With 18 years old, it was Mariana's turn to venture alone into this world of travel, in foreign lands and... with a small budget. Yes, it was one of those experiences. Fearless, but full of expectations for what she was about to experience, and so we supported one of Mariana's greatest desires - to go to Italy. The language, the sounds, the picturesque, the real, the imaginary...there were so many things she mentioned about Italy.
It was a different trip. Without parents, with just a friend, having to financially support her trip and with a small budget to manage. Everything was looked at in detail, from the price of the trips, the accommodation and the activities to be done. Budget done and savings underway, the next step was to buy the trip and the accommodation.
Let's start with the travel. The option was to travel first to Pisa and then by train to Florence. It is much cheaper than traveling directly to Florence. In between, also by train, they went to visit the charming city of Lucca.
The Outward Journey... and the complications of Ryanair!
With a fairly controlled budget, they looked for affordable flights. They found them. Ryanair to Pisa and TAP back via Florence. 108€ per person. In the end, everything went well, but with a few bumps in the road.
We had already had a less positive experience with Ryanair, when Mariana and some friends went to the Azores. But, in fact, it served to learn for future needs. Even so, it was not enough. We bought the trip through the eDreams website and the problem started there. Since it is an external entity, the airline has no way to identify passengers, so it does not allow them to check-in online. We knew because we had been through this before, but this time we received an email saying that we could do it at the airport, free of charge, or online, with passenger identification.
WRONG. We tried to do it with said facial recognition and nothing. It gave an error, with the information that the check-in had to be done at the airport. That was it. Trouble was coming.
This facial recognition process costs 35 cents. Yes, 35 cents. But since it didn't go all the way, they didn't charge us. The problem started there. Check-in was suspended and no one warned us. When we got to the check-in counter at the airport, we were told that they couldn't check in and that we had to go to the sales counter. "That counter with a two-mile line?". "Yes."
Well, we went to the counter. After a long wait, they realized that the system was blocked because we owed 35 cents (!!) for the failed attempt at online facial recognition. We paid and... poof, the system was unblocked, an invoice was issued, and we took this invoice again to the check-in desk, where it was successfully completed. In practice it was simple, but it could have been complicated, because all this information is non-existent to the customer, and either we guess, or we have to be very calm and a good dose of natural stupidity.
Boarding done.
NOTE: on the return, everything went well with TAP. Online check-in, seats together, everything on time, all flawless.
Important information:
Online check-in is only possible on flights purchased directly from Ryanair;
any flight purchased on another platform, such as eDreams, involves checking in at the airport, free of charge if done 2 hours before boarding time;
do not try to check-in using facial recognition online, because the process will give an error and your check-in will be blocked. You will only be able to unblock it at the airport, at the airline's sales counter;
Whatever you do, keep the email you receive so you can use it at the airport if necessary;
fill out the covid form online. You can choose the individual or group option..
Pisa, Florence and Lucca
It was an intense 8 days, with a backpack on my back and a great desire to live in Italy. At home, we could only hear her speaking Italian... and even the language on the phone changed! This is what comes from enthusiasm.
Pisa
It was 5 pm when the plane landed in Pisa.
Pisa is a small city and easily walkable. And that was the option, to do everything on foot. The half-hour walk back to the hotel was graced with picturesque scenery.
The hotel chosen was the Terra Nova. A typically Italian room, clean, with TV and bathroom with hairdryer. With breakfast included (although Mariana had forgotten about it) and within budget. It cost 56€ per night/room with 3 beds.
When we booked we didn't pay anything because we had the option of free cancellation, and everything was paid at check-in. They accept credit cards.
It was in their plans to leave for Florence the next day in the afternoon by train, so they had a morning to visit what Pisa had to offer.
Check-out had to be done by 10:30. As they passed the reception desk with apple in hand and backpack on their backs, they heard, "Colazione?" They both looked at each other, knowing it meant breakfast, and said they didn't want it, assuming it would be paid for. After some insistence by the employee, they decided to accept and were directed to a picturesque outdoor patio, and that's when they realized that the PA was included, and for 3 people. They ate and even took in their backpack snacks that lasted the rest of the week (but they asked permission 😊). For the good of the back, did you also hear Bagage? (you have to read it with an Italian accent). Without paying (as it was an included service), there they got their bags stored. Impeccable.
The Tower of Pisa was 4 km from the hotel. They went on foot, which allowed them to see everything the road had to offer, at the pace of those who have time to contemplate the life of the city and be part of it.
They stopped at the Tutto Mundo Mural, which is a street painting by Keith Haring, where you can see several human figures that represent, precisely, the whole world and its diversity.
