Pisa on the Viva Italia trip

[figmentfan2009]

Okay... now I'm excited and figuring I'm going to get let down... I was reading Diskidatheart's wicked cool scrapbook newsletter and now I'm even more excited and I figure now I'm going to end up getting let down...

Has anyone else, in Tuscany, been given the opportunity to have the guides throw together a quick trip to Pisa, or am I liable to have to figure out how to do this on our own? I was reading (out loud) the newsletter (and it Isn't just a Steeler's bar... it is also a PITT bar, I saw the sigh... GO PITT, too!!!) and my DS actually perked up from reading "F my life" on his phone to listen to the Pisa part (he is already psyched at the other history stuff... )

SO...

Has anyone else had this opportunity, or should I probably start shopping for extra trips to add in on my own? We are already thinking of the Alps our extra day in Venice... Pisa sounds really cool!!!

Thanks for the help

 

[LTFrench]

Okay... now I'm excited and figuring I'm going to get let down... I was reading Diskidatheart's wicked cool scrapbook newsletter and now I'm even more excited and I figure now I'm going to end up getting let down...

Has anyone else, in Tuscany, been given the opportunity to have the guides throw together a quick trip to Pisa, or am I liable to have to figure out how to do this on our own? I was reading (out loud) the newsletter (and it Isn't just a Steeler's bar... it is also a PITT bar, I saw the sigh... GO PITT, too!!!) and my DS actually perked up from reading "F my life" on his phone to listen to the Pisa part (he is already psyched at the other history stuff... )

SO...

Has anyone else had this opportunity, or should I probably start shopping for extra trips to add in on my own? We are already thinking of the Alps our extra day in Venice... Pisa sounds really cool!!!

Thanks for the help

We were on this trip, too.

When my DH realized we were so close to Pisa he was going to do whatever it took to go, whether it was to hire a private car for the two of us or whatever. He mentioned it to the guides, several others chimed in saying they wanted to go and Disney said they could have nothing to do with it for liability reasons, but directed us to the English speaking man at the front desk. We needed to know approximately how many were going to see who had a bus and driver available. We got a non English speaking driver, but *somehow* it all worked out! We immediately lost 2 of the group, had one very upset person because of the lost ones, got separated from half the rest of the group.... but by then we had an emergency meeting point, but still, pretty stressful getting everyone back to the parking lot without anyone getting hurt and I don't mean our people, LOL! Give yourself plenty of time to catch the shuttle, weasle your way through the vendors, take your pics, ooh and ahhh, the reverse it all and wait on a shuttle again. We allowed 1 hour, but had no idea it would take a bit to actually get to the tower. 1 1/2 hours would have been better. We were 15 minutes late getting back and finding our bus. But, well worth it all!!! Who knows when we may be that close again! (But it was *not* the 45 minute drive that our guides said it was! It was 1hr 15min, just so you know!) And like Diskidatheat said, who wants to see any winery?? Of course, those that stayed behind threw themselves a heck of a potluck lawn party!

 

[Diskidatheart]

It was a great trip and all the hassles of the trip made it that much more special. We can all laugh about everything now. Since you are so close, it really is worth the trip and you can probably talk to the guides to point you in the right direction to get this trip set up. Thanks to LTFrench and her husband for taking the lead on this trip...it was actually one (of many) of the highlights of the trip.

I'm glad you enjoyed my newsletter figmentfan. Thanks!

 

[helenk]

figmentfan2009

I had been trying to plan a side trip to Pisa too, but was not sure of the time constraints. But after reading Diskidatheart's newletter it made me hopeful.
I did read in my Itay for Dummies guidebook that the train from Florence to Pisa takes about an hour and costs about 5 euro, it then says from the train station to take the A shuttle bus across the Arno to the Leaning Tower.
I saw the Tower back in 1971 when I was in Italy for a highschool trip and would love to just be able get my daughter over to see it. It would be nice to climb up the steps as well. Although I am not sure about climbing 300 steps now that I am in my mid 50's.
The book also lists 2 companies that have guided tours from Florence, American Express, phone # 055-50981, or SitaSightseeing phone # 055-214721.

