Changing My Latitude

It's time to travel the world!

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A Journey Through Germany: Part 4 - Wurzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Füssen - Three Towns that Take You Back In Time

A Journey Through Germany: Part 4 – Wurzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Füssen – Three Towns that Take You Back In Time

Wowed by Wurzburg

Another place right out of a fairytale. Beautiful, old buildings, a castle (fortress) on a hill, an old palace full of beautiful frescoed ceilings and ornately decorated rooms, a footbridge over a rapidly flowing river – only part of why Wurzburg is wonderful.

After about a mile walk from the train station, I checked into the smallest hotel room ever. It seemed very much like a…

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A Journey Through Germany: Part 3 - Mainz & Frankfurt

A Journey Through Germany: Part 3 – Mainz & Frankfurt

Mainz – Home to the “Man of the Millennium”, Johannes Gutenberg

Arriving in Mainz to light rain, I opted not to walk the mile into Altstadt where I would find my hotel. Instead, I caught the bus that was a quick 3 stops letting me off right in the main square in front of the cathedral where the Tuesday morning market was packed with people despite of the rain.

After a quick walk through the…

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Up early, we walked around the corner to the Cadiz train station only to confirm that the Renfe train strike we’d heard about the day before had caused the cancellation of our 8:15 train. Rescheduled for later that morning, we headed back to hotel to put our luggage back in room then grabbed some coffee and walked around a bit. There wasn’t much open at that time of the morning. Returning to the hotel around 10, we retrieved our bags and walked back to the station for the 10:50 train.

Because of the delay, we didn’t arrive in Madrid until about 3:00. At the station we purchased a 10 ride metro card to share, hopped on the Metro, and got off at Gran Via. We walked down the busy, store-lined street, luggage in tow, until we arrived at the doors of Hostal MH Fuencarral. a great place to stay in a great location in the city. After checking in and depositing our luggage, it was time to find a bite to eat for a late lunch.

Stomachs full and fueled for the day, we walked toward the Palacio Real, the Royal Palace of Madrid, passing first through the Plaza de Oriente, a square just outside the palace. We waited in a bit of a line, and then made the crowded walk through the palace. There were so many rooms, but I think we were reaching “palace burn-out”, so we looked, but didn’t linger.

Heading away from the palace, we navigated first through Mercado de San Miguel and then over to the The Hat, a hotel with a rooftop bar I had read about before going. I’m so glad we went! There was a great atmosphere in the place, and I had the BEST DRINK EVER! It was so good, I had to have two!

The sun having set by the time we dragged ourselves away from the roof of The Hat, we headed the short distance over to Puerto Del Sol which was packed with people. It was the night of the total lunar eclipse.

We took in the lights of square and gazed up at the eclipse for a bit, then we wandered down the street in search of a place hosting live music. Searching the internet for a recommended spot, we first stepped into Sunset 80s, but it was empty, and we knew it wasn’t the place for us. Then we passed Blackbird which was packed, good music emanating from within. Unfortunately, it was too full to get inside…definitely standing room only. Already late and having not eaten since lunch, I was ready for some food and settled on Five Guys before heading back to the hotel for the night.

Madrid Day 2

After grabbing a Starbucks, we jumped on the Metro and headed back to the train station to catch a train to Toledo for half a day. We were too late for the 9:20 train so we bought tickets for the 10:20 and got into Toledo just before 11.

Trying to make the most of our time, we took a taxi to the top by city center rather than climb the steep hill. As we exited the taxi, free walking tours were beginning to leave from right there in the center square.

We quickly jumped into one, figuring it would be the best way to get highlights of the holy city in our short time there. The tour took just under two hours, but we saw a lot.

As the tour ended, we grabbed lunch in the center square before walking around a little to explore on our own. The streets were such a maze, we didn’t see much before deciding to grab a bus back to the train station for our 3:25 return trip back to Madrid, but not before trying a little marzipan.

