Lucca and Pisa

On our way to Pisa, we stopped in the adorable little town of Lucca. One of the few cities in Italy that still has its Renaissance-era walls.


We spent about an hour just wandering through the Old City, with its narrow streets and gorgeous 14th century buildings.

The city also has one of the few remaining intact Roman forums (think Gladiator flights) which is now an open air market on the weekends.

(It is difficult to see in this picture but the kids are in the center of the Forum, with curved buildings behind them. Hard to believe that they are on the sight of countless slaughters.)

But the main destination of the day was Pisa, of course to see the Leaning Tower.


Pisa was not what I expected at all. From all the pictures I had seen of the Tower I imagined the Tower in a little farm town where the Tower was the only thing of significance near by. I did not expect Pisa to include two other gorgeous buildings.


Nor did I expect the THRONGS of people. It was a madhouse, with tourists everywhere and souvenir booths selling everything from plastic Leaning Towers to Duff Beer shirts (who goes to Pisa to buy Simpson's paraphernalia?) I really feel sorry for anyone who actually lives in that town, though I am sure that the residents stay far away from the Main Square at all times.

I am glad I saw it, a bucket list sort of day but I really have no desire to go back to Pisa.