Coucou les bichettes,
Today I’m telling you about a weekend my boyfriend and I spent in a very romantic part of Italy: Tuscany.
Accessible from Nantes in less than 2 hours via the Volotea airline, it’s the ideal trip for a break and a change of scene. Especially as temperatures are still mild at the end of October.
In this article, I offer you a short guide to Tuscany. Embark on the Dolce Vita 🙂
A little trip to Pisa
Arriving at Pisa airport, we spent the night close to the airport so that the next morning we could pick up our rental car and start our road-trip through Tuscany.
The rental company gave us the keys to our vehicle and, as luck would have it, we found a fiat 500! I couldn’t have wished for a better way to criss-cross the Italian roads 😉
Head for the Piazza dei Miracoli with its famous tower
Although the “torre pendente” immediately catches my eye, I didn’t expect to find such a majestic architectural ensemble around it. Because the Tower of Pisa isn’t alone! Around the piazza dei Miracoli, you can admire the Duomo, the Battistero and the Campo Santo.
Before leaving Pisa (because there’s not much else to do in the city), we take the time to take photos of this fun tower, which is still leaning 🙂 We didn’t choose to climb the tower, as it was too touristy for our taste, but if you do, remember to book in advance.
Wonder in Florence
The first thing to do before taking to the streets of Florence is to park your car, as the city has set up a limited traffic zone, accessible only to cabs, buses and other residents with a resident’s permit. Apart from these beneficiaries, traffic is prohibited between 7.30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (6 p.m. on Saturdays).
Lucky for us, my love found a wonderful little hotel outside this area and with parking! It’s called Villa Carlotta. Clearly the perfect hotel for a romantic getaway.
As soon as we’ve parked our car and put our luggage in our room, we can’t wait to wander around this city, which promises some wonderful discoveries.
While I enjoyed Rome, I have to admit that I really fell in love with Florence. Quite simply because everything is within walking distance, and much of the city center is pedestrianized, which gives the city a very calm feel. No honking, no cursing… just tourists and locals taking the time to live and admire the architectural treasures.
The Ponte Vecchio
The ponte Vecchio is the city’s oldest bridge. The small jewelry stores on either side of the bridge have taken the place of butchers and fishmongers, whose presence on the ponte Vecchio was undesirable to the Medici.
I really enjoyed the little shops near this bridge, and especially this little find about Alice, my favorite character!
At night, the bridge is also a great spot for an impromptu shoot!
Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio
This piazza della Signoria is well worth a visit. Dominated by majestic buildings such as the Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia dei Lanzi, the piazza della Signoria was once the scene of tortures, popular gatherings and revolutions. Take time to contemplate the sublime Fountain of Neptune, sculpted by Bartolomeo Ammannati and Giambologna, and a marble replica of Michelangelo’s David.
The Palazzo Vecchio is a reminder of Florence’s history. Built in the late 13th century, it was home to the Medici family.
We didn’t take the trouble to visit the palace, because with all its beauty, we had to make choices! We preferred to do the whole visit to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The Duomo – Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral
Without a doubt, my favorite part of the trip! Florence Cathedral is located in Piazza del Duomo, in the center of Florence’s old town.
Tip: visit the cathedral at the end of the day to enjoy the sunset from the top of the dome, and buy the combined ticket including the dome, baptistery, campanile, Santa Reparata crypt and Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. It costs €15 and is valid for 48 hours.
The façade of the monument is truly admirable. The colored marble, the mosaic and the numerous statues really give an impression of power.
Inside, what struck me most before reaching the top of the Duomo was Brunelleschi’s dome, decorated with a huge fresco of the Last Judgement painted by Vasari.
Access to the top (463 steps) offers a remarkable view of Florence. Claustrophobes please!
The view from the top is just magical. We spent quite a while admiring the beauty of this city before heading back down to terra firma!
Winks
I had a lot of fun shooting some of the winks as I passed by monuments.
The first is the Halloween connection 😉 Although we didn’t come across any people dressed up during our stay, we did spot a few pumpkins in Italian shops.
The other wink concerns Asian tourists.
While they’re always present in tourist towns like Florence, some of them have, I have to admit, a lot of style, and don’t hesitate to take on unlikely looks. This young Asian girl, for example, loved it when I photographed her, even posing for me 🙂 It was fun!
La bella vita in Siena
Yes, our stay isn’t over yet!
We return to the Tuscan countryside to reach the astonishing town of Siena. It lies 70 km south-east of Florence, amidst landscapes of great beauty.
As with Florence, we planned to leave the car and luggage in our B&B before visiting the city. My love has again found a super-romantic place with adorable hosts. It’s called La Chica B&B. Just a 15-minute walk from the city center, it’s the perfect place to stroll hand in hand.
Piazza del Campo
It’s one of the most beautiful and distinctive squares in the world. It is located in the center of the city, and is the point at which all the city’s streets converge. The square’s originality is particularly due to its shape, which resembles a large shell and is also inclined. The square is also famous for its “Palio”. This is a bareback horse race held every year on July 02 and August 16. 10 riders take part in this very dangerous race, each representing a district of the city of Siena.
Siena Cathedral
I really do recommend a visit to this cathedral, as it’s so beautiful, with its colorful mix of black and white marble and its sculptures.
Volterra for Twilight fans
Before heading back to Pisa to catch our return flight, I asked my love if we could go via Volterra.
Does that ring a bell? How about Twilight? It’s the famous Italian town where the Volturi are based in the books of the saga written by Stephanie Meyer and especially in the film New Moon.
As a big fan of the Cullens, I wanted to visit this town and take a few moments to think of Alice Cullen arriving in her yellow Porsche from the hills, although for the record, the film was shot in the small town of Montepulciano, an equally beautiful twin to Volterra, perched high in the hills (unfortunately it wasn’t on the way back!).
I was not disappointed by this little detour. Volterra is an ancient medieval city, perched on a hill overlooking the Italian countryside and offering magnificent panoramic views.
That’s it, girls, I’m done! I hope this introduction to Tuscany has inspired you to book your tickets for a romantic weekend.
If you have any questions, anecdotes or other information to share about this region, please feel free to share them in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
See you soon for new adventures 🙂