After the train pulled back into the Madrid station, we headed for Parque del Buen Retiro to walk around. If we weren’t nearing the end of an already long day, it would have been fun to take a boat ride on the lake…but the water did look a bit dirty!

A quick trip through the Prado (entry was free after 6pm), overwhelmed with all there was to see, and we were on our way to Circulo de Belus Artes. We had to wait in line for a bit, but getting up to the rooftop bar for a view of the sunset that night was worth it.

Tired after a long day, we had a drink and relaxed a little before leaving and heading back toward the hotel for some dinner, a plate of chicken wings and vegetables.

My feet were throbbing at this point, making it hard to keep going, but powering on, we headed back to Blackbird only to find that, yet again, there was standing room only. It was time to call it a night!

Madrid Day 3

The first stop on our final morning in Madrid was San Gines for churros and chocolate. This is a must for anyone visiting Madrid. So DELICIOUS!

After a sweet breakfast, it was time to head back to hotel to check out and store our luggage until later that afternoon, but not before stopping back by Puerto del Sol for a daytime viewing.

Once our luggage was secured at the front desk, we used the rest of our time in Madrid to wander around a little more and do a little shopping (I think we went into 5 different Ale-Hops in that time.) Then we had lunch at Steakburger before returning to pick up our bags and hopping on a Metro to the airport for our flight to Lisbon. Little did we know, it would be a long wait in the airport.

  Madrid and Toledo, a Quick Tour Up early, we walked around the corner to the Cadiz train station only to confirm that the Renfe train strike we'd heard about the day before had caused the cancellation of our 8:15 train.

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Our time in Seville having come to an end, we dragged our luggage down the road to the plaza area in front of the cathedral to hail a taxi to the Seville Santa Justa train station to catch the 8:30 am train to Cadiz. Arriving in Cadiz around 10:15, we walked the short distance to the Spanish Galleon Lodge, our accommodations for the night. Such a cute hotel!…and the service was outstanding. Our rooms not yet ready, they stored our luggage, and we headed into the center of the small town.

While Kim went off to grab some breakfast and look around the little shops, I went into the cathedral which housed a museum of artifacts, paintings, statues, and a multimedia presentation about the upheaval caused by the Protestants as they dragged the wooden virgin from the church down the street and chopped at her with swords. At the end of the audio tour, I ascended the spiral ramp to the top of the bell tower just in time for the 12pm ringing of the bells. And the view from the top? Incredible!

Next, we walked over to the large central market and looked around. I bought lunch at a little booth and just sat and took in the surroundings.

Stuffed pepper, couscous, and a cold Cruzcampo

After lunch, we headed for the Torre Tavera. We could climb the tower however there was no available show time for the camera obscura, so we bought tickets for the 2:30 time slot instead and headed back to the hotel to move our luggage into our rooms and change for the beach. Beach towels and a beach umbrella were provided by our lovely hotel.

We returned to the tower and started to climb toward the top, stopping at the Camera Obscura floor. The Camera Obscura viewing was a great experience. Following about 20 minutes of looking around city, the show was over and we climbed our way to the top terrace. The tower is located in the center of city, so we had a magnificent 360 degree view of Cadiz.

Leaving there, we headed for Parque Geneves. There were some great spots in the large park, but it definitely was not as impressive as the previous parks we’d seen in other Spanish cities.

From the park, we took a stroll down the coastline until we arrived at the beach. There were so many people out. After realizing we weren’t going to be getting a lounge chair, we found a spot in the sand near the water’s edge and relaxed a bit with a couple more Cruzcampos from a beach vender pulling a rolling can down the beach. Only one euro each! Such a steel! The water was very refreshing.

Leaving the beach sometime between 7 & 8, we headed back to the hotel and up on the roof, one of the great things about the Spanish Galleon Lodge. Wow! I lay in the hammock for a couple minutes, but afraid I would fall asleep there for hours, I went back to my room, changed out of my swimsuit, and we headed out for dinner.