They passed several squares, beautifully "painted" with flowers.
The destination was Piazza dei Miracoli (Miracles' Square). Right in the center of the square are the three most important religious monuments of the city: the Campanario, better known as the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral or Duomo, and the Baptistery.
The square is very representative of this Italian city. The architectural complex of Piazza dei Miracoli was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Well, you have arrived at the Tower of Pisa. You notice a thousand and five hundred people taking the same picture, in addition to an endless line to enter the Tower. If you want to enter, you must buy a ticket beforehand, because entry is limited. This time they didn't go in and preferred to take a risk and take a picture from a different angle. And the picture was great!
The Tower of Pisa is the cathedral's belfry. A curiosity: unlike most of the belfries in Italy, the Tower is located behind the cathedral. And do you know why the tower is tilted? It is due to a phenomenon of erosion of the ground on which it stands.
If it is true that Pisa is world-renowned for its Leaning Tower, it is also true that everything around it is beautiful and there is nothing better than simply wandering through the wonderful medieval streets, finding the various squares, and breathing the life that walks there and, of course, enjoying one of the lawns to rest and read the book that accompanied the trip. Getting to know the world is not only about seeing monuments or "must-see" sights. To know the world is also to live its dynamics, its customs. To have time to observe, talk, learn the language, experience, and even be confused with the locals.
Pisa has its most popular points of interest all located in Piazza del Duomo. You can enjoy the Cathedral of Pisa (Duomo), dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and one of the most important duomos in Italy, along with those of Florence and Milan, and the Baptistery of Pisa, which just looking at its exterior is already worthwhile (visiting the interior is subject to conditions). Still, within the limits of the square, you can find a gothic cemetery, the Camposanto Monumentale.
Walking along Via Santa Maria towards the Ponte Solferino you can see the beautiful church of Santa Maria Della Spina. Between the sublime marble work and its tiny size, it is of undeniable beauty. Then you can simply continue strolling along the beautiful banks of the Arno River.
Something that deserved all the affection was that they realized that dogs are welcome in all kinds of stores, including supermarkets. It is wonderful to go into a PAM (local supermarket) to buy lunch and find a big Labrador with its owner. A big positive point for Italy.
Tip: If you want to buy a souvenir, like the typical magnet, the cheapest is at the station. It is the difference if it costs 1€ or 4€.
Florence
The trip to Florence was made by train. The ticket is bought at the station, in Piazza Della Stazione, and costs about 8€, in 2nd class. The trip took an hour and a half.
Florence is a veritable open-air museum, with its palaces, churches, squares, and art galleries.
An important note: Museum admission tickets are very cheap for 18-25-year-olds. They range from €2 to €4, depending on the museum.
Firenze Card
The Firenze Card offers free, queue-free entry to Florence's major museums, churches, villas, and historic gardens. The card also allows free use of public transportation during the 72 hours it is valid. Some of the sites covered are the Uffizi Gallery, Galleria dell'Accademia, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Maria Novella Church, Bargello National Museum, Museo Galileo, and the Boboli Gardens. It costs 72€ and is valid for 72 hours (the validity of the card starts the moment you visit the first museum or use public transport for the first time).
Mariana chose not to buy the card, as it was not worth it to her. They weren't going to use public transportation and the entrance fees to the museums and gardens are greatly reduced because they are between 18 and 25 years old. The only downside is the waiting line. The trick is to get there very early.
One of the many places they loved to go was to the Galleria Dell'Accademia (Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence). It was built to serve as a place of study for the students of the Academy of Fine Arts, the first design academy in Europe.
It is where the wonderful statue of David, the masterpiece of Michelangelo, master of the Renaissance, is located. Did you know that this statue was created from a single piece of marble? It is 5 meters high and weighs 5.5 tons.
While it is true that David is something sublime to behold, do not underestimate the paintings by various artists, the busts, the unfinished statues, and even the musical instrument museum, which houses a Stradivarius violin as well as the oldest preserved upright piano.
The visit can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on what they want to see and at what pace.
Returning to David. With his beauty and strength, David represents the power and freedom of the Florentine Republic, embodied by the Palazzo Vecchio in front of which the statue was originally placed. Michelangelo wanted to highlight his intelligence, not just his strength. The statue depicts David after his triumphant victory over Goliath, but instead of seeing the giant's head at his feet, as Caravaggio and Donatello did at the time, the statue shows a thoughtful and enigmatic young man.
