Gina Hotel Lucca

Kim had taken her grandma to Lucca last November and had fallen in love with the place. <br><br>We found a park not far from the city walls and then headed in for a look. We came across a chocolate festival in one of the piazzas and sampled a few beforw buying a hot cocolate drink...literally hot chocolate in a cup. It made me feel a bit sick.<br><br>Walking Lucca is like a big ...

... one was also closed, but there were no hours on the doors. Tara had said that she wanted to go bike riding but this time on her own bike which she handled quite well and we rode twice around the wall then walked back to the playground which the girls had seen everytime we rode around the town. On the way home we decided to look for a ...

We had 3 different trains to catch to get to Cinque Terre. We had to change at Viareggio and La Spezia. Cinque Terre means five lands and which is actually five villages which are connected by train and by hiking tracks. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a national park which charges to use the lower hiking path and apparently closes it if it gets too busy. Mountains covered with terraced vineyards and olive groves meet the Mediteranean Sea. Think ...

Just realized those not on facebook haven't seen pictures from Pisa and Florence. No long recap of Anthony and I's weekend in Tuscany, for obvious reasons. Also note that "Anthony and Alison's Great Adventure" was like taking a knife.<br><br>Love you guys! :)<br>

Woke to a beautiful day so decided walk into Lucca along the street where there were markets. They were probably typical of markets everywhere with stalls selling clothes, bags, junk and also food. Us girls all bought a cheap bag and I also bought a knitted top which is made in Italy. The food was typical Italian meats and cheeses with a couple of things that were a bit different. There was some sort of very large ...

... is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) after the Duomo (cathedral) and the Baptistery of Giovanni. <br><br>Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction. The tower presently leans to the southwest.<br><br>Our ...

... stop at the Tourist Information center at almost every bus or train station before leaving to get a local map!<br><br>Lucca and Siena are easily my two favorite cities so far. They're both so small and quaint and peaceful and friendly. I am absolutely in love with both of them. Lucca is best known for two things: it's huge medieval and then renaissance wall that still encircles the city and being the birthplace of Puccini. Both are celebrated liberally here. I also walk ...

... a fit!) , made it up out of Monaco and headed along the coast. Plenty of traffic and short tunnels en route to Italy, and a massive hail storm as well which brought the whole motorway to a halt! Found somewhere to camp in Torre del Lago, on the coast near Lucca - caravan parks very full as it was a holiday for the Feast of Assumption, and the whole of Italy was on the coast (it seemed that way anyway). Squeezed into a campsite and retired for the night . .

... brunette! Got back to Florence and immediately went to Piazza Michelangelo to try and catch the sunset. I practically ran all the way up to the top and was completely out of breath ... and out of time. I just missed the sunset. There was still some light, but Florence only looked hazy ... it wasn't bathed in the brilliant colours that you're supposed to see at sunset. But it was till a nice sight ... however, it would have been nicer if I wasn't about to ...

... with the sightseeing. In Vagli Sotto we saw the house my dad was born and raised. The house is not lived in anymore and it seems the house is up for sale. We are making inquiries! Campocatino is a location where an Italian Western movie was filmed in 1996 and has become a tourist destination for local Italians. I'm definitely coming back to this place as there's numerous hikes. Hope all of you are doing well and are enjoying your fall!