At 9:45 it was a very early dinner for us. Tonight it was tapas. Ham and red pepper stuffed pork sirloins, pork medallions in a pepper sauce, sautéed vegetables, and fried cheese. All delicious!

Back to the hotel around 11, I climbed back onto the roof and lay in the hammock for about 20 minutes. I could have stayed all night, but it was getting too cold up there. Not many times I could say that on this trip! It was time to pack for Madrid as our day in Cadiz had come to an end, but a great day it was!

Cooling Off in Cadiz Our time in Seville having come to an end, we dragged our luggage down the road to the plaza area in front of the cathedral to hail a taxi to the Seville Santa Justa train station to catch the 8:30 am train to Cadiz.

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Up early, and out the door of the Anacapri (a hotel I’d recommend!), Kim and I debated between taking a taxi and catching the city bus. We went with the bus option and headed for the Granada train station only to realize we would be taking a bus from there to the Antequera-Santa Ana train station in Malaga and then boarding the train for Seville. Waiting for the bus to arrive, we met a nice couple from Orange County who were also heading to Seville. They had been in Granada visiting her dad who is a guest professor at the local university. They had started their trip in Madrid and were ending in Barcelona, so we exchanged a few suggestions since we had started our trip in Barcelona and would be heading to Madrid in a few days.

The bus ride from Granada to Santa Ana took about an hour, and we passed by several fields of sunflowers. They were beautiful. Getting off the bus and heading into the train station, the four of us boarded a small, empty train car bound for Seville, a one and half hour trip.

On arrival in Seville, rather than making the trek by foot across town or taking the time to figure out the local bus system, we decided to just jump in a taxi upon exiting the station. Leaving the taxi on the main street, we wound down the back alley to the entrance of our hotel, La Abadia de Giralda. We were able to check in when we got there and moved into our “family duplex” that consisted of 2 double beds (one up stairs, one down) and one bathroom before heading out to explore.

First stop, lunch! We found a cute outdoor restaurant, and I had my first taste of paella! Delicious!

Then we walked over by the river to check out the Torre de Oro, the round castle originally built to protect Seville from attack via the river. The tower that once housed precious metals from the Orient and the Indies (the Americas) is now a naval museum. We wound our way up the spiral staircase to explore the museum and eventually made our way to the top of the tower where there were some great views of the city and the river front.

Near the tower was a bridge that led across the river to Triana, the neighborhood on the opposite side. We walked down the street along the water that was lined with tents (most closed for midday) that were part of a week-long festival, the Vela de Santa Ana, that takes place each July. Getting down to the second bridge, there was a big indoor market that we ducked into only to find that almost every stall was closed for the day. Because we were nearing the start time of our city bike tour, we made our way back across the river and explored some of the streets on the way to the bike shop. We came upon yet another large market, but it, too, was closing down for the day.

At 4:10, we began our ebike tour of Seville. Lucas (Luca) was a brilliant tour guide from Elecmove Bikes who took us all over Seville (even though Kim was half asleep 😉 ). We rode through the neighborhood of Triana, home of Cruzcampo beer. Leaving Triana, we made our way to Plaza de America and into parque de Maria Luisa. What a magnificent place! I would have been ok ending the tour right then and there and relaxing in the shade of the tree lined park, but onward we went. We’d already planned to head back to the park for a longer visit later. Just outside the park was the Plaza de Espana. We parked in the shade near one of the front fountains and learned about the Plaza’s origin, then took a ride through the middle of the plaza into the mist of the center fountain, a much needed cooling off on a hot summer day. Then we went over by the old tobacco factory which is now a university and cycled back to the shop at the end of our tour around 6:45pm.

