Eurotrip with a Toddler (Part III) ; Tuscany at a Slower Pace

 

Us, at Piazza del Campo- Siena

It was our 9th day out of a total 18-day Euro trip. We were already halfway through the journey and, of course, a bit tired when we arrived at Firenze Santa Maria Novella (SMN). We departed from Ljubljana at 9:00 a.m. and arrived in Florence at 7:00 p.m.

To make things more exhausting, the train was fully packed from Venice all the way to Florence (long weekend!). On top of that, we made the mistake of booking our hotel too far from the station while carrying all our luggage. 

From the station, we walked about 1 kilometer, crossing the bridge at sunset (which, to be fair, was a beautiful sight). 

Sunset at the bridge

When we finally arrived at the aparthotel, we found out that we had to pay an additional fee for a single bed for our daughter. We booked the place via an OTA and had already included her in the guest count along with her age. Apparently, there is a regulation requiring hotels to provide a separate bed for guests older than 3 years old. One double bed — even a king bed is not considered sufficient.

We hit the pillow early after dinner. Unfortunately, there was a café nearby blasting loud music until 11:00 p.m. We were exhausted, both mentally and physically and woke up very late at the next day.

Florence 

Ponte Vecchio view from the Piazzale

The beauty of Florence has traveled through centuries and across continents. A place where Michelangelo was raised and shaped into one of the greatest artists. Florence is also the birthplace of the European Renaissance itself. Being there, felt like going on an art pilgrimage, where every corner of the city, every building, sculpture, and fresco became a living classroom.

But that day, we woke up very late. My daughter still had a runny nose, and our bodies were still sore from the journey. We dragged ourselves to the next restaurant in the alley recommended by the hotel, only to realize it was still 11:00 a.m. No ristorante, osteria, or pizzeria had opened yet. We ended up having falafel for brunch at a nearby Turkish shop.

Earlier, we hadn’t planned our day at all, so we spontaneously decided to hop on a bus to Piazzale Michelangelo. We used our Mastercard/Visa to pay for the fare, just like we did in Milan.

Actually, there are several ways to reach the piazzale, either by hiking or by taking the bus. Of course, we chose the easiest way. The piazzale itself is a modern terrace built as a panoramic viewpoint overlooking Florence. Dedicated to Michelangelo, it features several replicas of his sculptures, including the infamous David.

When we arrived, the sky was misty and cloudy, yet it couldn’t diminish the grandeur of Florence’s landscape. It felt like looking at the abstract of a history journal. We could see almost all of Florence’s important (and magnificent) landmarks at once. I guess if you only have one day in Florence, this place is an absolute must-visit.

the Cathedral

First, we noticed the magnificent cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Its white-striped facade stood out grandly, crowned by the iconic brown dome among the sea of yellow-brown buildings. The view was postcard-perfect, the kind that made me realize, “Ah, this is exactly where people should take a picture when they’re in Florence.”

Then, almost as imposing beside it, stood the Basilica of Santa Croce. The dark brown building with pointed arches and one of the tallest bell towers in the skyline.

We also marveled at the Arno River. The river acts as the artery of the city, with the main attraction being Ponte Vecchio — the unique bridge that looks like a row of tiny houses crossing the water.

And of course, we couldn’t forget to take pictures with the replica of Michelangelo’s David. Unfortunately, we forgot to bring a tripod, so we didn’t manage to get any decent selfie photos while we were there.

The Rose Garden

Satisfied, we suddenly felt brave enough to walk down back into the city. I held my baby girl’s hand while my husband carried the stroller down what felt like thousands of steps.

But it was absolutely worth it (and work out)!

We stopped countless times to take photos along the way. There was even a small rose garden that, despite the flowers not having fully bloomed yet, was already beautiful. As we descended, we also got to admire the cathedral’s dome from many different angles, each view somehow more magical than the last.

Ponte Vecchio from the street view

We arrived at the Arno River about half an hour later and decided to unfold the stroller. From there, we walked along the riverside, strolling through the old town. We checked Piazza Della Signora, a grand medieval square dominated by Palazzo Vecchio, where iconic Renaissance statues are displayed across the piazza like an open-air sculpture museum. There are statues of Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa, the Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati and the equestrian statue of Cosimo I de’ Medici by Giambologna. 

Not before the sunset, we ended up at the infamous bookstore, Giunti Odeon. Yes, it is the same place where the Korean drama Can This Love Be Translated? was filmed.

Giunti Odeon

We browsed through some books. I bought several books written by Italian authors recommended by the shopkeeper, while my daughter picked out an Italian sticker book for herself.

Since we hadn’t really done any shopping during the trip aside from buying necessities, we took the opportunity to browse around for toys, jackets, and souvenirs. But then the rain came. Even though we had brought umbrellas, we still ended up completely soaked.

