Scottishnellies Mediterranean Cruise. Day 7 La Spezia (Florence & Pisa)

[scottishnellie]

We had alarms set for 6 & 6:15am and were up so early we were still moving and hadn’t even docked in port yet.

Up to the Oceanview cafe for breakfast

Our instructions were to meet in the Theatre at 7am for todays excursion.

When we arrived we checked in at a wee desk and showed our tickets (which had been left in our cabin for us on the first day) and they gave us each a numbered and coloured sticker to ‘wear visible on your shirt’. This makes it easy to keep the right groups together. They also gave us each the specific type of mask that must be worn on public transport in Italy. None needed on Spain or France but still strict on transport in Italy.

We boarded our bus around 7:25 and it took us an hour to get to PISA. Our tour guide for the day was Katia, who was born and brought up in Florence. I really liked her as she was very direct.

She warned everyone about the importance of listening to her instructions, where our meeting places were and making sure you were ‘ON time!’ ‘Don’ be comin to me at zi meeting place saying you need a restroom, you still need to buy……nu uh! We are leaving’

She walked us from the bus park through the streets until we reached the edge of the touristy bit.

This tour is very clearly listed as a walking tour. It states you must be able to comfortably walk distance and on uneven and cobbled streets, and explains the importance of comfortable footwear etc, so we were surprised to see an American family pushing granny in a wheelchair and another where the lady really couldn’t walk very well even on the normal path. I’m sure they couldn’t have read the description properly.

She gave us very clear instructions on where and when we would meet again and stressed the being ‘ON time’ to leave. We basically had an hour to look around and get our photo opportunities.

Off we went. An hour was fine to look around the outside of the beautiful buildings but if you wanted to go into each one and queue to go up inside the tower you would really need to choose the other tour where you do PISA for 4 hours but no Florence.

I was quite happy with what we had, but Kevin had really enjoyed it and now wanted to do ‘all of it’ saying he would like to come back another time.

Back to the meeting point and as you arrive you approach Katia so she can tick off your room number that your party have arrived. Most folk were in plenty of time but at the time we were due to leave there she was shouting for a room number not ticked yet. It turned out to be this Australian guy we have seen around the ship and already thought was an arrogant sod. He eventually arrives with his wife and ticks his room off. When Katia announces ‘ok group 22 we are moving’ and sets off, he grins smugly and booms ‘great, timed to perfection’. No - you were late ya great eejit. I’m not sure who in the group wanted to punch him most but I would lay bets on the dude shoving his mother in laws wheelchair.

Back on the bus and 70 minutes to reach Florence. This passed fine as, although she left folk to dose early in the morning on the way to Pisa, this time Katia was on the microphone telling us all sorts of interesting info, pointing out pretty parts of the Tuscan countryside. She got us all to open our maps and explained each point we would be stopping on our walking tour, where and what we would be having for lunch, what free time we would have after lunch and suggestions for different ways to spend it from bars with wine tasting to a really unusual 18carat gold shop.

She then gave us receivers and earpieces to wear during the tour so we could hear her in crowded places and we tested them out on the bus. Then we were off.

The first few buildings were pretty enough with lots of really interesting stories from Katia about who had built them, lived in them, fought about them!

Then they got increasingly ornate and the stories got more and more fascinating. I’m just going to post the pictures but we were absolutely blown away by this place. It was literally jaw dropping.

The family with the wheelchair were really struggling with the very busy, very uneven streets and while I did feel sorry for them the whole group had to keep stopping for Katia to find ways for them to navigate around or get to somewhere and it was quite difficult. There’s no way they could’ve understood what they’d booked.

Katia was so interesting and every time she would give us stories about Leonardo, Michelangelo or Galileo we were left wanting more. Kevin loved every single minute and is now determined we will be back to Florence for a city break. Kevin was desperate to get inside the museums and see everything.

We eventually reached the square with the restaurant we would have lunch in which was the Piazza Di Sante Croce. Katia first took us to a gold shop and a leather shop introducing us to the owners and explaining both shops had clean restrooms as the back which we could use for the rest of the day whenever we wanted because we were wearing her tour sticker.

