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If you’re looking to sample the best that the Tuscany region of Italy has to offer, you certainly need to spend some time in Pisa. With its wealth of historic attractions, exciting festivals and amazing food, stopping here will definitely be the highlight of your trip to Italy and there are often many late deals to be found that can make your visit to Tuscany quite affordable.

Want to know what exactly makes the city so special? Read on to find out more!

Piazza del Duomo

There is no shortage of fantastic architecture and landmarks to be found in Pisa, but without a doubt the most famous ones are located at Piazza del Duomo.

As duomo is the Italian for cathedral, it really should be of little surprise that it is in this public square you will find the amazing Pisa Cathedral. Next to it is the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, with many people who see it taking a photo where it looks as if they’re holding it up – joining them in this makes for a classic souvenir. Climb to the top of the building to take in wonderful views of the rest of the city, as well as Piazza del Duomo’s other landmarks.

These include the 12th-century cemetery Camposanto Monumentale and the Baptistry of St John, two beautiful structures that have contributed to the square being nicknamed Piazza dei Miracoli, or the Square of Miracles.

Knights Square

Pisa’s Knights Square is another must-see while in the city. The former headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St Stephen, here you’ll discover the historic Church of Saint Rocco, which was built in 1575, and a statue of Cosimo I de’Medici, the first grand duke of Tuscany.

Museums and festivals

Of course, it’s not just Pisa’s astounding public spaces that make it a great place to visit on a Tuscany tour, it is also rich in culture and home to a wealth of amazing galleries and museums.

Situated on the banks of the River Arno is the wonderful Museo Nazionale di San Matteo (or National Museum of St Matthew), which contains numerous sculptures and paintings that date back as far as the 12th-century. The Lungarno Simonelli Museum, meanwhile, houses excavated Roman boats and other artefacts from this era.

If you time your trip to Tuscany right, you could arrive when one of Pisa’s vibrant festivals is taking place.

Each June 16th witnesses the Festa di San Ranieri, where the locals honour the city’s patron saint by lining the banks of the Arno with torches, while the Pisa Cathedral becomes the location of the International Festival of Holy Music every September with choirs from across the country performing.

Food

Tuscany is a region famous for its high-quality cuisine and Pisa’s no exception. Make sure you sample the best of what the area has to offer by trying local specialities like ciechi alla Pisani (baby eels in garlic and tomatoes). If you want a slice of pizza – you are in Italy after all – visit Il Montino and have the cecina, which includes chickpeas as a topping.

Exploring the rest of Tuscany

By booking car hire from Pisa Airport, you’ll be well-placed to see the rest of Tuscany – whether you choose to visit other bustling cities like Florence or wish to explore smaller towns like Cecina and Empoli.

Whether you’re planning to make Pisa the mainstay of your time in Italy or you’re keen to see lots of other places too, leave a comment and let us know!

We arranged through the hotel , The Charleston, for a half day city tour and when the guide came to pick us up early in the morning, we complained that the day was beginning damp and cold, not realizing at the time how precious a little cold could be. Our immediate destination was La Candelaria, the historic district centering around Bolivar Square. Simon Bolivar is the George Washington of Columbia. Born in Venezuela in 1783, he was the general who defeated the Spanish in 1819 and brought independence to Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. These countries were then joined together creating the independent country of New Granada with Bogota the capital. His dream of a united South America would not be realized as these countries soon pulled away to form their own individual entities and he died in 1830 reviled by many. Later he was rehabilitated and in Columbia it is common for a city to name a plaza after him.

Our guide followed Carrera 7, the Avenue of the Republic, which took us straight through the downtown area, passing the high-rise buildings of the financial district, the infamous Tequendama hotel, connected in the past to Pablo Escobar where drug deals often took place and the Colpatria Towers, the second tallest building in Latin America. The pervasive use of red brick gives the city a sense of architectural unity and it was popularized as a building material by Rogelio Salmona, Bogota’s leading 20th century architect. Applying it in an inventive manner, he associated brick, made from mud and water, as the building material that unites the structure with the earth on which it stands while providing a link to Bogota’s past as the indigenous Indian tribes as well as the Spanish traditionally built with brick. Another inventive use of brick is the Plaza de Toros Santa Maria, the bullring, built in 1931 seating 25,000 people. Here brick is used in the service of Moorish influence (Mudejar) taken from examples seen in Andalucía, Spain, the home to many 16th century conquistadors. In the earlier part of the 20th century, there was a trend to build houses in the English manner, red brick Victorian and stone Tudor. During the times of violence, people moved out of these houses seeking safety in a high-rise apartment building and these historic houses are now occupied by various kinds of businesses.

