Papa and I left Riomaggiore on the 9:02 train, then hopped onto a train in La Spezia, to arrive in Pisa by 10:30 AM. We checked our bags at the train station and walked across the Arno River, through Piazza dei Cavalieri, with the beautiful Scuola Normale Superiore, founded by Napoleon in 1810, and on to the Campo dei Miracoli, where the Leaning Tower, the Duomo, and the Baptistery are located. The Leaning Tower was built as a bell tower for the Duomo, started in 1173, and it started to settle (lean) by the time construction reached the third story. Construction continued even into 2000, trying to prop it up and then trying to restore it to its original tilt. The whole complex is built of bright white marble and sits on a grassy lawn, surrounded by thousands of tourists. We joined them and had a great time!
We spent about two hours in Pisa, then caught a train to Florence, where we rented a car, and drove to San Donato in Poggio to stay in B&B Del Giglio for the next week. Beatrice and her mother showed us around and gave us travel advice when we arrived. They treated us to a bottle of Chianti wine, which we enjoyed on the patio with jasmine blooming on the posts. We couldn't be happier and our views of the Tuscan hills couldn't be better!
