Italy - Day 10

Pisa and Lucca
We debated of whether to spend the day in Rome or to head to the smaller communities of Pisa and Lucca. Because of difficulty getting an internet connection to check train schedules and tickets for select places, we opted to go north and see sights closer to Florence. We talked with a couple from New York and after their description of how crowded it was in Rome, it seems like we made the right decision.

We headed off to Pisa around 9:00 a.m. and bought tickets at the station. We decided to wing our trips, as so far it has been fine. We arrived in Pisa around 10:30 and headed off with the rest of the masses to the Square of Miracles where the leaning tower and church are located. It was quite the zoo in this location with many cruises in for the day. We toured the site and took pictures of the leaning tower before heading off to Lucca.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Church and Leaning Tower

Lucca is a small community not far from Pisa which still has the ancient wall surrounding its main town center. More churches, cobbled streets and narrow alleyways in this town, similar to what we have seen already. The highlight of the trip was stopping at a local market for supplies for a picnic lunch. We bought a little of the local salami, and after eating this, it makes me wonder what cheap imitation they are serving in the states. It was so good and flavorful that we wanted more, and I am not a big fan of salami. We also had a pasta salad, a risotto salad and faccocia bread and enjoyed our time under the shade of the trees. The town is impressive, but looks much like many of the other towns and cities we have seen in Italy. One thing we noticed was that it was not as clean as San Marino. That place was immaculate.

Typical Lucca alleyway with the tower and oak tree, symbol of Lucca