One of the most distinguishing aspects of Spanish colonial towns is the plaza. Not only is it a public space used for the evening paseo, the walk abouts, but it provides both the church and state the opportunity to express authority. La Plaza de Bolivar, one of Bogota’s major tourist attractions located in the center of the historic town, was originally laid out in 1553. As expected, there is a statue of Bolivar, this one created by an Italian artist and placed in the middle of the square in 1846. The Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop, occupies the east side of the square. This church, built in the Jesuit style, was constructed between 1807 – 1823, replacing an earlier one destroyed by an earthquake. There you can find the body of Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada who founded Bogota in 1538. Two years earlier, he and his 900 men left from the Caribbean Coast, sailed down the Magdalena River, crossed over the Western Cordillera and hacked their way through jungle to arrive with only 166 men left. He claimed the land in the name of the King of Spain. The term Bogota is derived from “Bacata”, the name used by the Muisa Indians, famed for their skill as goldsmiths, who Jimenez de Quesada defeated in battle. Bogota is documented as beginning with twelve huts and a “hay church” and today Bogota’s cathedral is the largest in Columbia and one of the largest in South America.

The National Capitol, where the Columbian Congress meets, is on the south side and the Lievano Building, the City Hall and offices of the mayor, is on the west side. Even though the plaza was laid out in1553, these buildings were built during the 19th in the neo-classical style prevalent in Europe. The Palace of Justice is the only modern building on the square and the history of its construction is part of Bogota’s recent past. When Jorge Gaitan, the left wing politician, was assassinated in Bogota in 1948, the ensuing riots resulted in 3,000 to 5,000 deaths and the destruction of most of downtown Bogota, including the Palace of Justice. It was rebuilt only to be destroyed once again in 1985 during the “Palace of Justice Seize”. At this time, the army assaulted the building responding to the actions of the left wing guerilla group M-19 who had previously stormed the building, captured the Supreme Court members and demanded a trial of the current president. The building that stands today is hard edged, a severe modern style utilizing columns in a Post Modern manner.

Following our guide, we walked as boulevardiers, along narrow cobblestone streets admiring colonial buildings with red tile roofs and over hanging balconies. He pointed out several of the important colonial buildings whose flamboyant window decorations and ornate doorways were in the Plateresque style, imported from Spain, utilizing twisted columns, heraldic escutcheons and sinuous scrolls. The stucco buildings were colorful, ochre, blue, pink as well as the traditional green. The power of history surges through the historic district, within each building, a story to be told. We passed the Palace of San Carlos (Presidential Palace) and our guide pointed to the window Bolivar jumped through, making his escape after being warned by his “lover” that he was soon to be assassinated. If the story is correct, she interrupted his bath. However, the passage of time was not kind to the historic center. The area that once witnessed glittering celebrations and lavish displays of presidential visits and aristocratic gentility was forced to reconcile itself to neglect, cheap hotels, drugs and violence. However, like Bogota itself, the area has experienced restoration and revitalization and if the work being done on the Teatro Colon is an example, it will be restored to its original splendor.

We enjoyed walking with our guide but the most interesting aspect of Sunday in the area around Bolivar Plaza is the large number of people who were walking in the Plaza and the surrounding streets with no other thought than to enjoy the day. The area is surrounded by churches as the Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, Jesuits, Capuchins, etc., etc. each built their own church and when mass was over, the church goers joined the throngs of people. Street vendors had set up stands, selling jugos, fruit drinks, and offering a variety of arepas, the national dish made from corn meal. Artists were behind easels painting portraits. The sky had finally turned blue, it felt like an early Spring day and the jugglers, acrobats and balloon sellers contributed to the carnival like atmosphere. Walking along Calle 10, there were no cars but only bicyclers and pedestrians and we realized we were witnessing the Ciclovia Program set up by the quirky Mayor, Antanas Mockus. On Sunday, seventy-five miles of roads in Bogota are closed to cars and turned over to the people, enabling Bicycling Magazine to rank Bogota third after Amsterdam and Copenhagen as the cities most friendly to bicycles. It is not unusual for two million people to turn out on Sunday just to enjoy their city and as the other quirky mayor, Penalosa, once said “we need to walk…..to be happy”.

When our tour was over, our guide drove back to our hotel along what could be called the “corniche” , the north-south road that threads it way along the contours of the mountain side. With the engine of his small van giving out complaints, we did not go to Monserrate, the top of the mountain at over 9,000 feet, but after cresting a hill, he pulled off the road and parked in a designated over look. Standing with our backs to the mountain, we stepped to the edge and down below we were treated to the grand view of the city stretching across the landscape of a flat plain. In the distance, the leaden sky, low lying silver and grey clouds, blocked out the sun welding together the sky and land. But where there were slits in the clouds, the sun shone through delineating the hard edge lines of the city and the high rise buildings scattered throughout. Tinges of red hung in the moisture laden air accentuating the red clusters of brick building, Bogota’s signature building blocks. Too far away to hear the vibrant sounds but from our vantage point, we saw the city as a three dimensional puzzle with all of its pieces fitting together forming a unity out of its multicultural parts.