 

[Bronxboy52]

Having been on the same trip as Diskid and LTFrench, I would like to put in my 2 euros (I would have said 2 cents, but with the exchange rate, it's probably closer to 1.8 cents!) Many thanks to LT's husband who took the lead on putting the trip to Pisa together. He handled it with such aplomb, you would have thought that he was an ABD tour guide! If not for him, I believe that the trip would not have occurred.
The trip and the 50 euros was money well spent. Except for the constant complaints that the bus was too cold, the trip was awesome. You can go to a winery pretty much anytime, but visiting the Leaning Tower is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There was also plenty of time when we got back to the "stables" to drink and chill out before dinner. If you can get enough "adventurers" to do the Pisa trip, the bus is the way to go. Of course, you will need someone to "step up" and do the leg work.

 

[Diskidatheart]

figmentfan2009

I had been trying to plan a side trip to Pisa too, but was not sure of the time constraints. But after reading Diskidatheart's newletter it made me hopeful.
I did read in my Itay for Dummies guidebook that the train from Florence to Pisa takes about an hour and costs about 5 euro, it then says from the train station to take the A shuttle bus across the Arno to the Leaning Tower.
I saw the Tower back in 1971 when I was in Italy for a highschool trip and would love to just be able get my daughter over to see it. It would be nice to climb up the steps as well. Although I am not sure about climbing 300 steps now that I am in my mid 50's.
The book also lists 2 companies that have guided tours from Florence, American Express, phone # 055-50981, or SitaSightseeing phone # 055-214721.

Helen, if you are going to Pisa, I would definitely try going while in Artimino/Umbria (instead of Florence) and get a bus together. If your trip is close to full, I'm betting their will be a lot of interest in the group. I'm not sure where the train station is in Florence in comparison to where you will be all day, but I don't think it is very close and since you HAVE to be back to Florence at a certain time to catch the bus, I'd be concerned about missing the bus trip back to the resort in Artimino.

 

[helenk]

Helen, if you are going to Pisa, I would definitely try going while in Artimino/Umbria (instead of Florence) and get a bus together. If your trip is close to full, I'm betting their will be a lot of interest in the group. I'm not sure where the train station is in Florence in comparison to where you will be all day, but I don't think it is very close and since you HAVE to be back to Florence at a certain time to catch the bus, I'd be concerned about missing the bus trip back to the resort in Artimino.

I was not sure looking at the itinerary if we'd have more time on our 5th day when we do the Pasta making and then have the barbeque in the evening or after our time in Florence.
I figured once we got there we could make more concrete plans. I am hopeful that there will be a group that will want to go. If not, we will figure something out. We may be up to just chilling out that day.

 

[LTFrench]

I was not sure looking at the itinerary if we'd have more time on our 5th day when we do the Pasta making and then have the barbeque in the evening or after our time in Florence.
I figured once we got there we could make more concrete plans. I am hopeful that there will be a group that will want to go. If not, we will figure something out. We may be up to just chilling out that day.

I'd definitely do Pisa on the pasta making day, if I were going to do it and I would, again, in a heart beat.

 

[helenk]

I'd definitely do Pisa on the pasta making day, if I were going to do it and I would, again, in a heart beat.

Okay then it sounds like I've got my plans settled. Bt the time we get to Tuscany the group should be comfortable with each other so hopefully we will be able to get enough people together to go to Pisa.

 

[CTrumble]

I've been to Pisa. Pisa is really not that big of a deal (unless you really just want to be able to say that you've been there.) It is a lot (and I mean A LOT) of those junk trinket booths. You will spend more time saying "no thank you" to the those trying to sell fake watches than seeing anything of interest. I went with a bunch of high school kids who had a "tacky souvenir contest".

The souvenir that won was a small statue of a topless woman huging a "leaning tower of Pisa" that was as big as she was (use your imaginiation.)