Florence and Naples Italy Nov 2012

[grilla]

I will be on a cruise docking at Livorno and Naples next month. I am looking for recommendations for places to visit near Florence and Naples. Maybe something off the well traveled road. Pisa? The building leans I know not interested. As a photographer what were your favorite places in these areas. Please share some of your favorite photographs.

Gary in Oregon

[francois]

Pisa and Florence are not too far away from Livorno. Hard to find really new things to photograph in this region. However, Pisa is not only about the leaning tower. You'll need to walk around the center of the city and good subjects are everywhere. You might also consider Lucca, although I haven't been there for a while and don't know whether the place has changed.

Using your feet is also the best way to visit Florence. Florence is quite small - at least the interesting areas. If you have the time, you can get very nice panoramic views of the city from the different hills (sunset or sunrise). The easiest and most crowded place is the Piazzale Michelangelo, but walking up the hill (along the road) for about 10 minutes will get you to San Miniato al Monte. It's less touristic, the view is also very nice and the church very interesting.

Have fun there and I'm sure that you'll find plenty of photo opportunities!

[Rhossydd]

Maybe something off the well traveled road. Pisa?

Pisa ? less well travelled ? It's one of Italy's biggest tourist attractions.

Much depends on how long you've got and what transport options are available.
As francois recommends Lucca is a gem of an Italian renaissance walled town.
Florence ( more correctly Firenze ) is also well worth a visit.

If you have more time and your own transport, driving to Sienna via San Gimignano takes you through some beautiful Tuscan scenery.

[Lisa Nikodym]

Pisa is, indeed, well-travelled, and not as interesting for tourists in my opinion (other than the leaning tower and adjacent buildings, which are a mass of tourists).  I drove around Tuscany for about a week once, and my favorite slightly-less-well-travelled place was the ancient Italian hill town of Volterra.  Small and authentic-feeling (not as touristy as, say, San Gimignano), famous for alabaster carving, with bits of ancient Etruscan ruins in and around it.  No big-name sites, but a cool atmosphere for wandering around for a day or two (including the surrounding countryside with its Etruscan bits).

If you're near Naples, the palace of Caserta is well worth a visit - huge palace (it was created in order to compete with Versailles) with huge fountain-filled gardens.  A short train ride from Naples, and not too many tourists seem to know about it.  Of course, Pompeii or Herculaneum are also a short train ride from Naples, and really cool, though full of tourists of course.

I haven't been there yet (I plan to someday), but a little south of Naples is Paestum, which has some really impressive ancient Greek temples.

Web searches should turn up more info on all these.

Lisa

[mac_paolo]

If you have more time and your own transport, driving to Sienna via San Gimignano takes you through some beautiful Tuscan scenery.

( more correctly Siena ) 
Toscana is so beautiful, everywhere you find gems, but I'm far too biased to say that.
I live here

[DaveDn]

Back streets of Naples is fun for street shooting. I was there in June. Amazing place! Not the safest place in the world though. You either hate it or love it. I loved it

You need to be careful who you point your camera at and dont wear a Rolex!

[alban]

I'd also try Monteriggioni .It's a small ,hilltop town close to Siena . I would personally go to Monteriggioni and find a hike trail to Siena .I have done this but on a bike and I must say it is a very pleasant undertaking. You might try Montalcino ,again close to Siena,a nice little town that has more then just the Brunello to offer .


In Naples, I'd stick to the well travelled road.