Triana

Triana

Plaza de America

Plaza de America

Plaza de America

Plaza de Espana

Plaza de Espana

Plaza de Espana

Tobacco Factory/University

Tour over and ready to relax a little, we headed straight for Metropol Parasol (Las Setas…the mushrooms). Very unique indeed. It was just before sunset, the perfect time to be up on top. We walked around for a bit and then grabbed a glass of cava to sit and relax as the sun set on the city. I didn’t miss the chance to get a few more sunset photos from here! Then we headed back toward the hotel, grabbed a bite to eat, and called it a night.

Thanks to a noisy air conditioner that exuded a bright light across the top floor where I was sleeping, I didn’t get much rest before starting out on day two in Seville. First stop: back to Parque de Maria Luisa to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Pulling ourselves away from the peaceful park, we walked back over to Plaza de Espana to explore a little further now that we were not attached to a bicycle. As we looked around, we were treated to music from a couple street musicians. There wasn’t really anything to see inside the buildings as they were mostly office spaces. Nice place to work!

We attempted to go back and visit the big market, but unfortunately most stalls were closed yet again. Instead, we made our way toward Seville Cathedral and took the audio tour. Amazing place…and SOOOO BIG! Until I went inside, I had no idea that this was the final resting place of Christopher Columbus.

After a couple hours in the cathedral, it was time to head back to the hotel for a short siesta before taking on the Alcázar at our 4:30 entry time. So much to see inside and such intricate details on all the walls and ceilings. It was very easy to get lost inside though. There were lots of gardens in the back as well…one full of peacocks.

  We finished our journey through the Alcázar around 6:45 and stopped at a restaurant just around the corner from the hotel for tapas and the local beer, Cruzcampo. We sat out at a small table on the sidewalk’s edge where we were joined by a little friend. He only stayed for Kim’s bread.

After a couple Cruzcampos, it was time for another siesta (I think the lack of sleep from the night before played a part in the need for this). Then we got up at 10:15 and headed back out in hopes of enjoying a bit of the festival going on in Triana. As we crossed the bridge into Triana, the streets were packed like sardines. So. Many. People. There was a large platform set up in the first intersection and a band was playing. Far too crowded to walk around, I bought some sugary fried dough from a street vendor, and we stood and watched the band until they stopped playing.

Back across the bridge, we ran into the Orange County couple we had met the day before on our trip to Seville. We had also seen them briefly earlier in the day while at the cathedral. We stopped and chatted for a bit before heading back to the hotel to shower and pack for the next day’s train ride to Cadiz. Hotel surprise for night two? Multiple power outages…one while I was in the shower. Good times!

Time to catch up on summer travel blogging... Sevilla. What a beautiful place! Up early, and out the door of the Anacapri (a hotel I'd recommend!), Kim and I debated between taking a taxi and catching the city bus.

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Greatness in Granada

My 2018 adventures in Spain continued in Granada, the fourth city of the tour and second stop in the Andalucia region. Walking from our hotel in Córdoba, we arrived at the bus station across the street from the train station just before 8am. Taking the bus was much quicker than the train between these two cities. After some coffee at the station cafe, we took our seats on the bus and started on…

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Conquering Córdoba in a Day

The third stop on the “Ricorrido por España” was Córdoba. From the hotel in Valencia, we made our way back through the narrow streets to the train station with plenty of time, to sit in a station cafe and enjoy some espresso before our departure at 8:07. A little over three hours later, we arrived at the Cordoba station. It was a nice walk from the station to Hospederia del Atalia,our…

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A Quick Stay in Valencia

Wanting to make the most of a single day in Valencia, we were out the door of Rambla Cataluña, 99 at 6:10 am and walked the short distance to the Metro station at Diagonal. At the train station by 7:30, we had time for some coffee before boarding the 7:00 train bound for Valencia. The three hour train ride went rather quickly. Exiting the station, we picked up our Valencia tourist card and began…

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Barcelona: An Adventure in All Things Gaudi

Barcelona was a great first stop on this summer’s tour of Spain. There was so much to do and see packed into three eventful days and nights. After a late start to day one because of a delayed flight and a little trouble with an electronic key to get into our apartment on Rambla De Cataluña, we ran down Las Ramblas to make our 3pm e-bike tour of Montjuic. After running to get there on time, we…

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The Sun Has Set on My Mexican Vacation...for Now Anyway.