This picture shows the square and I’ve circled the restaurant you have lunch and the brilliant wee gelato shop

Then into the restaurant into a lovely cool room reserved at the back with bottles of red wine and water waiting on the tables.

We were served wee portions of both ragu pasta (there’s no such thing as spaghetti bolognaise in Italy apparently!) and pesto pasta. They were both delicious but its just as well I could only eat a tiny bit and Kevin could eat the rest as it wasn’t a massive portion. He’d have been starving!

then a wee crumbly almond thing you dipped into a very boozy sherry like drink. That felt dangerously boozy to me after a couple of glasses of wine.

After lunch we had about an hour to kill. We had walked down a street with load of shops like Sephora and clothes shops so if you were a shopper you could’ve gone there. We opted to have a look at the gold shop which was really interesting. I can’t believe I didn’t take any photos but basically everything in the shop is made from 18k Gold and nothing else. But the different colours of gold are cut in different ways to make them sparkle.

So you are looking at what you think is a diamond bracelet but it’s white gold cut to look sparkly. I can’t describe it and I’m gutted I took no photos. We looked at a pair of earrings that were gorgeous and felt heavy- £850. Very nice but not for me. Jewellery buffs would love this place though.

After that we went to get some Gelato and sat in the shady steps of the Basilica De Sante Croce Di Firenze to eat it

The group met again at 3pm ‘ON time’ and we walked our way back to the coach before everyone boarded and got settled. It was a good 2hr drive back to the ship but it was comfortable and most folk dozed. I’m not great at sleeping sitting up. Every time I fell asleep my head dipped and I woke up. I think I maybe dozed about 30 mins though. It sounds like a long day on a coach I know, but we both felt fine and that it had been so worth it. Florence blew us away.

Back on the ship we picked up a pina colada and some beers and back to the cabin and started packing.

You leave your suitcases outside your cabin door between 6pm and 10pm tonight for them to be taken away until you disembark. So you have to be strategic with what you wear that night as you will be carrying it off next day. I wore a maxi dress but it was very thin fabric so light to pack in my hand luggage. Once I was ready I packed everything except what I needed in the morning.

Tonight I just stuck my hair back and slapped on big fandango earrings. 2 minute job. When I look back at the photos I actually prefer those nights than the ones I spent ages, roasting hot, blow drying & curling. That’s it - future cruises I’m ditching all the hair stuff and packing more blingy jewellery!

One last evening toast on the balcony before heading to our dinner

The Cosmopolitan tonight

As she was looking up our reservation Kevin asked for a window table. I hadn’t been bothered as the sun is on the opposite side of the ship tonight but Kevin’s opinion was ‘you never know when we might get dolphins!’ Fair enough.

We were led to a big corner table again with a big window. The sea is so calm it’s lovely to watch. Not like last years Irish Sea nightmare at all. I’ve not felt this ship moving AT ALL. It’s wonderful.

Kevin had the fishcake - delicious again

And I had the corn soup - yum

Guess what Kevin had?

When I had told her I was deciding between the classic Salmon dish and the hake she said ‘have the salmon which goes better with your wine, but I will bring you some hake for the centre of the table for you to try’ I hadn’t the heart to tell her I can’t even eat a whole dish let alone 2, but she was so insistent.

The Salmon was amazing, with rich buttery hollandaise and buttery mash. So good

We tried the hake but weren’t keen on the garlic beans it came with. They were more fishy than the fish.

Then I had whipped passion fruit curd - lovely

And Kevin had carrot cake with his double espresso. also very nice

Our wine was topped up throughout and the service was great. We talked about how much we have absolutely loved this holiday, and how we would love it if my parents would come with us on another as we can see how easy everything would be for them and there’s just so much they would both love about it. Neither of us are ready to go home. God knows how Kevin is going to cope without his nightly steaks, red wine, double espressos and espresso martinis!

Mind you - he’s got 2 weeks to fit back into his kilt for my brothers wedding so he better get his trainers on!