Down the mountainside, we crossed over mountain streams and drove past more city parks where more families were strolling and picnicking. Small chapels had been erected along the side of the road, marking the spot where someone had died in a traffic accident. Often these memorials were decorated with tinsel and plastic flowers along with a portrait of the deceased. The brakes on the little van had their opportunity to whine and continued to make their point until we hit flat land where the clouds that held out the promise of rain finally delivered. Now it felt like Fall. We believed the city tour had been a success and our guide, apparently enjoying our company, had allowed the half day tour to extend beyond its usual time. When we arrived back at our hotel, the street in front had been cordoned off by police cars and police officers were posted along the street. I huddled under my umbrella as Donald and I negotiated our way through security, wondering why there were more guards than earlier and more of those tall young men talking into their sleeves. Had there been a kidnapping, had FARC attacked? Then one of them grabbed my arm and turned me around just in time to see Donald being led away by two very large security officers.

WHAT WAS GOING ON?
My protestations that we were hotel guests did not keep us from being thoroughly searched and when they finally determined we were not a security risk, we were allowed back into the hotel. The front desk manager explained the precautions were required because our Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, was staying in the hotel. Then I understood why we were not given a higher floor with a better view, she and her entourage had taken all the good rooms. She was in Bogota to speak with President Uribe about setting up an additional American air base and what we hoped would translate into a show of support for Columbia in its ongoing disputes with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. One of Chavez’s main goals is to destabilize Columbia, which he attempts to do by supporting FARC and providing them with sanctuaries in his country. This July Columbia formally accused Chavez of doing this. Chavez replied by breaking diplomatic relations with Columbia, although for only a short time, as relations were restored by early August.

On the Costa Verde, Green Coast of Rio de Janeiro state of Brazil, about four hours south of Rio itself, is found Paraty. Costa Verde coast was one of the first areas of the long Atlantic seashore of Brazil visited and inhabited by the Portuguese. Set in a scenic bay and guarded by a fortress against attacks by pirates, Paraty port provided excellent shelter for the Portuguese ships. With the discovery of gold in Minas Gerais in the late 16th century, Party became the principal port of the Royal Road, the Estrada Real, that started in Diamantina and traversed through the key mining towns of Ouro Preto, Mariana, Congonhas, Tiradentes and Sao Joao del Rey.

Declared as one of Brazil’s first UNESCO heritage sites, Old Town Paraty is laid out in a perfect grid of streets studded with priceless classical colonial buildings and churches. As if part of the grid the port of Paraty was whence Portuguese ships sailed from carrying gold and diamonds back to motherland. In high tide the streets closest to the seashore flood, washing off the ancient cobblestones. Closed to vehicular traffic, Paraty retains ambiance of bygone era, with horse pulled carriages rumbling through. Tour of Paraty remains one of the highlights of a tour to Brazil.

Midway between the Bhotia, or Bhote, Tibetan ethnic groups starting with the Baragaunle Bhote villages north of Marpha and ending with the former kingdom of Lo, the Mustang Kingdom of upper Kali Gandaki south of the Tibetan border, and the Chetri, Magar and Gurung villages downstream south of Tatopani, the last pure Hindu village, there are villages of the Thakali people.

Located just about where the Kali Gandaki breaches the chain of the High Himalaya, with the Annapurna towering high above directly to the east and the Dhaulagiri to the west, located only at some 6000 feet above sea level, the Thakali villages constitute a clear transition it the cultural continuity along the watershed of this major Himalayan river valley.

Today the Thakali villages exude mixed traditions, a clear mixture of Hindu and Buddhist elements. When it comes to looking at the house type build by the Thakalis and the man-man physical characteristics of their villages as such one feels being already among the Buddhist populations groups further north. But close look at the dress of the Thakalis and the story told is of other aspirations.

To the Thakalis themselves any connection to the Bhote and Buddhists is unwelcomed association that they have managed, in their mind, to shed beyond doubt.

Fact is most Thakalis today live in Kathmandu Valley and the origin of the Thakali ethnic group in terms of when exactly they had settled in the Kali Gandaki region is obscured by lack of historical documents. The only lead as to their probable and likely years of approximate settlement in the Kali Gandaki region may be the few old Buddhist gompas built along the Thak Khola, the Thakali term applied to the high valley of the Kali Gandaki, some of which date as far back as three hundred years.