I think that was also one of the reasons we couldn’t fully enjoy Florence despite staying there for three days. The old town is huge, yet it isn’t entirely car-free. The streets and alleys are narrow, often only wide enough for a single car, but they were still packed with traffic. Buses, motorbikes, and cars all squeezed through the streets with constant noise, on top of the overwhelming number of tourists. Florence is incredibly popular, so it’s no surprise the city was already crowded even before summer began.

Because the streets were so narrow, the pedestrian paths were also very limited. The cobblestones were uneven, with holes and rough patches everywhere. Navigating a stroller in the streets was quite a work out.  There also seemed to be construction and maintenance projects on many corners. 

Perhaps it was the rain, the exhaustion, and the overwhelming crowd, but Florence slowly began to feel more chaotic than charming.

When we checked out two days later, we decided to take a taxi : a minivan, since we were carrying luggage and a stroller  from the hotel to the train station. Even though the distance was only about one kilometer, the ride took almost half an hour because of the traffic jam. 

In silent, I make a wish, I hope we can visit Florence next time in a better perspective. 

SIENA

the Bell tower at Piazza del Campo

Back in Indonesia, while planning our Eurotrip, we initially thought of focusing more on Tuscany rather than the Naples area so we could spare some time to visit the Puglia region. With that in mind, the Tuscany part of the trip was supposed to be more packed — but reality turned out differently.

At first, we planned to visit Siena, Lucca, and San Gimignano, all of which are accessible by public transport. Yet, we were still recovering. Traveling with a toddler means constantly adjusting and readjusting the itinerary, keeping things as simple as possible to maintain everyone’s health and mood. In the end, we were only able to do a day trip from Florence to Siena.

We took a public bus from the stop in front of Boboli Gardens and arrived in Siena about an hour later. The bus was almost empty, with fewer than ten passengers on board, and it took the toll road route. We had been looking forward to seeing the rolling scenic landscape that defines the Tuscan hills along the way, but surprisingly, we did not see much of it.

Typical street in Siena

When we arrived in Siena, it was still only 10:30 AM, yet the streets already felt almost deserted. There were barely any signs of local activity, only a few tourists wandering through the small alleys. We walked past rows of earthy brown buildings, most of them operating as little shops, but still, there were not many people around. It felt as if I had stepped through a portal into a medieval era; being surrounded by warm-toned stone buildings that seemed untouched by modern time. No, it was not as time had completely stopped there, but for a moment, I truly felt like Claire from Outlander — as if I had accidentally traveled back in time.

Stairs to reach the Piazza

Moreover, the cold wind blew strongly through the streets, creating an echo that sounded as if it were passing through hidden tunnels, adding even more melancholy and loneliness to the atmosphere.

Since Siena lies across a hilly landscape, we found ourselves doing little hikes here and there. To reach Piazza del Campo — one of the most beautiful piazzas I have ever seen , we had to descend from the main street. On the other hand, reaching Duomo di Siena required us to walk uphill again.

After having brunch at a small local café, which I suspected served instant pasta but still had quite a long queue because it was one of the few affordable places open at the time, we spent most of our day at the piazza. We took countless photos while my baby girl ran around happily against the cold wind, long before the crowd finally began to arrive.

Facade of Siena Cathedral

The sun was shining brightly, so many people decided to sit and have little picnics around Piazza del Campo. Meanwhile, we wandered through the streets to shop for souvenirs before eventually making our way to Duomo di Siena.

The cathedral shares a similar color palette with Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, using white marble with geometric decorative patterns across its facade. At first glance, they almost look alike, yet Siena’s cathedral feels more dramatic and ornate. It looks grand and bourgeois, filled with statues that add an almost fantasy-like atmosphere to the building.

Then, while sitting on the cathedral stairs,  somehow reminding me of a scene from Can This Love Be Translated? I started reading about the history of the Siena Duomo.

Sitting on the stairs of Duomo

Duomo di Siena was originally planned to become one of the largest and most magnificent cathedrals in Europe, reflecting the wealth and ambition of medieval Siena. However, the Black Death of 1348 devastated the city, killing much of its population and abruptly stopping both the cathedral’s expansion and Siena’s development, leaving behind unfinished structures that still give Siena its remarkably strong medieval atmosphere today.

Facciatone : the Unfinished structure of the duomo

Yes, I think I finally understood why this city feels so contemplative and authentic. Built across a series of Tuscan hills, Siena was once one of the richest and most influential cities in Italy, thriving through trade, banking, and its strategic location along important pilgrimage routes. By the 13th and early 14th centuries, Siena flourished both artistically and economically, competing closely with Florence in power and ambition. But the Black Death abruptly ended this golden age, devastating the population and halting the city’s expansion, ultimately preserving much of Siena’s medieval character that still defines it today.

We truly loved Siena. It easily earned a place among the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. Its atmosphere and Italian Gothic architecture gave me chills both literally and metaphorically.

Naples

Mount Vesuvius overlooking Naples Bay

When we arrived at Napoli Centrale, a very different ambience greeted us right away. Not only was the station huge and modernised, but the moment we stepped outside and were welcomed by rows of restaurants, it felt like we had entered the real world — not the postcard-perfect image of Italian cities.

