Wanderings, Rewarded

The past two weekends I have spent my Saturdays doing some solo travel into Siena and Lucca. Both are incredibly beautiful, charming, and the perfect size for a day-long exploration. In taking these trips on my own, I have discovered just how much I love traveling by myself.

When I'm on my own, I can just wander without a strict sense of time. There's no need to make a plan, or stay on track; I just get to meander through the shaded streets and see what I find. Both in Siena and Lucca, I departed with only a vague idea of where I might like to go ( I circled some things in my Lonely Planet). Instead of seeking out the attractions, I decided to see what attracted me, and here's what I got:

cafe and crema gelato

love that I can just stumble upon wonders like this

streets of Siena

the inside of the Saint Caterina cathedral, you're not supposed to take photos, but oh well.
I had seen the description of this church in my guidebook. It specified that admission was free, but when I arrived the first sign I saw said "Entry .50 Euro". "That's strange," I thought, but fifty cents didn't seem unreasonable. So, I walked up to the first lady I saw who was taking money, paid my fifty cents, and walked into the first door I saw without reading the sign. Turns out, it cost fifty cents to use the bathroom, not see the cathedral. That's the other great thing about traveling on your own, no one has to see when you make a total fool of yourself.

magic

beautiful archways, everywhere in Lucca

I had even less of a plan for Lucca than I did for Siena. But my wandering were certainly rewarded. The first thing I ran into was this amazing local artists market. Once a month, local jewelers, ceramicists, glass artists, seamstresses, and many other craftsmen gather in the streets of Lucca to sell their beautiful goods. I could have easily spent my whole day ( and all my money ) at this market.

some of the most gorgeous and unique jewelry I have ever seen, copper wire with beading and clay accents. picked up a little something for me mum

the kind of people I want to be hanging out with

recycled paper jewelry, bowls, and other knick-knacks

the main piazza in Lucca

just bumping into beauty everywhere I go

Lucca is a walled city, on the top of the wall sits this lovely three mile long walking path that you can take all the way around the city.