would have seen more exquisite churches in Italy.Since the entrance is free do remember to light a candle and offer some donation at the boxes.

Next we wanted to visit Pizzale Michelangelo. Using Google map we found our way from near the Basilica through deserted and scenic lanes like the one below before crossing to the other side of the river Arno and the walk took us about 30 minutes.

You reach Oltrarno and you are in a different world than the hustle and bustle of the Dumo in the other side of the river. The lanes are deserted and lined with impressive shops where you will see very friendly artisans working.

We discovered it is a long way from Oltrarno to the Pizzale Michelangelo and since it was raining we called it a day.Next day our guide for the Tuscany tour told us that locals hang around at Oltrarno and frequent its cafes in the evenings.

The tour starts from the Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station at around 8.15 am. I would recommend you go early to get a front seat in the . And use the washroom before you board the bus as the bus doesn’t have one. You can purchase water at a slight premium onboard.

Your bus will cross the Arno river to get out of Florence. Enroute you can enjoy scenic countryside while your friendly guide will tell you that there is no love lost between the people of Siena and Florence. You can see the main entrance to Florence as you leave the city.

After about one and a half our you reach Siena and are joined by a local guide. You are given a headset so that hear the guide’s commentary. Siena is an iconic Medieval town of stone in Tuscany. They take you on walking tour past unmatched yellow shaded buildings and terracotta rooftops.If you are lucky , as we were, you will see a deep ccoliured Vespa scooter parked against the wall of a house and presenting a perfect photo opportunity ( unfortunately we missed that).

The first landmark on show is the square which houses the oldest bank in the world.

You are told that there are 27 districts in Siena each with unique insignia which you can see on some structures. And you can not change the district you are born into. You then walk to the Duomo located in the highest point of the city passing scenic sights as illustrated below.

The entry fee for the Duomo is 5 Euros which was part of the tour package.The highlight of the cathedral is the floor made of world’s most precious marble and which took 200 years to complete.Most of it remains covered most of the year to protect it except from 29 June to 31 July and again from 18 August to 26 October or a when the entire floor is exposed. The tour guide will tell you that the floor is entirely exposed only on the day of your visit but do not fall for it.We were lucky as we There on 14 October.

The interior of the Duomo is most impressive with works by Bernini and Michelangelo, as the following photographs will bear out.

Unfortunately we did not get enough time inside. The guide will tell you to purchase traditional Sienese sweets such as “ricciarelli” and ” panforte “but we did not fall for the tourist trap. Next we were at the Piazza Del Campo, where the 600 year old Palio horse race is held amongst the districts of Siena. The place is massive and impressive. You will do justice to the place by taking a 360 degree as I had recommended you do at St.Peter’s Square at Vatican.The Piazza is shaped like a sea shell probably so that rainwater does not stagnate. There are cafes around which you can rest and enjoy the ambience.

After leaving Siena and about one and a half hour bus ride we were treated to a wholesome Tuscan lunch at a chianti vineyard called Fattoris Poggio Alloro. There were four types of unlimited helping of wine( including one to go with dessert). The homemade pasta, local cheese, organic salad and biscotti were outstanding.The location was gorgeous with a distant view of the towers of San Gimignano.

After another one and a half hour of bus ride we were at the enchanting hilltop town of San Gimignano. Sometime back I had asked of a Canadian travel writer about his favourite place in Italy and without battling an eyelid he said: San Gimignano. Well, he was probably echoing the opinion of many.You can go around in foot in this town with cobble stone streets and small squares. It is also an ideal place to pickup a souvenir from one of the many local shops. We are the proud owner of a wooden Pinocchio bought from San Gimignano.

The tour guide will also tell you to visit Gelateria Dondoli in the Piazza Della Cisterna. The outlet had the distinction of winning the gelato world championship in 2006/2007 and 2007/2009. You will have to queue up to purchase gelato of your choice. And if you are lucky a chef will present you with a view card of the outlet, as we were.

While leaving The small village of San Gimignano, you rue the fact that a package tour does not do justice to such a picturesque place in Tuscany.

After two hours of bus ride through scenic and classic Tuscan countryside we reached our final destination: Pisa.After your bus is parked in the appointed place you are taken in an unique carriage to the ” Field of Miracles ” whose flagship monument is the ” leaning tower of Pisa”( Torre Tower).The other landmarks are the Duomo and the Baptistery . To get onto the leaning tower you have to buy tickets. People advise about purchasing tickets in advance. You are also allowed to be on the tower only for limited time. We did not go up as my wife has pain in her legs.

The other attractions in the Field of Miracles also attract admission fees except for the Duomo/Cathedral. However even for getting a free entrance to the Cattedrale( Cathedral) you need a ticket from the booking office . The Duomo is said to represent the best of Pusan Romanesque architecture from the eleventh century. It’s black and white interior is similar to the Siene’s Duomo. Although the Duomo of Pisa was built before Siena’s Duomo , the former was rebuilt after a fire at the end of 26th century.Since the entry to this quiet church is free do leave some donation and you may collect a view card in return.

The Battistero( baptistery) of Pisa is the largest of its kind in Italy. The guide had advised us to visit it and once inside to stand underneath the dome try out the unusual acoustics- there are demonstration every half an hour.

You can use the washroom near the Cathedral after paying an entrance fees higher than what is applicable at the other places in Italy. There are also cafes and souvenir shops around the Field of Miracles.

After the visit to the Field of Miracles we were taken around the historic heart of Pisa include the university where Galileo used to teach. The maze of piazzas and streets made it clear that Pisa needs an exclusive visit.

We reached Santa Maria Novella railway station around 8.30 pm. A tiring but fulfilling day . No wonder the tour is advertised as one with maximum number of Excellent rating on Trip Advisor.

Next up was the famous Uffizi gallery. It is 15 minute stroll from theDuomoand opens from 8.15am to 6.50pm. Long queues confirmed that our decision to pre- book @ 12.50 Euros ( plus convenience fees of 4 Euros )was worth it. Of course like everywhere else you have to exchange your online receipt for a lovely ticket at the ticket redemption office across the square from the entrance.You can also pickup audio guides but we did not. Before going in do check out the painters at work in the area outside the gallery and you can get some excellent bargain.The timing indicated in our ticket was 2 to 2.15 pm but it looked like the timing was not sacrosanct.The entrances are on the left wing as you approach the square.

It may be a good idea to head to the top floor first ( located the lift and do not take the steep steps in the excitement as we did)as the works of all the masters like Giotto, Fabriano, Lippi, Botticelli , Michelangelo etc. are located there.You can do the other floors later when you are bored.It is not possible to see everything inside the gallery so check out only the things of interest. Another word of caution. The gallery is mostly under renovation. So from your online research if you expect that Leonardo’s work is located in a particular room and you do not find there be patient. It might have been moved and the friendly employees who speak will be happy to help. And like most of Italy, signs and directions are few and far between.

This post was originally published on DIY Travel Experiences.