The Sun Has Set on My Mexican Vacation…for Now Anyway.

Who doesn’t love a great sunset? One happens everyday. In multiple time zones, in multiple places, all across the world. If you actually think about it, the sun is always setting somewhere. Yet, no matter where I am, I’m always amazed at the beauty that signifies the end of another day. There’s just something about a sunset. I’ve taken too many sunset photos to count, in more places than I can…

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Departing Florence by train at 10:30 am, I arrived in Venice just over 2 hours later. Exiting the train station I was confronted with water everywhere. Confused at first, I finally figured out how to buy my Vaporetto Pass and made my way onto my first vaporetto headed toward Hotel La Calcina where I would be staying for the next three nights. The instant we pulled off and started through the canals, I was mesmerized. It was a bustling city on water. So many boats of all sizes moving in all directions. I couldn’t wait to start exploring the many streets and canals of this beautiful place.

Hotel La Calcina

View from my room

Ready to drop off my bags and get started, I payed close attention to each stop so that I would not miss my destination at the Zattere station. Rolling my bags down the walkway along the water, I quickly covered the short distance to my hotel on the corner. After checking in and getting settled in my small room (with a bathroom that is the shower), I set out on my first Venice Adventure. Back on a vaporetto, I continued through the canals looking for Casa d’Oro. I got off at the right stop, I just didn’t realize that it was right there, so I continued through the narrow alleyway up to the main street that filled with people and lined with shops and restaurants. Starving at this point and ready for lunch, I ducked into a little deli and got some cold pasta with cheese and salami that I enjoyed as I continued to explore the streets.

After walking for a bit, I grabbed a granita and decided to make my way towards the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli. Having wifi to access my google maps was definitely a plus here! Without much difficulty, I located the small church and peeked inside. I decided that was the only look I needed and opted not to pay the fee to go in and look around. At this point, I’d seen so many churches that this small one didn’t feel like one I had to explore in detail. Leaving there, I boarded another vaporetto and stumbled upon Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo, so I got off to look around. From there I continued to stroll through the streets heading toward Rialto Bridge.

After sitting to take in the view for awhile, I jumped back on a vaporetto and made my way to Piazza San Marcos. The Piazza was gigantic, and there were so many people out milling around…and so many birds. People were giving children food to hold out for the birds so that they would land on them. I didn’t want any part of that! I walked all around the square and then made my way back to the San Marco Campanile. I sat on a bench just outside for awhile to people watch and rest my feet. I’d walked A LOT at this point in my trip. I finally got up the momentum to get in line to go to the top of the campanile. I was pleased to find out that you could go up in an elevator, which made my feet very thankful. The view from the top was unbelievable.

Once down from the top of the tower, I continued to explore the area around the square. I made my way around the corner of Doge’s Palace to get a look at the Bridge of Sighs. Then, I took off my shoes and sat on the edge of the city dipping my feet into the water and watching the gondolas come in and out of the canal leading under the bridge. Thirty minutes to an hour later, I got up and traveled back through the canals at sunset heading back to the hotel for a short rest and to change out of my sweaty clothes. Ready to get back out there, I returned to the Piazza San Marcos to find a place to eat and take some pictures of the square lit up after dark. No luck eating in the square, so I ventured out a bit and found a little restaurant on a quiet back street to grab some dinner…and then some gelato of course. It was time to call it a night, so I returned to Hotel La Calcina and turned in for the night.

