Itinerary 1.0

I’m going to Italy in September.  I am in the process of  coming up with an itinerary that will allow me to see and photograph some amazing places but I also want to get some time to just be.  As of today, the first part of the trip is solo and busy with site seeing. Part two, my friend Mary joins me and the site seeing will involve locating a beautiful Piazza and a bottle of wine. Can’t wait.

I am going Italy from 09/07/08 – 09/20/08.  I leave from NYC and arrive into Pisa. I may extend this to the end of September depending on my budget and other obligations.

This is Itinerary 1.0 – I am sure it is going to change and get upgraded before September so this blog is meant to help me keep track of my research and changes over time and get other’s thoughts and ideas about what I should do.

September 8, 2008

Arrive Pisa  - Pick up rental car from airport and make the the two hour drive to Siena.   I still need to research places between Pisa and Siena that would be nice to explore. Any advice??

Siena, Italy

 

September 9, 2008

Explore Siena  Details and sites TBD

I could use some help with Siena.  I know very little.  

 

September 10, 2008

Depart Siena for Rome – it is a 3+ hour drive with no stops but I plan on taking my time a long the way to explore places like Montepulciano, Cortona and San Gimignano.  

I am so excited to go back to Rome.  I have not been there since 1995.  I am staying near the Spanish Steps and some fabulous shopping areas.  My first night I plan on just exploring the neighborhood near the hotel - The Spanish Step and Trevi Fountain. 

Trevi Fountain

September 10, 2008 - September 12, 2008

09/11 – Explore Rome  I booked a 4 hour photography tour with a national geographic photographer. The goal of the tour is to see Rome on foot and all of the amazing landmarks but also learn to take great pictures. 

The Roman Coliseum

Tour Highlights:

• The Coliseum 
• The Foro Romano, or Roman Forum
• The Campidoglio is a remarkable square and an urban masterpiece designed by Michelangelo. 
• Teatro Marcello was the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. Caesar wanted to build a theater to rival the one built by Pompey, whom he had just defeated and killed in the struggle for the control of Rome.
• Tortoise Fountain (Fontana delle Tartarughe) was built by Taddeo Landini and Giacomo della Porta, and located in Piazza Mattei. It is one of the most unique and less-known fountains in all of Rome. 
• The Pantheon

Rest of Day – See what happens.  

Things I would like to see as well….

• Campo de’ Fiori - the oldest market in Rome, where food and flowers are found. Its name comes from the Piazza (south of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II), where the market has taken place for the last 140 years. The food market had been in Piazza Navona since 1478 but was moved here in 1869. The market is open every morning of the week except Sunday. Campo de’ Fiori, surrounded by many bars and restaurants, is a popular destination at night for locals and foreigners alike.
• Mercato Delle Stampe - Located in Largo della Fontanella di Borghese, this market is the place to find old books, magazines, engravings and prints. Opens Monday to Saturday 7am – 1:30pm
• The Baths of Caracalla were Roman public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between AD 212 and 216.
• Via Margutta is a small street in the center of Rome, in the old quarter of Campo Marzio, also known as ”the foreigner’s quarter”, located near to the slopes of Mount Pincio. It is a place with many art galleries and fashionable restaurants, where before the Renaissance there were only modest craftsmen workshops and stables. In the 1950s, after the film Roman Holiday it became an exclusive road, and a residence of many famous people, like film director Federico Fellini. It can be reached from the north traveling by the Via Cassia or by Flaminia until arriving to the large square Piazzale Flaminio, and then passing through the city door in the wall that leads toPiazza del Popolo square, from this point it is a walk of several meters to the left of the Flaminio Obelisk towards Via del Babuino, on the left side of this road there is an alley that leads to Via Margutta.
• Maybe go back to the Vatican to see Sistine Chapel but the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica made me a little angry last time so I may skip it.

September 13, 2008 – MARY ARRIVES!

Depart Rome for Lucca with a stop in Pisa to drop off car. I am still mapping out places to stop on the 4 hour drive to Lucca. Any suggestions?  My thought was to drive up the coast.

We rented an apartment in Lucca.  It is super cute and roomy and it has a terrace.

The Calandrino - Our Apartment in Lucca

 

I want to get there at a decent hour to pick up keys to the apartment and be able to see the below festival.

On September 13, an 8pm candlelit procession from San Frediano to the Duomo honors Lucca’s most prized holy relic, the Volto Santo statue of Christ that tradition holds was carved by Nicodemus himself.  

September 14, 2008 – September 20, 2008

Explore Lucca

September 13 to September 29 brings an agricultural market to Piazza San Michele featuring Lucca’s wines, honeys, and olive oils.

Lucca

Day trip to Florence.  Florence is only an hour away from Lucca by train.  I’m excited to go back to Florence as well.  I was so poor last time I went so I was unable to  take advantage of all of the great food and wine.  Would love restaurant recommendations and things not to be missed or  even things to skip.

Florence

Day trip to Cinque Terre.  Two hours from Lucca by train.  We are thinking about taking the ferry here from one of the ports.  Does anyone have any thoughts  on the train to ferry?  
     

     

Cinque Terre

 

That is what I have so far.  Any tips or places not to be missed??