FI – PI – LU
Firenze – Pisa – Lucca
While discovering the FI – PI – LU (Florence, Pisa and Lucca) triangle I have found the perfect spot to stay. It was my little Italian home for 4 days. Basically the perfect idylic Italian country house you want to stay at when visiting tourist attractions like the Florence Cathedral, the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Piazza dei Miracoli) or even the small town of Lucca.
As you know I give accomodation referrals very rarely, so definitely check out the B&B Borgo do Pratavecchie (link here) in your travels.
Lucca
Lucca is a gorgeous little town between Florence and Pisa. If you have time in your travels it is a place to visit. The well-preserved renaissance walls encircle the historic city centre and its cobblestone streets, giving the town a special wow effect. I always like a town with walls.
The day I visited was perfect to walk on top and inside the walls. Inside the old city you can find plenty of little deli shops, restaurants and churches (of course). It’s a beautiful spot I have never heard of before coming here. Spring has arrived in Tuscany and I love seeing some of the trees in full bloom. Being here in March is pretty good after all.
Basilica of San Frediano 
Pisa
Of course we all know the leaning tower of Pisa and so I was really looking forward to seeing this historic site. Walking up to it I was not disappointed. The sky was as blue as it could be and gave an awesome contrast to the grand architecture of the Piazza. The first glimpse was absolutely breathtaking and almost overwhelming.
Yes, the leaning tower of Pisa is impressive and certainly a ‚must see‘, but don‘t underestimate the striped-marble Cathedral and the Baptistry next to the tower, all standing in the Piazza dei Miracoli. What an amazing day to be in Pisa!
So, because it was such an amazing spot and only 10min away from my hotel, I drove and walked past the Piazza dei Miracoli a few times in the coming days. Unfortunately I also managed to get a parking ticket. I honestly thought I was in a free parking zone, but clearly they don‘t exist (lesson learned). Oh well!
Florence (Firenze)
Last but not least in the FI – PI – LU triangle there was Florence (Firenze). Although I have been to many places in Italy I have never been to Florence. From the hotel it took me 40min to drive to the city and another 1.5 hours to finally park my car. Be aware (learning from my Pisa experience) that parking inside the old towns in Italy is not a good idea. Finding a car park within the blue parking zone however can be a challenge so it took longer than usual.
Once parked, walking into the old city was quick and easy and the Florence cathedral was not too far away.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
After walking inside Florence for many hours I admit I wasn’t sure what to think of this city. The Florence Cathedral (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore) is definitely a stand out and looks rather magnificent.
It is too big to take a decent photo of the whole complex so I took plenty from different angles. That said, in the past few years it has been beautifully restored and cleaned up so the contrast between the surrounding old buildings and the cathedral was amazing. What a cathedral!
The streets around the cathedral are mainly filled with shops and dining areas. Nice to see but nothing special. The city to me feels very condensed and the buildings, although unique in architecture, look dirty and run down. There is an overall lack of colour and so I didn‘t take too many photos. Adding the long queues at the tourist attractions (e.g. Uffizi Museum) the big crowds really detracted from my overall experience.
Only the next day, when I found myself on the other side of the river, at the Piazzale Michaelangelo (Michaelangelo Plaza), on top of a hill, overlooking the city of Florence, could I see the beauty and grandness of Florence. Yes, it is a magnificent city!
Da Vinci
While I was driving around the FI – PI – LU triangle I had to make a quick stop in the small town Da Vinci, aka Leonardo da Vinci. Not a must see but when you are in the area it is a cute little town on top of the hill, overlooking the Tuscany landscape. Time for some wine now!
