I may be eagerly diving into a plate of Eggs Benedict right now, but I'm also experiencing a Pizza and Gelato withdrawal.
Okay, perhaps I haven't diagnosed myself with a pizza deficiency (not that it's even a thing - though, it should be) but I'm certainly missing the clear blue skies and postcard views.
After a tremendously long 7 months of waiting, two weeks ago my partner and I boarded a plane and headed for Pisa. With a ginormous white Toblerone in our hand-luggage to keep us company, we were ready to fly far away. Well, 713 miles to be precise.
Deciding where to base ourselves in Tuscany wasn't easy. In our heads, we wanted a large private pool and a scenic view of Siena, but to locate ourselves so far from a city centre would have caused difficulties. Having a variety of restaurants, gelaterias and central train station within walking distance was key, hence why we settled with Pisa. Specifically, an Airbnb. It's understandable why many Brits would opt for a catered or all-inclusive hotel, but there's something rather exciting about having your own apartment and space to cook for yourself. It's the closest you can get to living in a foreign city.
Pisa may have been be bursting at the seams with tourists but it didn't take away the city's magic. It may not have been green, quiet and a haven of peace, but it was vibrant, charming and cosmopolitan. But yes, busy.
Aside from climbing the Leaning Tower and visiting the surrounding Baptistery and Cathedral, we predominantly enjoyed roaming the streets of Pisa and sampling new, exciting flavours of gelato. And in all honesty, participating in endless activities isn't always necessary; there are other, more affordable ways to experience local culture, wherever you may be. Whether that be in your rented apartment or down a sepia-toned arcade. I also learnt that every moment does not have to be spent doing something exciting. The days I prioritised spending time unwinding and re-energising were the days I felt appreciative of my surroundings. With that said, I probably ended up watching The Kardashians for an unfathomable number of hours. Lol.
Prior to my trip, I have envisioned all the creative content that I could create on holiday. Both in our apartment and out and about. Though, when you're sharing valuable time aboard with other people it's really difficult to capture holiday content. Lingering on the edge of a road to take "that photo" leaving my partner talking to himself not realising I'd stopped yet again seemed unfair, as did asking for yet another photo of me outside another old building. I didn't want him to miss out of what was his time to relax, and mine, too. Though, I did manage to keep my Instagram updated!
I also came to realise that the only half-decent photos I take care of buildings, so really it didn't matter. More than that, I'm not a travel blogger nor am I desperate to diversify. I bloody love scrolling through travel blog content but no filter is going to make my travel photography look right. Nonetheless, all that truly matters are the memories and I’m lucky to have made many good ones.
When we weren’t roaming around Pisa, we took it upon ourselves to explore the surrounding area as much as we could. Hence, we fuelled up with Fanta and explored Lucca, Florence and spent 3 tranquil afternoons under the sunny skies of Viareggio.
I’ll start with Florence - the city was grand and opulent but not entirely what I anticipated. I had expected a similar atmosphere to Verona - magical, uplifting and buzzing with laughter - but it instead reminded me of Milan; there wasn’t really much to do. Seeing Florence’s prestigious Cathedral and soaking up the city’s beautiful architecture was fun, but exploring the Uffizi Gallery and observing artworks that I have studied was incredible. For anybody visiting Florence, I would highly recommend having a look around the gallery. Oh, and I’d also recommend looking around for the best gelato prices because you don’t want to end up paying a mighty €10 for two scoops like I did. I wish I was kidding.
In a similar way to Florence, Lucca was beautiful to walk around but there wasn’t a tremendous amount to do, but perhaps I’m only saying this because the museums happened to be shut on the day we visited. On a brighter note, the architecture reminded of my favourite city in Italy (Verona) and I suppose you could say it had a very similar relaxed atmosphere, as well as similar pockets of oregano floating in the air.
One of the city’s main attractions is Torre Guinigi, a medieval tower that's open for the public to climb. We got some great photos from the top, but sadly I didn’t make it up the whole way. Woops.
Out of all the places we visited, I’m confident in saying that Viareggio was my favourite of them all.
As I previously mentioned, I’m usually not interested in having a “beach day” but it was so quiet and peaceful. I just couldn’t not! I also managed to fall asleep on the beach and develop a slight tan...Yep, never have I felt more accomplished.
Viareggio is only a 20-minute train journey from Pisa and then another short walk to the beach, so it’s hardly out of one’s way. If you visit from May-August, I recommend visiting on a weekday rather than a weekend, if you want to avoid touristy crowds. With that said, there is a nice selection of restaurants and gelaterias, but, they didn’t beat Pisa’s!
Update: since writing this blog post I have indeed gobbled down a pizza or two...
Perhaps there is such thing as a pizza deficiency after all!
