Pisa
To kick off a two-week holiday break in Italy in late December, we started in Pisa, an easy direct flight from Valencia. Pisa is a relatively small city and to glimpse its main attraction is usually just done as a daytrip from Florence or a brisk overnight stop for most travelers. We last visited this region of Italy during our honeymoon and didn’t spend the night, so this time we decided to spend a few days in Pisa and go at a slower pace, incorporating a day trip to Lucca before continuing on to Florence and Rome.
The Leaning Tower is just as spectacular as it was on our last visit 10 years ago (and 600-ish years ago, for that matter, when the construction finished). Dave climbed the tower (kids under age 8 not allowed) and felt some vertigo when gazing over the edge at the top. On a clear, sunny day, which we were lucky to have, the Field of Miracles complex with the tower, church, and other buildings is simply stunning.
Other than the Leaning Tower and Field of Miracles, Pisa offers a few pedestrian shopping areas to stroll and Renaissance-era plazas to take in, such as Piazza dei Cavalieri: everything you’d want to see is walkable from the main train station, even the Keith Haring mural taking up an entire building wall. It was pretty cold when we lost the sun around 5pm, so that was one downside of visiting in winter vs. the warmer months when you can stretch your touring hours longer into the early evenings and relax outside for a gelato or coffee.
The culinary highlight of both Pisa and Lucca was the abundant panini shops serving up fresh sandwiches with ample ingredients, such as Panimo in Pisa right near our Airbnb. We also had a terrific feast at Grano Libero Ristorante senza Glutine (we’re not gluten-free but it was a welcome break from the regular pasta and pizza).
Lucca
Just a 30-minute local train ride from Pisa, Lucca is a well-preserved and charming town with an exterior fortifying wall intact which you can now walk or rent bikes atop to make your way around the old city perimeter. If you have the extra time, Lucca is a good choice for a daytrip from Pisa, but we preferred and were more impressed by Siena as a daytrip from Florence (see below).
Florence
Returning 10 years after our first visit during our honeymoon, Florence is one of those cities you never tire of. Every day was packed and we didn’t even make it to many typical highlights (Uffizi Gallery, the inside of the Duomo, Pitti Palace). I was able to dig up some of those honeymoon photos in Florence: we were so young!
A few of the things we enjoyed this time around:
- Accademia & Michaelangelo’s David – Jacob is absolutely fascinated by the story of David and Goliath. So to retell the story while viewing one of the most famous sculptures in the world was quite special. Just as my Dad did for us growing up, we’ve acclimated Jacob to enough museums at this point that he does pretty well on (understandably shorter) visits. Make sure you buy advanced, timed tickets for the Accademia as well as the Uffizi Gallery.
- Museums for Kids – Galileo Science Museum (interesting but less hands-on, better for older kids) and the Leonardo Interactive Museum (sweet spot is ages 6+, as per the name, very interactive with machines and more).
- Florence Eye Ferris Wheel – for expansive city views at a steeper price but very fun for kids. You could also hike up to Piazza Michaleangelo across the river for even better views for free!
- City walk – we particularly enjoyed “the other side” of the Arno River, with quieter streets like Via Santo Spirito and Borgo San Jacopo, with cool shops, cafes, and restaurants.
- Florence Synagogue and Jewish Museum – with Moorish-influenced architecture and interior and significantly restored after WWII, this late 19th-century synagogue and small judaica museum was impressive in sharing and displaying the history of Florence’s Jewish population.
- The Food – Obviously a stop at the hyped but worth it All’Antico Vinaio for takeaway sandwiches on the best Tuscan flatbread, schiacciata. For date night we returned to our favorite meal from our honeymoon at Gustaosteria (it’s still around and still delicious!). Photos, then and now…
Daytrip to Siena – one of the most delightful smaller cities we’ve visited and a 1-hour-ish bus ride from Florence, and perfect for a day trip. The sloped, bowl-shaped Piazza del Campo with the town hall and medieval tower are a marvel, as is the Duomo built into the steep landscape. Visiting Siena was a highlight of our time in Tuscany and I highly recommend spending some time there if you can.