Off to the martini bar for Kevin’s 2 espresso martinis.

We still had that $40 of OBC to use up so while I sat in the martini bar talking to Susan and a few other folk we had met, Kevin toddled off to the casino to ‘get rid of it’. He only toddles back 10 minutes later having won and cashed out $129! Jammy sod!

He was chuffed to bits bless him. Next we went into The Club as the Motown boys were on in there to start the night off and I just love them. They were every bit as good and getting everyone up to dance and dancing around the crown while singing. Just brilliant!

I had a couple of Brandy Alexander’s and Kevin was back on beer. When their show finished at 11 we toddled off for an early night. Well - earlier than other nights!

[Sandraoh40]

I have loved reading all about your trip.
We are doing our first cruise May 24 ( I know, ages away). We are on a new NCL ship that’s not even finished yet, but if we enjoy it I’m defo going to look up the one you have been on as it looks fantastic!

[Loopylooloo]

Oh I shuddered when I saw your cases ready to put out! I won’t be doing that ever again Helen! Will carry my own in future just ‘in case’ 🤣

Your tour looks wonderful, I have been to Florence and Pisa, both are worth more spending time in, and also San Gimignano is a really lovely quaint place to visit (it’s in between the two places) I know a lovely apartment place in tuscany if you ever want a land based stay. Its called Villa di Moriolo.

What a fabulous overall trip, have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of it am so pleased you enjoyed this cruise!

[ClaireNJ]

What a beautiful last day Helen Florence looked so lovely
I can’t imagine pushing a wheelchair around a hot city must’ve been so hard for them and there’s always one idiot who can’t turn up on time 🙄🤦
Glad you managed ok in the heat, it is hard doing hair etc then you start to sweat with the dryer 😱You looked great, love the necklace earring & that carrot cake 😋😋😋
Nice that Kev won too lucky boy 🤪
Hope his Mum is ok ❤️
Thanks for doing another great report

[levtweeney]

Best trip report ever. Loved reading every bit. The cruise looked just lovely.

[scottishnellie]

Originally Posted by Sandraoh40

I have loved reading all about your trip.
We are doing our first cruise May 24 ( I know, ages away). We are on a new NCL ship that’s not even finished yet, but if we enjoy it I’m defo going to look up the one you have been on as it looks fantastic!

See more...

Ooh I’d love to know about yours - will do a trippie? Or even a summary?

[scottishnellie]

Originally Posted by Loopylooloo

Oh I shuddered when I saw your cases ready to put out! I won’t be doing that ever again Helen! Will carry my own in future just ‘in case’ 🤣

Your tour looks wonderful, I have been to Florence and Pisa, both are worth more spending time in, and also San Gimignano is a really lovely quaint place to visit (it’s in between the two places) I know a lovely apartment place in tuscany if you ever want a land based stay. Its called Villa di Moriolo.

What a fabulous overall trip, have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of it am so pleased you enjoyed this cruise!

See more...

Not going to lie - I did think about you when we did it! We did it as the only time you were allowed to walk your own cases off was 6-6:30 so we took the chance. We were lucky it went smoothly but I could be tempted to self disembark in future.

And would you mind messaging me that apartment info? Would definitely be interested in having a look.

[Loopylooloo]

Here you go -

tripadvisor/Hotel_...a_Tuscany.html

villadimoriolo/en/

[Sandraoh40]

Originally Posted by scottishnellie

Ooh I’d love to know about yours - will do a trippie? Or even a summary?

See more...

Yes I will 😊. Thank you for asking.

I think our plans seem similar to what you have done. We are very much do our own thing so will be going out on our own rather than taking the tours.
We are going on the NCL Viva, which looks beautiful, from Rome round to Venice ( Trieste is the port ).

[ducati211]

Your trip sounded amazing, loved reading along, so happy Kevin was having good reports from home about his mum and that he enjoyed his time away for his birthday holiday.

We are due to stop at La Spezia as well but with having a 16 and 14 year old with us, I was thinking a boat trip to Cinque Terre would suit them better than Pisa and Florence.