Up early the next morning, I ate a great breakfast at the hotel overlooking the water. Ready for the day, I set of back towards Piazza San Marcos. First stop for the day was Doge’s Palace. There was so much to see inside. I listened in on a few tours going through. As I passed from the “court room” into the passage way (Bridge of Sighs) that leads over to the jail, I was able to look out the see the same view a prisoner would have seen in there last moments before being locked up.

After finishing my tour through Doge’s Palace, I trekked back across the square and went into the Correr Museum. I grabbed a quick bite in the museum cafe at the end of my visit and then boarded a vaporetto for Lido to explore the beach life in Venice. Exiting the vaporetto, I initially headed off in the wrong direction, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that I probably should have gone a different way. Back on track, I enjoyed a nice stroll down the sidewalks of Lido. Once I got to the sand, I walked down to the water and took a short walk down the beach. There were people everywhere. I headed back up to the the snack shack, grabbed a beer, and found a place to sit and soak in a little sun.

Leaving there, I decided to get off on Giudecca and walk around a bit over by the big Hilton Hotel. I explored some paths over behind the hotel area and eventually caught a vaporetto back through the canals. I ended up back in front of my hotel just as the sun was setting and was able to get some good pictures as I sat on the steps of one of the bridges and enjoyed the end of another great day in Venice.

After another great breakfast on the water, the first destination on the third day in Venice was the island of Murano to see a some glass blowing in action. I was amazed by just how quickly they could turn the hot shapeless substance into a work of art. After watching a few demonstrations, I wondered through the town. EVERY SHOP there was full of glass. I bought a few necklaces and some wine corks before catching a vaporetto back and exploring the area around the hotel.

I ended up at the Santa Maria della Salute, a Roman Catholic Church along the canal. I explored its interior briefly and then decided to walk toward the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. As I was walking, I passed someone who I thought was Alicia Silverstone. I continued to walk toward the museum and turned around to find that she and her two friends were right behind me. We made our way into the museum at the same time, but of course I didn’t say anything. The art inside the museum was absolutely amazing. There were works by Picasso, Klee, Dali, Kandinsky, Warhol, Rothko, and Pollock among many others. I was glad that I had decided to go.

By now it was late afternoon. I made my way through the canals one last time, getting off again over by Rialto Bridge, strolling back through the streets for one last sunset…and to drop off my Expresso Wifi unit at a hotel over in that area. It’s a good thing I had traveled the streets so many times. By this point, I was finding my way around much more easily. After sunset, I headed back over toward the hotel and found a quiet little pizza place right by the Accademia Bridge where I sat outside, had spicy pepperoni pizza and a beer (or two), and enjoyed my last night in Venice before heading back to pack up for an early morning flight out of Venice airport.

Va Va Va Venice! Departing Florence by train at 10:30 am, I arrived in Venice just over 2 hours later. Exiting the train station I was confronted with water everywhere.

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On my second and final day in the beautiful city of Florence I planned to start my adventure in the Piazza del Duomo. Just steps from the front door of my accommodations were the Florence Duomo, Baptistery, and Campanile.  The line to get inside the Duomo wrapped all the way around the side of the grandiose structure, luckily on the shaded side. As I stepped through the front doors of the Duomo, it appeared even larger from inside. Starting my audio tour, I made my was through the enormous main room and visited the smaller museum rooms off the sides. At the time, I was not aware that the Florence Duomo is the third largest church in the world. Below the cathedral lies the Crypt of Santa Reparata, the previous cathedral in that location. Stairs leading down from the right side of the duomo allowed a glimpse into the ancient past. The mosaic tiling, fresco decorations, and gravestones that are still down there today were amazing to see.

Directly in front of the Duomo sits the Baptistery, so after making my way out of the cathedral I went over to check it out. Unbelievable. I didn’t stay inside for long, but I stood in awe of the intricate golden mosaics that filled the octagonal ceiling before heading over to the Duomo Museum. The three floors of the Duomo Museum house numerous pieces of art, many of which were created for the cathedral. So many statues in this country!

