From Pisa we took an hour-long ride to Florence, the center of the Renaissance, through the Tuscan countryside (not that scenic near the tracks unfortunately). Here we saw the famed Duomo which is another architectural and artistic marvel although its beauty is definitely reduced by the fake leather purses and trinkets (all made in China) aggressively hawked by salesmen in makeshift shanty stores all around it. Alas, our time in Florence was short because of the hour and a half it would take to get back to Livorno by train. We will absolutely come back here some day and fully explore Florence and the rest of Tuscany. There is so much to see, it’s unbelievable.
Outstanding architecture. Marble panels everywhere. Construction began in 1296 and wasn’t complete until 1469.
Wow, these are breathtaking!