We did it.
We conquered the Vienna airport and touched down in Pisa, Italy and right away we realized it wasn't the US. Instead of running up to taxis or flagging them down at 2 am like you would in the States, here in Italy you make a line. You don't cut the line, taxis know of the line and only pick up the group in the front of the line, and as we watched over and over, even when people would run up to bribe a taxi, the answer was always "wait in line". While in Italy we had the awesome opportunity to visit both Florence & Pisa.
Within a two-day weekend we:
•Flew into Pisa and took a train to Florence the next morning
Had a cute stuffed focaccia sandwich
•Went to a bookshop/bikeshop/bar/coffeshop combo
•Went to the Academia Gallery and saw the statue of David
•Had great gelato
•Saw the Florence cathedral from the outside, but went into the Baptistry
•Climbed 414 steps up the cathedral bell tower
•Went into the cathedral museum
•Got the cutest dress
•Took golden hour photos at ponte de vecchio
•Had the best gnocchi of my life
•Went back to Pisa
•Had pizza in Pisa for lunch the next day
•Checked out the plaza of miracles
•Saw the Pisa Cathedral, Baptistry, tower, the Camposanto, and museums.
•Climbed 214 steps to the top of the tower (slightly disorienting haha)
•Had a great canoli and mint granita
•Didn't have to run to catch a plane or train which is always a plus!
•It was another great weekend!
Italy was beautiful. We were used to seeing the Gothic architecture of Germany and Vienna, but the Renessance art and cathedral in Italy were breathtaking!
Also, I did not know that the statue of David was 17 feet tall! I also did not know he was a Biblical figure. It turns out all the art in the gallery where he is kept is limited to Florence artists of the Renaissance time, so most of the art is religious. It was beautiful and truly represented David beating Goliath with the help of God with the sling and stone being carved so small compared to the rest of him.
Dress shopping in Florence was crazy. I walked in, explained that I had a formal wedding to go to and the lady started walking. I told her it was a summer wedding and she turned and started walking another way. I followed and soon she was handing me dresses to try after confirming my favorite colors. I then tried to tell her my size but soon enough she held up the dress tags to show me she already knew. When I found the dress I loved, of course she pulled out a matching belt!
The view at Ponte de Vecchio was insane and the gnocchi I had afterward that was homemade was delicious.
Lastly, the Plaza of Miracles in Pisa was even more beautiful than I had imagined. Climbing and descending the tower was hilarious, because your weight kept shifting on the stairs as the incline on the tower changed.
All in all we had a great time! It will be hard to find architecture or a canoli that looks and tastes the same in the US! As we embarked on the long walk back to the airport, I passed this sticker on a pole on the side of the road. I thought it truly embodied how I feel about this trip, so I had to take a picture!
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