Next up, Giotto’s Bell Tower. The tower stands 82 meters tall and has 414 steps to its top where you can look out over Florence to some breathtakingly beautiful views (after catching your breath of course). I could have stayed up there for much longer than I did, but there was so much more to see. After getting some pictures, I trudged back down the 414 steps and roamed the streets to see more of Florence. I’m not quite sure at this point what exactly I saw, but it was all beautiful.

As sunset approached, I made my way back down to the Ponte Vecchio to get a few more photos and then found my way to the Lion’s Fountain Irish Pub. After scarfing down some great sliders and fries, I searched for a WSU shirt on the ceiling. The whole place was covered in collegiate shirts from the United States as well as writing all over the walls. I didn’t find a shirt (I would have left one if I had had one with me), but I did find evidence of a fellow Coug written on the wall. I decided to sit down at the bar to enjoy another beer and met a great group of girls from the U.S. who were traveling as well to celebrate the end of college. One of them bought a round of shots. Lemon Drops. The English bartender covered the lemons with sugar and lit them on fire. Having down the shot, I traveled back to my hotel to pack up and get ready for the next day’s adventure. Venice here I come!

A Final Day in Florence On my second and final day in the beautiful city of Florence I planned to start my adventure in the Piazza del Duomo.

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Departing on the 8:16 train from La Spezia, I enjoyed a relaxing ride to the beautiful city of Florence arriving at 10am. Dragging my bag through the streets, I navigated my way toward the B&B Soggiorno Battistero where I would be staying for the next two night. As I emerged from between two tall buildings, the Duomo stood before me. It was beautiful. And lucky me, my room was right in front of it featuring a beautiful view of both the Duomo and the Baptistery.

View from my room window

Once settled in, I immediately started my tour of Florence. First stop: Galleria dell’ Accademia and Michelangelo’s David. It was a hot day and a long wait to get into the museum, but fortunately, most of the wait was in shade and I was in line behind a kind young couple who were visiting on a trip from Germany which made the wait much better. Fending off numerous requests to pay to join a tour group and cut to the front of the line, we finally made it inside. I headed straight to the statue of David and started my Rick Steve’s audio tour. It was amazing to see him up close and in person. After spending quite a bit of time around the central focus of the Accademia, I explored the rest.

Leaving the Accademia, I explored the streets on my way to Palazzo Vecchio where a replica of David stands along with many other old statues. I indulged in a little gelato and sat for awhile enjoying the atmosphere.

Next up…the Uffizi Gallery full of amazing art…and so many rooms of it!

Primavera – Botticelli

Primavera – Botticelli

Primavera – Botticelli

The Birth of Venus – Botticelli

The Holy Family – Michelangelo Buonarroti

Laocoön and his Sons – Bandinelli

Annunciation – Leonardo Da Vinci

After getting my fill of art, I walked along the Arno River toward Ponte Vecchio. Crossing the bridge, I headed to Pitti Palace which is made up of four different museums: Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Palatine Gallery and the Royal Apartments where I saw Napoleon’s apartment, the Modern Art Gallery, and the Museum of Costume and Fashion.

Pitti Palace

Pitti Palace

Napoleon’s Bust

Napoleon’s Bust

By the time I was finished touring all of those places, I was exhausted, but Boboli Gardens is right there, so I forged onward, but a bit dragging at this point so I did not explore all of the gardens, but most. Then I joined a large crowd on the stairs above the large fountain and sat for awhile.

Boboli Gardens and View

From Boboli Gardens, I headed back to Ponte Vecchio, bought a granita, and strolled back down the opposite side of the Arno stopping to stand alongside the river to soak in the surroundings before continuing down toward Piazzale Michelangelo.

As if seeing David in two places wasn’t enough already, a copy of David awaited me at the end of the steep hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo. Sunset overlooking Florence while listening to a great Italian musician was by far the best part of the day. It was amazing!

