Over the long weekend, myself and my man took a trip 'up north' to Pisa and Florence. I'd never been to Pisa before, and was keen to mooch around and also see that famous tilting tower that they've got up there. The tower itself is actually not that tall (it's 8 stories) but it does have a jolly good lean to it. I did a bit of research, and found out that right from the moment it was built (some time in the 1100s) it started leaning, due to the soggy soil it was built on.
As well as the tower, in the piazza dei miracoli you can also find the grand baptistery, the cathedral and the cemetery, which are all worth a look, even if the tower itself is the piece de resistance.The interior of the cathedral is simply beautiful.
One of the most fascinating things about the tower though, is not to do with its history, or even its construction. What amused me the most, was the amount of people taking photos of themselves/their friends/family/pets 'holding up' the tower. It really was quite a (humorous) spectacle to behold. Naturally I joined in too.
The city of Pisa itself is quite small, but is worth the visit. There's a main shopping/bar/restaurant area which can be found near the river and is easy to navigate. The tower is not central, so bear that in mind if you are staying in the centre of Pisa. We didn't see as much of the place as I would have liked however, as we were tired from the long journey/getting rained on quite a bit. That's the weather up north for you. Now though, I'm safely back in my southern comfort zone (the south of the country, not the drink...) where the weather is, well, also pretty bad actually...
Florence update to follow soon! :D
As well as the tower, in the piazza dei miracoli you can also find the grand baptistery, the cathedral and the cemetery, which are all worth a look, even if the tower itself is the piece de resistance.The interior of the cathedral is simply beautiful.
One of the most fascinating things about the tower though, is not to do with its history, or even its construction. What amused me the most, was the amount of people taking photos of themselves/their friends/family/pets 'holding up' the tower. It really was quite a (humorous) spectacle to behold. Naturally I joined in too.
The city of Pisa itself is quite small, but is worth the visit. There's a main shopping/bar/restaurant area which can be found near the river and is easy to navigate. The tower is not central, so bear that in mind if you are staying in the centre of Pisa. We didn't see as much of the place as I would have liked however, as we were tired from the long journey/getting rained on quite a bit. That's the weather up north for you. Now though, I'm safely back in my southern comfort zone (the south of the country, not the drink...) where the weather is, well, also pretty bad actually...
Florence update to follow soon! :D
