Today was the first day we were actually able to head out and spend a day at a destination on our tour, and that destination was Florence and Pisa with our port city being Livorno. Several of our tour guests, myself included, opted for the Florence and Pisa excursion so we could visit both cities. After a scenic drive through Livorno, we arrived in Florence and began our walking tour. Our tour guide, Francesca, was incredible and has lived in the area her whole life.
Our starting point was in the square surrounding the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence. This church is most well known for hosting the tombs of Michelangelo & Galileo.
After winding through the beautiful streets of Florence, we were at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
Afterwards, we ventured to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and get close enough to see the intricate details of its historic facade. Each building that made up this grouping was covered in beautiful white, green and pink stones as well as carving and paintings.
We finally moved on to see Michaelangeloβs David and learn of its history and about the many less well-known statues that surround it.
After we completed our walking tour, we had about an hour on our own to explore further and grab lunch. A few of us broke off to try some authentic Italian dishes a few blocks off the busy square. This was one of the best meals Iβve had because it was so fresh, simple and well done. We started with a selection of pecorino cheese with local honey and apricot preserves. For my pasta, I chose a pear ravioli in a black pepper and cream sauce. The pasta was homemade and perfectly cooked. I am so excited for the rest of the food we get to have in Italy.
Once the group met up again, we left Florence and took our charter bus about an hour away to Pisa. Conveniently, Pisaβs beautiful attractions are all in one central location. In addition to the famous tower, there was also a beautiful Cathedral, Baptistery and bell tower. We had about an hour to explore and take the iconic holding-up-the-tower photos, before returning to the ship with a few minutes to spare before they began preparing to depart.
Now time to rest up before our big stop tomorrow in Rome!
M-I-Z!
Morgan
P.S. Just a heads up, we have an excursion that goes pretty late tomorrow then dinner and a show planned with some travelers, so tomorrowβs post may come as a two-part summary on Sunday instead!
THAT MEAL! omg