Looooong trip report of our Mediterranean extravaganza and the Celebrity Edge

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – La Spezia / Pisa / Lucca, Italy

 

Another hot one today, expected to hit 100 degrees!  Our port was in La Spezia, Italy.  Even though this was not a tender port, I booked a Celebrity excursion here because we had extra onboard credit.  Our excursion was titled “Pisa & Lucca Highlights”.  The tour description on Celebrity’s site was as follows:

 

“On this tour, you'll experience the Tuscan countryside and visit Lucca and Pisa's many marvels. After your scenic drive through Tuscany, you'll begin your walking tour in Lucca. Stroll its piazzas and see various attractions including the Via Fillungo, the Torre delle Ore, and the Duomo. In Pisa, an experienced and knowledgeable guide will escort you across the Field of Miracles, while explaining the significance and history of the cathedral and bell tower.”

 

Our tickets for this excursion had been delivered to our room on the first night, and the instructions on the ticket told us to meet in the theater at 8:45am.  Our number was called promptly and we headed off the ship.  Our guide was waiting for us and led us to a bus.  Once again we were on a ship excursion so think large group and large bus.

 

The drive to Lucca was about 45 minutes.  Our driver drove VERY fast and cut off a lot of other drivers.  To be honest it was kind of scary, and I’m a fast driver.  It made me really appreciate the bus drivers on all of the other excursions.  It was kind of a foggy/steamy morning, so there weren’t many photo opportunities.

 

Lucca is a charming town dating back to 180 BC.  It is surrounded Renaissance walls from the sixteenth century AD, I found it amazing the history here! 

 

 

 

 

We were given a brochure with a map highlighting our route and the meeting place. 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Lucca, Italy

 

Our guide took us through the route highlighted on the map (in orange), showed us the meeting place, and then we had I think about 2 hours to explore, eat, shop, etc.  Once you pass through the walls there are a few streets in the outskirts but a block or so in everywhere we walked were just pedestrian streets and just taxis/delivery vans only.  We were amazed – the town was truly charming and all of the building had so much character and history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Lucca, Italy (cont.)

 

We stopped in the Piazza San Michelle square and admired the Duomo of San Martin (the Cathedral of Lucca), dating back to the 11^th century.  Wow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Lucca, Italy

 

During our free time we ate some lunch (surprisingly the pasta was not particularly good) and shopped around a bit.  I bought a few bags of pasta and jars of sauce from a restaurant/store.  Everyone in this town was so friendly and we were thrilled to have visited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Lucca, Italy (cont.)

 

We made our way back to the meeting spot and were a bit early so we found a place to sit in the shade and enjoyed the ambiance of the town.  This was our view.

 

 

 

 

We then made out way back to the bus and headed for Pisa.

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Pisa, Italy

 

After Lucca we headed to Pisa and of course the the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Bus parking is about ½ mile away which would normally not be a big deal, but by the time we arrived I believe it was already 100 degrees and unfortunately the walk did not provide much shade.  The walk wasn’t particularly scenic either.

 

The leaning tower is located in the Field of Miracles, which is a square surrounded by a huge wall.

 

 

The Field of Miracles is the site of quite a few buildings including the Cathedral, the Gothic Baptistery, a cemetery, and of course the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Interesting enough, the bell tower (leaning tower) was not intended to be the centerpiece of the square but we all know how that story turned out.  Once we entered the square our guide led us to some shade provided by the Baptistery.  Even in the heat it was hard not to be amazed by its beauty.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Pisa, Italy (cont.)

 

We had about an hour to explore the area.  As you neared the Baptistery, the Cathedral came into sight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Pisa, Italy (cont.)

 

And then we spotted the bell tower, leaning in all its glory.  It really was special.

 

 

 

 

Our meeting spot was right by the cemetery, which appeared to be closed.  We were grateful it was in the shade.

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – Pisa, Italy (cont.)

 

 

We headed back to the bus, our guide stopping a couple times along the way to make sure everyone was keeping up in the heat.  The sight of the air-conditioned bus was a welcome one.  I think many fell asleep on the drive back to the ship.  I was tired, but I knew I wanted to enjoy the view a bit.  I remembered some information the guide had given us this morning about the view, but we couldn’t see much at the time because it had been a bit steamy/foggy.  She suspected the view would be clearer in the afternoon and she was right.

