When we leave at the beginning of September 2022, the world seems to be opening again after Covid-19, we will first travel to Italy. This is part 1 of our Italian journey: the Alps, the Ligurian coast and the Apennines to Tuscany.
The Alps
The adventure started even before we drove into Italy. Milady Landy had a hard time riding up the high St. Bernard pass. The cooling was not working properly and as soon as the slope became a bit too steep, the temperature rose to the red. That was not good…
With slow driving, the heating on and the fan on max, we reached the top.
Thanks to the Facebook Land Rover Prikkers I found a solution. And thanks to Sonja’s sleuthing, we found Landy Parts in Turin where I could buy a new viscous coupling for the motor fan.
In the meantime we camped in the Aosta valley near Lilaz and were able to make a beautiful mountain walk.
A day of tinkering, a U-joint of the rear drive shaft also turned out to have play and the right front wheel bearing had to be adjusted, and we could continue into the Alps.
The climb of the Colle di Tenda went smoothly again, Milady felt fine and both the driver and co-driver regained their confidence in this heavy machine.
Genoa and the Ligurian Coast
We reach Genoa via Ventimiglia on the Mediterranean coast.
Genoa, La Superba
Genoa, La Superba, is a particularly beautiful city with an old center consisting of a maze of small alleys, idyllic squares and narrow streets. We camp at Camping Villa Doria in the suburb of Pegli and take the train to the city center.
We wander through the city, enjoying good weather, beautiful people and cozy terraces. The number of scooters parked in the city surprises us.
Cinque Terra, the Ligurian Coast and the Apennines
Via the Cinque Terre National Park we reach the Ligurian coast with charming villages and busy tourist beaches.
We can’t find an attractive place to spend the night near La Spezia, so we drive inland and find a lovely campsite in Argegna . We stay an extra night, just enjoying nature with beautiful views and a lovely walk around the Colle di Argenga.
We are on the edge of the Apennines, the weather is a bit grey, but the views are fantastic.
Tuscany
The villages nestled against the hills, vineyards and olive groves, picturesque roads… We are in Tuscany.
Lucca
Despite the walled city, Lucca is much more spacious than Genoa, the squares are larger and the streets less narrow. Yet the city has a very private, friendly atmosphere.
Pisa
I, Gert Jan, had never been to Pisa. That is why it was my wish to at least briefly immerse ourselves in the tourist bustle around the leaning tower.
We park at the stadium – only paid on weekends – and walk to the city. The tower is still leaning and there are many tourists. We therefore quickly seek the tranquility of the smaller streets and find a fine restaurant where we can have lunch.
Monte Castello
We process the impressions of the tourist cities by choosing a nice spot with Park4Night on the edge of an expired vineyard and a forest. We walk around Monte Castello and to the nearby monastery, through the vineyards and the valley of olive trees.
Firenze (Florence)
For Firenze (Florence) we allow two days, enough for us to stay in this busy city. The city has so much to offer in terms of culture, museums, churches and beautiful vistas and squares that you can easily stay there for a week or longer.
The city of Florence
The city welcomes us with a sun between the clouds, the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio are beautifully lit. Later there will be showers, but we are not deterred, there is plenty to see inside the churches and museums
Michelangelo’s David
Michelangelo’s David is everywhere, with a copy in the Piazza de la Signoria where it was originally placed in the early 15th century. A bronze replica has also been placed on top of the Piazzale Michelangelo. The real David is in the Galleria dell’Accademia museum, beautifully lit with a place of honor among other works by Michelangelo and great Italian masters.
A selection of other works of art in the museum.
The Duomo
The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiori, or the Duomo for short, overshadows the city from all sides. A beautiful and impressive building with lots of marble and decorations. Inside, the church is more austere, but still grand and serene.
The Uffizi
We do not visit the Uffizi itself, but the beautiful courtyard is definitely worth a visit. The rivals Michelangelo and Leonardo are in the hall of fame.
Beautiful small Tuscan towns
We visit 4 beautiful small Tuscan towns in two consecutive days.
Volterra
Volterra is strategically built with panoramic views of the area. Alabaster is traditionally processed in this town into utensils and art objects.
San Gimigniano
This town is called the Manhattan of the Middle Ages. In this video – made with Google Earth Studio – it is clear why.
We walk through the sunny town and enjoy.
Colle di Val d’Elza
The old town of Colle di Val d’Elza is built in one long street on top of a ridge. We park at the bottom of the hill and walk in the early morning through the almost deserted streets.
Monteriggioni
The fourth town in a row is Monteriggioni, small but nice shall we say.