The Thakalis have all the characteristic Mongoloid features, and their language is a special Tibetan dialect, hence relation to the Buddhists further north is undisputable. Regardless of their exact settlement in the Thak Khola, the Thakalis prospered since the mid-nineteenth century when they were awarded a monopoly over the salt trade with Tibet.

Tukuche, the largest Thakali village, in translation meaning something like the “Grain Market Place” (tuk-grain; che-flat place), has until late 1940s figured as the principal market town where salt from Tibet was bartered for grain from the Midlands and Terai. Unfortunately, due to the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, the salt trade had completely ceased, constituting that today Tukuche is essentially only a relic to its once prominent past.

Although the Thakalis have since late 19th century conscientiously tried to establish a link between themselves and the Malla kings of Jumla in western Nepal, proclaiming themselves thus as Hindus, in order to raise their social status because Nepal as monarchy was essentially a Hindu kingdom, and today most with the exception of the very old have adopted Nepali style of dress, women wear sari and man topi (Nepali cap), one brief glimpse of the region of their settlement attests to nothing but an undoubtedly once great Buddhist past.

Near and in practically every Thakali village can be found long mani walls and chortens as well as Buddhist monasteries.

The Narshang gompa above Khanti, its skylight window adorned with fine frescoes of the traditional Buddhist imagery, including the image of Padma Sambhava, otherwise also called Guru Rimpoche or the Precious Master, the apostole of Buddhism in the Himalaya and Tibet, with the Kyupar gompa in the vicinity of Tukuche, have always belonged to the more renown of the Thakali Buddhist gompas. Two of the other more prominent Buddhist gompas of the region are the monastery of Ku-tsap-ter-nga, with a large covered corridor used for the ritual perambulation, surrounding its courtyard, and the gompa of Tsherok. And the Rani gompa in Tukuche is probably the oldest Buddhist gompa of the Thak Khola, believed to be built around the beginning of the seventeenth century. Though Bon-po influences at one time were equally as strong in the area, today most of the Bom-po gompas are in a tragic state of collapse, including the Bon-po gompa of Nabrikot.

In all, the Buddhist heritage of the Thakalis has been sustained by only a handful of old monks and nuns that try to maintain the upkeep of the gompas as well as the Buddhist ritual. Were it not for the Panchgaunle people whose villages are found immediately north of the Thakali area of villages, who try to maintain the gompas and hold some of the traditional Buddhist festivals and ceremonies, the Buddhism in the Thak Khola would have died by now completely.

Although the Panchgaunle people consider themselves to be Thakalis, they are not Thakalis. The biggest village of their region is the village of Marpha, a compact village of narrow, cobbled lanes from which the courtyards of the houses are entered, in architectural style essentially identical to those of the Thakalis including the flat roofs, edges of which in Marpha are lined with neatly stacked supplies of firewood.

The Tibetan house types of stone with flat roofs have inspired the architecture of the Thakalis likely from the very beginning when they settled along the Thak Khola, however, the Thakalis have perfected this house type to a higher standard of design than have their Baragaunle neighbors to the north. The flat roof, suitable for drying of grains, upper level reached via the characteristic notched tree trunk ladders, is repeated in the design of each and every house in Thak Khola.

Another design feature, always present in the Thakali house, is the enclosed courtyard with usually a fodder barn and an animal shelter on the ground level. Undoubtedly the best designed Thakali houses are found in Tukuche, the former marketplace center of the extinguished salt trade and seat of once the richest traders.

The most effluent families constracted themselves large houses with spacious interior courtyards entered through tunnel-like gates located below often elaborately carved wooden balconies. The bottom floors of these houses included the necessary animal barns, grain storage rooms and servant quarters.

Kitchen, too, would be usually located on the ground floor, abounding in a variety of shiny brass pots displayed on shelves around the room. On the upper floor would typically be found the sleeping rooms, family chapel room, additional storage rooms as well as the main living quarters including another kitchen area, typically containing a ceremonial fire pit. The ceremonial, ornamental fireplace, is put up by the Thakalis only symbolically, and no fire is ever lit in it.

In the finest of Thakali houses of Tukuche the second floor rooms were entered off a fine wooden gallery, typically built around the entire interior perimeter of the house. Structurally, timber would always be used extensively, and a uniquely cut and colored T-post, serving the function of a ceiling supporting structural member, is found in every Thakali house.

Whether you are a trekker or have a deeper interest in the cultural diversity of Nepal, Thakali villages of Thak Khola offer a fascinating slice of the remote part of the Himalayas.