 

The Tuscan country side was very pretty, and the mountains in the background offered a gorgeous backdrop.  Most interesting to me though was a comment our guide had made in the morning that many confuse the mountains as snow-capped when in actuality what appears to be snow is marble.  I was amazed that these could be so much marble in one place, really amazing.  Please excuse the poor quality photos as I was on a moving bus through a window, but I just had to share a few pics…

 

 

 

 

 

As we passed through the marble-filled mountains, along the highway there were countless marble distributors, and the size of these marble slabs were remarkable!  Really blurry pictures, but you get the idea.  I suspect the huge train station is where the slabs are loaded to be distributed throughout the world.

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/28/19 – La Spezia, Italy (cont.)

 

 

We arrived back at the ship without incident.  Tonight on the ship we had no dinner plans.  We decided to check out the buffet for dinner and were quite happy with the offerings.  There was a huge spread and I especially enjoyed the skirt steaks with chimichurri and bearnaise sauces.  And the desserts were just fabulous.  We ran into a couple at the buffet we had been speaking to throughout the cruise who said they ate at the buffet every night and felt no need to go anywhere else.  We understood why; the food was quite good and it was nice to just dress down one night and show up with shorts and flip flops.

 

This was our final night on the ship and we ended it with… no bang.  A night of packing with cocktails in our room.  We enjoyed the view from our infinite verandah and called it an early night.  I must have really been exhausted, because I only took one picture that evening – it was an interesting ferry we saw from our balcony named the Moby Tommy.  After looking up information this ferry is almost like a mini cruise ship, with cabins, restaurants, bars, a pool, etc. 

https://www.mobylines.com/the-company/fleet/moby-tommy/

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by cricketgirl

[poffles]

Sad to see this come to an end.  Thank you for taking us along on your trip and, having never sailed the Mediterranean myself, I've learned some tidbits along the way.  I am surprised by the heat they had in June, wow!

Edited August 21, 2019 by poffles

[cricketgirl]

5 hours ago, poffles said:

Sad to see this come to an end.  Thank you for taking us along on your trip and, having never sailed the Mediterranean myself, I've learned some tidbits along the way.  I am surprised by the heat they had in June, wow!

 

Well, we still had two days in Rome.  Not sure if I should cover the details of those days/tours since the cruise itself has come to an end - I know this is is a cruise site after all...

[poffles]

36 minutes ago, cricketgirl said:

 

Well, we still had two days in Rome.  Not sure if I should cover the details of those days/tours since the cruise itself has come to an end - I know this is is a cruise site after all...

 

Oh I'm sure none of use would mind 😉  ... It's all relevant ... carry on.

[seapad]

I second...please carry one... 🙂

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Debarkation Day, Civitavecchia, Italy (tour in Rome)

 

 

We awoke early and a bit sad that our time on the Edge had come to an end.  I loved this ship, it was my favorite cruise ship to date and it was depressing to leave.  I would like to book another cruise on the beautiful Edge, probably next time to the Caribbean where we will stay on the ship more and enjoy its amazing amenities.  I can’t gush enough about the staff, especially the bartenders at the Grand Plaza (martini bar) and our stateroom attendant Dodi.  I suspect Celebrity has selected the “best of the best” for their newest ship.

 

We had a private tour scheduled today with two other couples through a company called Stefano Rome Tours.  Our guide would pick us up outside the cruise ship, take us on a tour throughout Rome, and drop us off at each of our respective hotels in Rome at the end of the tour.  The name of this tour was Postcard Tour of Rome and was described on their website as follows:

 

“Postcard Rome For Cruisers shore excursion from Civitavecchia with Stefano Rome Tours is a picture perfect, fun filled, relaxing and comfortable tour tailored for cruisers to experience as much of Rome as possible while avoiding crowded tourist attractions, lengthy security lines, and advance admission tickets that restrict flexibility and sightseeing opportunities.

On this shore excursion, you will enjoy postcard beautiful squares, elaborate fountains, imposing Ancient Roman monuments, and explore Rome Underground below one of Rome’s most unique churches for a rare visit to an opulent ancient 3rd century AD Roman noble residence.”

 

Much more detailed info can be found here:  https://www.stefanorometours.com/tours/postcard-rome-tour-for-cruisers/

 

We met our driver around 8:00am just off the ship.  I feel terrible, but I’m a little fuzzy on our driver’s name.  I THINK it was Riccardo.  But he really was a gem.  So friendly, really open to what we wanted to do when we wanted to do it.  He gave us a lot of options throughout the day – “what would you rather see, what would you like to see first”, etc.  He was so warm and immediately made us feel at ease.  We also lucked out with some great company from the other two couples, we all just meshed well which makes for a pleasurable (and memorable) tour.

