Train Travels Through Tuscany

Train Travels Through Tuscany

Introduction:
Searching for the perfect place to travel can be extremely tedious. There is a multitude of beautiful countries all around the world, offering tons of diverse experiences. From the depths of the great barrier reef to the highest peaks of Nepal - the options are endless. I, however, can always rely on Tuscany as my stay. I have gone there a countless number of times, and have always found new ways to enjoy myself; my most recent holiday in Tuscany was a rail journey; a two week travel via the Treno Toscana. That fortnight was one of the most exhilarating of my life, and I wanted to share that experience with the world.

Siena:
The first section of the trip took place in Siena, which is famous for its Palio di Siena, a horse race that dates back to the 16th century. Luckily my family was able to procure seats for one of the races. (However, don't think that these tickets come by easily - my cousins had reserved tickets months in advance, and unfortunately they weren't able to attend the event). The race took place on the 2nd of July, which was the day after our journey started; it was full of excitement and speed, but my mom felt faint after a while due to the heat and congestion of spectators. Nonetheless, that was one of the most fun experiences of my life, and I will cherish that memory for a long time. 

The Palio di Siena in action, courtesy of Soprano Villas

The following two days were more relaxing, allowing us to recover from the previous action-packed day. We mostly spent our time eating Siena's delicious food, especially it's staple dish, le pappardelle con lepre, which literally translates to Pappardelle with Rabbit. This is a delightful traditional dish that is a must-have when visiting Tuscany; it provides a potent, rustic taste that can't be found anywhere else. Having satisfied my hunger, I made for the grand Piazza di Siena, which I thought would be bland and overrated, but turned out to be an experience that I will not forget for a long time. Siena is one of the many Italian cities that in my opinion are 'diamonds in the rough'; it is a historic town where one is immersed in culture and tradition, and it deserves more recognition than it receives. I would advise anybody who is looking for an easy travel to consider Siena! Sadly, after having an incredible time at Siena, it was time to say goodbye. So we headed towards our beloved Treno Toscana and made for my hometown, Pisa.

Pisa:
People often ask me which place I have been to the most (other than Vienna of course), and every time, I give the same answer: Pisa. Even if I were to abstain from going to Pisa for half my life, that would still be my second home. The only reason for this is because I am from Pisa, so what I just mentioned shouldn't really come as a surprise. However, Pisa is one of my favourite places in the world, and I know it like the back of my hand. Anyway, we arrived weary and tired at the station of Pisa (which was a super nostalgic moment for me), due to something or someone making a loud noise that held us up all night. Furthermore, it was raining, so we rushed to refuge as soon as possible. We slept in my aunt's house, but to any of you looking for a cheap hotel of good quality, try looking on Booking.com. I have personally used it for most of my holidays, and it has always provided me with a wide variety of options. 


Pisa's Train station, courtesy of Visit Tuscany

Anyhow, after treating ourselves to a long peaceful sleep, we forced ourselves outside to tour the city. Now, you might be wondering why I would even need to roam around Pisa, after boasting about 'knowing it like the back of my hand'. Something that you don't know, however, is that Pisa had recently allowed access to its city walls (as of 2016, when the journey took place), which changed everything for me. As shown in the picture below, the newly opened city walls offered a brand new perspective of Pisa. In fact, this was my of the best experiences at Pisa. Other than the city walls, Pisa provides so many different splendid sights that are definitely worth stopping by, such as the infamous Leaning Tower of Pisa (which can barely be seen in the picture below), is a truly unique experience that can not be replicated. Moreover, the Duomo di Pisa that neighbours the tower is a highly underrated yet beautiful monument that perfectly encapsulates the sophistication and charm of Tuscany. 

Courtesy of Il Post - The view of the Leaning Tower of Pisa from 

the perspective of the city walls

If you are one of those people that can never get enough of food (like me), you'll be glad to know that one of the TOP 10 ice cream shops in the whole of Italy can be found in Pisa! It's called De Coltelli and it is undoubtedly my favourite part of visiting Pisa (other than visiting my cousins of course). Its ice cream is mouthwatering, delicious, yummy, absolutely amazing...no one word can describe how good it is. Speaking of food, if you are looking for a traditional, non-touristy restaurant, I would suggest Montino. It is famous for its pizzas and schiacciate, which are special kinds of flat sandwiches that are typical of the region. Now, don't worry, the rest of the blog won't just be me gushing over food, I just wanted to express how great the food in Tuscany can be!

Sadly, on the 5th day of our stay at Pisa, and our 9th of our overall journey, we said goodbye to our extended family and returned to the station to once again board the Treno Toscana and leave for our final destination,
Florence! 

Florence:
What more can one say about Florence? Amongst some of the greatest culture capitals of Europe, it is recognised by the whole world as one of the most influential cities in art, history, religion and so much more. This was the mentality that I had on the way to Florence, and I was completely right in having it. To say that this was the highlight of my trip is an understatement. I have never experienced such wonder and intrigue before visiting Florence. Now, you have to understand that, even though I come from Tuscany, I had never been to Florence before this trip. I had been planning on visiting for a while, but I had never found the right time, until then, so naturally, I was taken by storm when I finally got the chance to stay there for half a week! 

A beautiful overhead shot of Florence. Monuments 
such as the cathedral (on the right) are visible. Courtesy
of Expedia

Seeing as I came by train, the first place that I visited was the Food Market (it was close to the station), which was rich in both flavour and culture. Food from all around the world was available, including but not limited to: samosas, kebab, dumplings, pizza, hamburgers... the list goes on and on. After having dined like a pig (which seemed to be a recurring scenario), we made my way for the hotel and, as soon as I laid eyes on the comfy, soft mattress I slept for 15 hours straight. Travelling can be tough! 

The very next day, we happily roamed the city in search of the Uffizi Gallery, all the while observing and taking in the splendor around us. For those of you who don't know, the Uffizi Gallery is one of the most famous prestigious art collection in Italy and attracts millions of visitors every year. Naturally, we had to pay it a visit. Unsurprisingly, it was an amazing experience being completely immersed in such timeless pieces of art. It was one of the few times I was actually interested by an art museum!

One of the many splendid golden halls of 
the Uffizi, courtesy of Le Gallerie degli
Uffizi 

The final two days of our journey were spent touring Florence, trying to discover as many things as possible, leaving no stones unturned. I knew that this might be my last chance to visit Florence for a long time, so I decided to cherish every moment. Alas, as the hourglass ran out of sand, we bade Florence farewell and, rather than taking our usual Treno Toscana, drove to the airport and got ready to fly back to Vienna. 

Conclusion:
Looking back on the rail journey, I have come to the conclusion that travelling isn't merely about going somewhere. It's about being somewhere. And when I mean being, I mean submerging yourself in a culture other than your own, so that when you resurface, you become almost a different person with new experiences that shape and create you. I think that this is exactly what I experienced during this journey through Tuscany, even though for me it wouldn't really be considered 'new' culture. Nonetheless, I was exposed to novelties such as Florence and the races at Siena, which are memories that I will never forget.