Pisa and Lucca

We had a busy two days. We left Vernazza and headed to Lucca and got checked in to our Air B&B. Once we were settled we headed over to Pisa to check out the Field of Miracles and let me tell you, it was beautiful. We did not climb the tower, but we did visit the Duomo, the Baptistery and the Camposanto Cemetery.

The Baptistry, Duomo and tower 

View of the Duomo taken from inside the Baptistry

Inside the Duomo

Taking this picture was very embarrassing but I felt it was something I had to do

The Baptistry here is largest Baptistry in Italy. According to Rick Steves, a sound will echo for a good 10 seconds in here. In his TV show, the episode where he visits Pisa, there is a gentleman demonstrating the acoustics and he's able to make a 3 part harmony with himself!

Inside the Baptistry from the second level

The Camposanto Cemetary used to be the big attraction in Pisa, it was built between 1278 and 1465. The building is an open air courtyard with frescos on the walls around a big rectangle of grass. The grass grows on dirt shipped there by returning Crusaders from Mount Calvary.

We spent the next morning wandering around Lucca, since we didn't have to check out until 1 pm. We toured San Giovanni Church and took a walk along the ramparts. Lucca is enclosed in a Renaissance wall that is treated like a park. We were passed by many joggers and runners!

Panorama of the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro

We are now in Firenze (Florence)! We were greeted by thunder, lightening and rain. We are staying in a very cosy (tiny) apartment in the Mercato Centrale square. It's very lively and very close to the Duomo. After we had dinner, we took a little walk to the Duomo.

Tomorrow I think we are going to buy the Firenze museum card and head inside the Duomo and hopefully up the dome!