 

As we entered the city of Rome, we passed the walls surrounding the city.  Evidently the origins of the city walls can be traced back to the 4^th century.  Wow.  But of course I didn’t get a good picture being in a moving car and through a window with the sun beaming directly on me.  I’ll share what I did get, but don’t laugh.

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome, Italy

 

Ricardo also pointed out an obelisk we passed at one point.  I would have never known that Rome harbors the most obelisks in the world.  Kind of a strange fact, as I would have thought that would be Egypt.  We saw others, but this first one we passed, the Lateran Obelisk, is the largest standing Egyptian obelisk in the world.  Big surprise no great picture, it’s really hard to tell how tall it is.

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome, Italy (cont.)

 

 

Riccardo suggested that we stop at each of hotels first to check in and drop off our luggage so we would be all set at the end of the day when we were hot and tired.  We were happy to do this and it also provided us an opportunity for a bathroom break after the hour-long drive from the ship to Rome.

 

After our hotels, our first stop was the Vatican.  It wasn’t until months after final payment on our cruise that we realized June 29^th is Patron Saints Day (The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul), which is an annual public holiday in Rome.  This meant the Vatican museums (and the Sistine Chapel) were closed.  We could however enter the Vatican and St. Peter’s square.

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome, Italy (cont.)

 

Even though we missed out on the Sistine Chapel, we enjoyed a special treat only seen on this annual holiday!  Volunteers each year spend the entire night before creating spectacular carpets of flowers down the road just outside the Vatican leading up to St. Peter’s Basilica.  Known as the Infiorata, it's a tradition started in the 17th century where participants scatter bright petals, salt and colored sawdust to create a new range of designs each year.  These works of art were amazing.   Such a shame to think they are only there for one day and then taken down!  I only took a picture of a few of them…

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome, Italy (cont.)

 

After leaving the Vatican and viewing all of the special ground art, we roamed around a bit before meeting our driver again.

 

 

 

 

By now it was really starting to get hot so we were grateful for the air-conditioned van.  We took some more shots out the window on the way to our next stop, there was really something beautiful to see with every turn…

 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome, Italy (cont.)

 

Our next stop was the Pantheon, a Roman temple believed to be completed in 126 AD and now a church.  It was hot and crowded here when we arrived, the line to enter snaking through the entire courtyard, so we all just walked around a bit, peered inside, and took a few pictures.  It’s hard to fathom the history of this building and the miracle that it’s still standing after so many years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This courtyard is called the Piazza della Rotunda, and even though the Pantheon is the major point of interest the fountain in the middle is stunning.  This fountain was designed and sculpted out of marble in 1575.

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome, Italy (cont.)

 

Our next stop was the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II).  This monument was built in 1911 in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of Italy.  It also holds the tomb of the unknown soldier.  This building was absolutely huge and pictures really don’t do it justice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome City Tour (cont.)

 

Our next stop was the Trevi Fountain, completed in 1762.  This place was crazy crowded, so if you go here don’t expect a picture of just you.  I imagine if you go really early or late the crowds are a bit thinner.  It was also HOT.  But worth seeing, truly remarkable the amount of detail!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome City Tour (cont.)

 

 

As we left the fountain we still had a few minutes before we needed to meet our driver.  We wandered into a couple of stores and ended up buying some wine and truffles.  I’m sure we overpaid being that we were only a block away from the Trevi Fountain, but they were providing samples and we loved what we tried so had to have it!  When in Rome…

 

We then headed to the Spanish Steps, which date back to 1725 and link two different piazzas.  In the Piazza di Spagna you also find the Spanish Embassy and the Column of Immaculate Conception.  Quite beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then stopped for lunch, as we were all famished.  Our guide asked us what type of food and setting we were in the mood for and I think the main stipulation we had at that point was air conditioning!  Riccardo took us to a nice place called Osteria dei Pontefici. where everyone who worked there knew him, so we were greeted warmly and sat immediately.  I really can’t remember what we ordered, probably some kind of pasta.  I must have been hungry because I only took one picture – I must have been impressed that they had their own china.

 

Edited August 22, 2019 by cricketgirl

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome City Tour (cont.)

 

After lunch we headed to the Roman Colosseum built in 70-80 AD.  I took Latin in high school and studied much about the Romans so this was pretty exciting.  It’s hard to believe any of the building could still be standing after so many years.  We didn’t go in due to time constraints but took a ton of pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cricketgirl]

06/29/19 – Rome City Tour (cont.)

 

Next we made a quick stop nearby at the Circus Maximus, an ancient chariot racing stadium dating back to the 6^th century BC.  In the background you can see Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.