Another must-see is the Galleria Degli Uffizi, near the Old Bridge. There you will find one of the oldest and most famous museums in the world. It has well-known paintings by famous people such as Michelangelo (Tondo Doni), Raphael (Madonna del Cardellino), Da Vinci (with Annunciation), Caravaggio (with Bacchus and Medusa), Artemisia, Botticelli, and many more.
Make time for this visit. The gallery is very well organized. You will find a huge corridor with sculptures and the paintings are visible in the galleries. The best time to go is early in the morning.
Tip: walk with your nose up! The ceilings are spectacular!
Next must-visit: Leonardo Da Vince's Interactive Museum. There are two. A "normal" one and an interactive one. The choice was natural: the interactive one. The entrance cost 2 euros, again for the age. It is a small museum, but with recreations of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions, on a real scale and where many can be tried out. We can also discover Leonardo's anatomical studies, as well as details of the life of this great artist.
We can see an imitation of the Mona Lisa.
The beautiful Ponte Vecchio. An iconic medieval arch bridge of Florence over the Arno River, famous for having a number of stores all along the deck. It is believed to have been built as recently as Ancient Rome and was originally made of wood. A bridge with only jewelry stores. All very expensive, but we can (and should) go into the stores to watch the sunset.
The view was superb. Look how wonderful the photo turned out.
At the end of the bridge, you will find several street artists displaying their various arts.
The buzzy Piazza Del Duomo
One of the best-known squares, where we can find the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore which is very bright. Unlike many monuments, it is not white, but in shades of green and red.
If you pay close attention, you will find the head of a bull. The legend tells of a betrayal and consequent original revenge immortalized among the statues in the Cathedral, located on the left side of the Cathedral, between Via Ricasoli and Via Dei Servi.
They found two justifications, well, a story and a legend. According to the story, the image is that of a cow meant to honor the animals that were used in the construction of the Cathedral over the centuries. But the legend is funnier. So the legend goes, that a master builder, who worked on the construction of the cathedral, was the lover of the wife of a baker or a dressmaker, who had a bakery next to the church. When the baker discovered the secret relationship, he denounced the unfaithful relationship. The master builder, in revenge, placed the bull's head, symbolizing the horns of a betrayed husband, right toward the baker's house and clearly visible from his window.
Gastronomic tip: Go into Panini Toscani and indulge in a stuffed Panini of your choice (and you can try the cheeses first).
Piazza Della Signoria
South of the Duomo and a few dozen meters from the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River found the Piazza Della Signoria. It is the central square of Florence and practically an open-air museum, where we can see several sculptures, notably a replica of David, which is in front of the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio. This was the place where the original statue was. It was replaced by the current replica when it was placed in the museum.
A curiosity. Find the lions that are next to the stairs of the Loggia Dei Lanzi. Then, position yourselves behind the lion on the left side. Doesn't it look like the lion is going to bite David's head off? You have to go and see.
Walking around the square or just sitting, watching, and feeling the cradle of the Renaissance. To be where Leonardo Da Vinci walked or where Michelangelo sculpted David is magical. That was the spirit.
Piazza Della Repubblica
The beautiful gateway embellishes this place. Nice square with several places to eat or simply have a coffee. A colorful carousel animates the space. The ride on the carousel is a must. Beautiful at the end of the day, when it is filled with street performers. It is an expensive area, but with many well-known (and expensive) stores. You can eat the famous Spagueti à Pomodoro in one of the surrounding restaurants.
Florence Central Market
Stroll through the Central Market. It is very close to the Basilica of San Lorenzo and has a closed street with a market, called Mercato di San Lorenzo, with many stalls selling clothes and leather goods. Entering this street we find Florence Central Market. Downstairs we find dozens of stores selling all kinds of spices and Italian food. Excellent to buy the typical dried tomatoes or the delicious Limoncello. On the second floor, we have restaurants where we can eat.
Palazzo Pitti, passing by the Ponte Vecchio, they find this giant palace, beautiful to look at, even just from the outside. On this trip, they chose not to go in for financial reasons. They went on to the Boboli Gardens.
The Boboli Garden, Gigantic is the word that describes it. With a reduced price for age, they paid 2€. At the weekend you need to make a reservation or pay 3€ more, so the idea is to go during the week.
Between lakes, statues, a belfry, and squares, the garden is clearly worth a visit. Of a giant size, it is a bit labyrinthine to get out. As they were strolling through the garden, they started to hear a very loud and repetitive sound "The garden is closed. For all the visitors, we kindly ask you to live on the nearest exit (said in Italian, English, French, and a few other languages and repeated over and over again). But it still took them a good few minutes to find a nearby exit. They felt like they were in the middle of a labyrinth.