We stayed there overnight before continuing our journey to the Puglia region the next day. Of course, we tried to optimise our limited time to explore the city.

Our first “chaotic” moment happened when we wanted to explore the bay area. The Tap & Go system worked at the metro ticket reader in Garibaldi Station, but then we realised we were on the wrong platform and decided to exit. We tapped again, only to find there was no reader at the exit gate — just a validator machine, so we tapped there instead. At the end of the day, I checked my card and it worked fine, but my husband was charged the maximum fare even though he had tapped too.

The same thing happened with the bus system. We decided to buy tickets through the application, but when we boarded the bus, there was no reader for our QR codes. I noticed other tourists looked confused as well, while the locals did not even bother tapping. For a moment, I felt like I was cheating.

Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco da Paola at the Piazza del Plabiscito

We walked from the Galleria Umberto area down to Piazza del Plebiscito while navigating a stroller along the uneven cobblestone pavement. The piazza brought us back to the reality that we were indeed in Italy, mesmerised by the beautiful neoclassical basilica with its grand dome and colonnades.

It reminded us of the beauty of the Pantheon. Later, we learned that Neoclassical architecture was heavily inspired by ancient Roman and Greek architecture, the very same style seen in the Pantheon.

Wow, that was quite an unexpected architecture lecture for me!

at the Naples Bay with Mount Vesuvius at the background

Not far from the piazza, we were greeted by a dark mountain looming over the Bay of Naples. Yes, it was the infamous Mount Vesuvius , the very same volcano that erupted in AD 79 and buried Pompeii beneath volcanic ash.

Fontana del Gigante

Many people walked along the bay coast, enjoying the afternoon sunset. Most were couples — walking hand in hand, some carrying buckets of flowers, while others occasionally stole kisses as they sat by the dock.

The view itself was magical. The deep blue sea blended with the blue sky, while yachts rested quietly along the bay and flocks of seagulls flew low, singing above the water. The strong cold wind did not discourage us, and we continued walking along the coast until we arrived at Castel dell’Ovo. Before reaching the castle, however, we came across a beautiful fountain — Fontana del Gigante.

We already knew beforehand that the castle was under maintenance, but the scenery before sunset alone was worth the walk.

Castel dell'ovo (top), Castle Sant'Elmo at Vomero Hills (below) 

Behind the castle, there were many seafood restaurants, but unfortunately most of them only opened after 7:30 P.M., which was impossible for us since we were travelling with our toddler. I think that was also the reason why we rarely dined out for dinner in Italy. Most restaurants started their dinner service too late for our toddler, who needed to hit the pillow no later than 8:00 P.M. We preferred either cooking dinner ourselves or getting takeaway instead.

Since we only had limited time, we had to decide which area to visit: the city centre or the Vomero hill area. In the end, our curiosity  and hunger — won, so we stayed in the city centre and skipped the infamous Vomero funicular.

Then came the next surprising part. Just like the area outside Napoli Centrale, the city centre and old town also carried the energy of a sporadically developed city , something rather unexpected for a European city.

The narrow, dark, and lonely alleys sharply contrasted with the main streets, which were incredibly lively, crowded, and chaotic.

People walked on the roads because the sidewalks were filled with garbage and street vendor’s goods, while cars and motorcycles honked aggressively to clear their way. It felt so chaotic that I had to double-check where I actually was;  Italy or Hong Kong?

Typical alleys at Naples

We walked through crowded streets while browsing for takeaway restaurants, only to suddenly find ourselves entering residential alleys that were dark, muddy, covered in graffiti, and unexpectedly quiet.

For the first time ever in Italy, I clutched my bag tightly, checked on my daughter in the stroller countless times, and silently prayed that we would not get mugged.

Eventually, we returned to the Centrale area and ended up ordering Turkish food for dinner once again. I know we should have tried the Neapolitan food that is famous around the world, but in the end, we chose to dine somewhere close to our hotel.

That night, we felt tired, thrilled, and somehow dumbfounded all at once. It was such a different experience compared to our previous journeys. I know it sounds silly to admit being scared, yet I guess travelling with my daughter triggered a very different kind of fear than when it was just me and my husband.

Still, I completely understand why so many people fall in love with Naples.

Because Naples feels genuine and alive.

One moment, we were mesmerised by the sea breeze along the Bay of Naples; the next, we were back in our small apartment, staring at hanging laundry swaying beside the exhaust of an AC unit.

Perhaps that is the most honest portrait of 21st-century humanity.

The next day, we continued our journey to what would become the most beautiful place we had ever visited.

Yet somehow, we still wish to return to Naples someday — to enjoy the food, explore more of  the region, and of course, finally visit the Vomero hills.

How can I say it? Though Naples is not the most beautiful place we ever visited, it was one of the place that impactful to us. Eventually, what is a journey if it is not give us a lingering feeling, right? 

I will continue the journey in the next post. Meanwhile, if you have not read the prequel to this story, feel free to click the link below.

Part I 

Part II