PIT: Back to Florence & Lucca

Once we made it safely back to Florence, we had but a few days left to enjoy the dolce vita together. The first day we dedicated to shopping in the center, the next rainy one to playing cards, relaxing, and eating at one of my favorite restaurants, Il Lattini, and following that we day-tripped to our patrimonial hometown, Lucca.

View from a monastery in Fiesole during an afternoon walk

Aperitivo at the restaurant Terrazzo 45 in our building...

...which also had stunning views.

Indulging in our Florentine steak at I Lattini
(The owner gave us a free bottle of wine
and dad bought a golf shirt here, too)

What Italy scrapbook would be complete without a Ferrari shot?

On their last full day here we were headed to Lucca, and even got to pass the small towns from which my great-grandparents originated, Altopascio and Capannori. We watched all the cute country houses going by and conjectured as to which one had belonged to the D'Innocenti family.

Lucca is one of my favorite towns in Italy, and I'd say my favorite in Tuscany. It not being along the main tourism route, it remains truer to its Italian heritage. Its winding medieval streets provide great shopping and it is surrounded by the only completely intact medieval wall in the country.

While in Lucca, Dad really got down to his roots:


For good reason, one of the most highly recommended things to do in Lucca is bike the ramparts, which is exactly what my dad and I did. We went around twice, and got quite a workout by the end. Plus, we got to see the city from every angle with the wind blowing through our (well, my) hair.


Finally we met up with mom where the Roman amphitheater used to be, and did a bit more shopping. Little did mom know there was a big purchase in her future!

Since having had her gold bracelet stolen about five years ago, mom has been on an eternal quest to find the perfect replacement. I remembered stopping at a jewelery store in Lucca three years ago as part of this search, and was able to relocate said store. And wouldn't you know it, she found the Perfect One, and dad was more than happy to make it her Mother's Day present. Mom felt a little guilty, but the saleswoman wouldn't have it. "You deserve it!" she kept saying. And she does.

Success!

And so, the next day, as if in a blink of an eye, it was already time for them to fly back home. We had such a lovely time together, enjoying the down time or the travel mishaps as much as we did the grand meals and exciting sites. I was very sad to see them go (tears all around, what saps the taxi driver must have thought us to be), but am so happy they were able to come at all, as it had already been four months since I'd seen them last. The wonderful, memorable trip together was simply a bonus!