Tuscany2024

Tuscany on a budget! Managed to get really cheap flights and a well priced hotel. All Kathryn had to do was fit everything she needed for 5 days into a small rucksack! We flew from Luton (it was cheaper) and stayed in the lovely Hotel Reale in Montecatini. I’d organised a bottle of bubbly waiting for us in the room when we arrived and that was very welcome after the journey. We spent the 5 days travelling by train which was very relaxing and very cheap. We spent a day each in Florence, Lucca, Montecatini and Pisa. Florence was the highlight of course and we planned our route carefully from the moment we got off the early morning train to the moment we settled down with some well deserved big beers in the evening. The Duomo was fantastic and we spent a lot of time admiring that from inside and out. We enjoyed the statues in Piazza della Signora (first David copy) and visited the Palazzo Vecchio before crossing Ponte Vicchio and making our way to Piazzale Michelangelo for fantastic views of the city—and another David copy. Several of the churches we chose to visit inside to see the frescos were closed on a Tuesday! Aargh. But still we had a great, if long and tiring, day. Lucca was very different to Florence. Much calmer. But just as beautiful. We climbed the clock tower in time for it to chime in our ears and enjoyed the views over the red tile roofs. Once again, many churches and more towers. Just so beautiful. Polished off with a walk along the city walls before heading back to have a meal at the best restaurant in Italy—Trattoria Il Vicolo—followed by at night at the opera, which was great fun. On the next day we went up the Funicular to Montecatini Alto which had great views and lots of places of intertest. We also visited the Spa and walked around the spa gardens (all on Pippa’s election day!). The final day was spent in Pisa—most of it spent, of course, in the square of miracles enjoying the leaning tower and duomo. Another fab holiday in Italy.