Piazzale Michelangelo, a must-see, just across the river. Known for being the square with the best view of the city, where you can recognize in the landscape the most symbolic buildings such as the Duomo and its dome, the Ponte Vecchio, the Arno river, among others. The sunset is simply superb.
It has a bronze replica of the statue of David.
Not to be missed: a must to eat ice cream in Italy. Favorites? The pistachio salato (Mariana) and banana (Rita) ice cream at Rivareno ice cream shop.
The place where they found an excellent Spaghetti al Pomodoro was in Via Guelfa, at the Bar Fibi restaurant. Cheap and very good (4.80€). Take advantage and ask for the famous Tiramisu for dessert.
Be aware that the coffee, besides being very expensive, varies in price depending on where it is taken (seated, counter, or to go).
Another warning: be careful crossing the streets, even at crosswalks. There is little respect for pedestrians' priority, especially motorcycles and bicycles. They beep, but if you're wearing phones, you get run over.
Lucca
From Florence, you can take several day trips to other cities. On this trip, the choice was Lucca. They went by train. If you want to make the most of the day, it is important to leave early. The trip lasts 1h15.
At first glance, it looks like a small town. But, passing through its walls, we find lots of medieval, almost labyrinthine alleys, excellent for fantastic bike rides.
It is four kilometers of stone walls, very well preserved.
The historic area of Lucca is indeed wonderful. And that's where they walked. It was raining heavily and they took shelter in a cafe that was also a bookstore (Luccalibri Libreria Caffe Letterario). Just wonderful. Traveling has these things too... chance discoveries.
One of the goals was to go see the bread festival, which according to the information that was available on the internet, would be going on at that time. But the information was not up to date because this year the festival did not happen. We will have to stay for a return to Lucca.
Then they headed to Piazza Napoleone, or Central Square, a beautiful square, strategically located in the central area and close to the walls. It has an old-fashioned children's carousel.
The squares are full of flea markets.
A curious detail of the city is the Guinigi Tower, for the small oak trees that manage to grow in such an unusual and unlikely place as the top of the tower.
The climb to the top is a must and full of steps. A funny feature is that the staircase starts with very wide steps, but they get tighter and tighter until you can pass only on the side. Once at the top, the view over Lucca is beautiful, with wonderful terraces.
Again, if you don't have time for great dining experiences, it is imperative to at least sit down leisurely and have a wonderful gelato!
For lunch, the place chosen was Piazza del Amphitheater (the oval square), Lucca's best known. It has several possible entrances. And look on one of the walls for the stone plaque with the history of the square.
Make time for this square, as it deserves to be admired as a whole.
You will find restaurants, cafes, bars, and several stores selling local handicrafts, such as decorated ceramics, all in a very harmonious way and without impacting the beauty of the square.
Tip. Buy the return ticket to Florence right upon arrival in Lucca. The ticket is valid until 4 hours after the time of the ticket.
The day couldn't have ended better. On the train to Florence, they caught the most beautiful sunset.
Another tip. Since some things are closed on Sunday, you can always choose to make that trip during the week.
Going to Florence Airport
You can go by Train, Bus or Subway. Mariana chose the subway. It cost 1,50€. It passes every 4 minutes and the ticket is valid for the next hour and a half. Easy and fast.
Latest Tips and Trivia
Restaurants, naturally serve sparkling water. When ordering water, you should ask for plain.
Don't be surprised if you see on the invoice the value of the service. It includes everything, cutlery, table, parasol, and the like. It's not a fortune (1.10 per person), but at least they are informed.
Contrary to what they expected, Florence is very safe. They never felt any kind of insecurity or threat. In any case, they avoided walking at night, preferring to wake up early and explore this city during the day.
You have to try Cannolis, a traditional Cecilia candy. You can find it anywhere. It is a roll stuffed with pistachio nuts. In most places, it is expensive but much cheaper on the other side of the bridge.
Mcdonald's doesn't have any vegetarian options, unlike in Portugal. But for vegetarians, there are always pasta and pizzas. As well as traditional vegan sweets and gluten-free options.
Curiosity: In Italy, you don't see anyone with wet hair. It is cultural.
It is a city with many smokers, and it is not a dirty city.
The weather is very unpredictable. It rains for a short time, but what it rains on is like a deluge. There's no point in being governed by the weather.
They returned home with a doubt. How is it possible for someone to have an appetizer for lunch, the main course, and dessert, eat ice cream all the time, have pasta and more pasta for dinner, pizza and pasta again, and not gain weight? We want the trick!