Travel piece: Tuscan tales

With its lyrical landscapes, world-class art and mouth-watering food, the Tuscan experience is simply unforgettable

Travelling to Italy is a bittersweet experience. The sweetness comes from knowing that everything you taste on your trip, from the cups of espresso to the pizza you grab on your way, will be unforgettable and the bitterness comes later, when you taste an in-flight meal. It makes you realise your taste buds are spoilt forever.



Italy is a maddening hallmark of culture, heritage, history, art and architecture and has scenic places and tourist attractions that are popular on generic bucket lists and make great backgrounds for Facebook display pictures. Most people who think of visiting Italy, especially tourists from Pakistan, think of Rome or Venice. The beauty and cultural richness of Florence is often ignored.



But Florence is elegant and sophisticated, with every corner of the city dripping in history. It has an overwhelming wealth of art; not only is it the birthplace of the Renaissance, but some of the world’s most popular artists originate from Florence. DaVinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Danotello, Botticelli and Dante are just a few to name. The legacy of these artists is so strong that you can almost feel their presence as you wander through the narrow alleys of Florence.



My companion and I arrived in Florence early in the morning. Our hotel was just outside the Santa Maria Novella station which connects Florence to other cities via train. In Florence, you’ll never need to pay a hefty sum for a taxi or take the bus because everything is within walking distance, making the trip easy on the pocket for tourists.



After dumping our luggage at the hotel, we walked over to the Piazza del Duomo where the Florence Cathedral and the baptistery, one of the oldest buildings in the city, exist. One look at the Duomo and I was spellbound by its majestic beauty and enormous size. The Duomo is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in the historic centre of Florence. It has the biggest brick dome ever constructed and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire region of Tuscany. Its work began in 1296 and was finished in 1436 with carved details on the exterior and beautiful paintings on the inside.





Our next stop was the Uffizi Gallery, which is often ranked as one of the most-visited galleries in the world and is a mandatory stop for even those who aren’t interested in art. For art connoisseurs, it is nothing less than heaven. The building of Uffizi, which itself attracts great architectural interest, is designed by Giorgio Vasari. The collection of art from the 13th to 18th centuries housed at the gallery is one of the most important in the world, comprising exclusively of acknowledged masterpieces, which have had a major influence on western art.



Touring Uffizi is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of Florence. The gallery holds such important work from history that as you walk through the myriad rooms, you can see the birth and development of the Renaissance before your very eyes. Some of the masterpieces at Uffizi include ‘The Birth of Venus’, ‘Doni Tando’, ‘Annunciation’, ‘Portrait of Pope Leo X with two Cardinals’, ‘Madonna with the long neck’ and various others by prominent artists including Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Sandro Botticelli. Uffizi is one tourist attraction in Florence that deserves ample time, so don’t rush through your visit and plan ahead.



From the Uffizi we headed over to Ponte Vecchio. The path that leads you to Ponte Vecchio itself is an experience, with shops that display jewellery, souvenirs and antiques on both sides. There are several cafes that serve the taste of Florence including pizza, pasta and gelato. They say no visit to Florence is complete without crossing the Ponte Vecchio and rightly so. Ponte Vecchio is oldest bridge over the Arno which dates back to 1345 with its origins in the 10th Century. Its postcard scenery, panoramic views of the river and ideal location are the reasons why it is known to be one of the most romantic spots in the city. The view of sunset from this bridge is beyond stunning.



The next day, we headed to Galleria del Academia to get our dose of art for the day. The gallery is home to some of the finest pieces of artwork in the world from the 15th and 16th centuries along with the paintings from the Renaissance and the world famous sculpture of Michelangelo ‘David’.





That evening we decided to take the bus to Piazza Michelangelo to see the sunset and the beautiful city of Florence lit up in the dark. The bus ride from Florence to Piazza Michelangelo takes about 30 minutes but it is worth it. Piazza Michelangelo not only offers stunning views of Florence but also features a bronze caste of David facing the city. Street entertainers often perform in the evening while people sit on the steps and enjoy with a few scoops of gelato on-hand.



A trip to Florence is also incomplete without a short visit to Pisa. Who would want to leave Florence without having their eyes set on the leaning tower of Pisa. Therefore, on one of my days in Florence, we headed straight to the Santa Maria Novella station in the morning and took a train to Pisa. A train leaves the station every half hour and once you buy a ticket, you can use it on any train, which gives you great flexibility as well. However, it is important to validate train tickets in a validation machine on the platform to avoid hefty fines.



Once you reach Pisa Centrale and walk out of the station, you will find a bus stop on the opposite side called the Pisa Stazione. The buses from here take you to Pisa P.Za Manin, which is a five-minute walk from the Leaning Tower of Pisa.



If I had more time in Tuscany, I’d have definitely visited Cinque Terre, a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. Around three hours away from Florence, Cinque Terre consists of five towns with colourful houses and ancient vineyards that cling to steep terraces. It is definitely on my list the next time I visit Italy and something tells me I will be going back soon!

Hafsah Sarfraz is an Islamabad-based reporter for The Express Tribune.