Once the sun went down I headed back toward the Duomo, showered, and ventured out to find a place for dinner. I’d passed a Mexican place earlier in the day, so I decided to walk back there. Half way there, my flip flop broke, so I spent the rest of the night walking around Florence barefoot. I don’t think my feet have ever been that dirty! Oh well! It was a fantastic (but tiring) first day Florence.

Hanging with David: Day 1 in Florence, Italy Departing on the 8:16 train from La Spezia, I enjoyed a relaxing ride to the beautiful city of Florence arriving at 10am.

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Leaving Lucca, I took the train to La Spezia on the Gulf of Poets. I made my way the short distance through town to A 4 Passi Dal Mare where I was greeted upon my arrival by Adrianna who was a gracious host. She showed me up the my room inside what appeared to be an empty building except for her few places up on the 4th floor on a tiny antique elevator. She helped me get my barrings and provided me with maps and suggestions for my time in the Cinque Terra. In late afternoon, after settling in and enjoying my complementary mini bottle of champagne, I headed back through town to the train station. I opted to head to the nearest of the five villages on the sea, Riomaggiore. The tiny town is stacked against the cliffs with steep narrow roads leading down to the sea. After a little looking around, I found the water just before sunset. What a beautiful site. I enjoyed sitting there for quite some time, taking in the sites and watching the kids leap from a high cliff into the water below. After finding a quick dinner back toward the top of the hill, I boarded the train and headed back into La Spezia for the night.

The next morning I trekked back to the train station (after scouting out a laundry mat for later in the day), bought a Cinque Terre Pass, and took the train to the northernmost of the five villages, Monterosso al Mare.

After exploring the small village (that included a couple of churches) and grabbing a large water and a pastry, I started the 1.8 mile hike to the village of Vernazza. The 100+ stairs at the start of the journey had me rethinking my decision right from the beginning. The terrain from that point varied with my more inclines over the course of trip. Soaked from head to toe in sweat, I was excited to be misted by a bit of drizzle. The views along the route were amazing. Signs said it would take 2 hours and it felt like a never ending hike, but just over an hour after I had begun, I could see the beautiful harbor of Vernazza. After catching my breath, I spent some time in Vernazza and then continued on to explore each of the remaining towns of Corniglia, Manarola, and back to Riomaggiore.

By late afternoon I had headed back to La Spezia to change out of my sweaty clothes and do a little laundry.

On my final day along the Italian coast, I walked through the town of La Spezia to the port and boarded a boat to Portovenere. It was a scenic trip through the Gulf of Poets. Following a little exploration, I made my way down to a little, rocky beach to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Soaking in the Sights of the Cinque Terra Leaving Lucca, I took the train to La Spezia on the Gulf of Poets. I made my way the short distance through town to A 4 Passi Dal Mare where I was greeted upon my arrival by Adrianna who was a gracious host.

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Posing in Pisa and a Spin around Lucca

Although a little sad to leave Siena, I was on the 9:18 train to Pisa. Arriving just past 11am after a 7 minute transfer of trains in Empoli (easy…but I was worried!), I checked my bags at the station and set out for the tower, catching some beautiful scenery along the way.  The tower was teaming with people all trying to strike just the right pose that either knocks the tower down or keeps it…

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Siena❤️

From the moment I stepped off the train and was carried up the 6 escalators and 2 moving sidewalks to just outside the city wall, I liked Siena. Stepping inside the walls and walking down the tall building lined streets took it to a whole new level.  After finding I Tetti di Siena, my hotel for the next two nights, I made my way toward Piazza del Campo. It was there that I fell in love with…

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Captivated by Capri

Getting started early after a late 1st night in Sorrento, our transfer picked us up at the hotel at 8am and dropped us at Marina Grande. From there we boarded the Mickey Mouse and began the long, choppy boat ride to Capri along with eight other people which made for a small group of 11 and three crew. Right from the start, our crew provided great service (starting with a glass of prosecco) and…

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