If you have an extra day, Pisa is certainly worth the trip. Pisa not only has the tower, which does lean, and is beautiful and in a beautiful piazza, but Pisa is a vibrant college town with an interesting university—and it is the birthplace of Galileo.

You can reach Pisa by train or bus from Livorno or Florence. If you come by train you will either need to find a taxi or take about a 20 minute walk to the tower. You can also drive, and with determination, find a place to park. There are many hotels in Pisa as well.

Pisa is one of my favorite cities. I first visited Pisa in 1957 when I was 12. Our family had just moved to Italy and we all climbed to the top of the tower and looked at the beautiful city below us. The tower was closed for many years—but it has re-opened and it is worth the climb!

PIAZZA OF MIRACLES AND THE LEANING TOWER

Why is Pisa worth the trip? Everyone knows that it has a tower and that the tower leans. What most people don’t know is that it is a beautiful tower in a breath-taking piazza—the Piazza dei Miracoli (piazza of miracles). The tower does lean—it is rather amazing to see. And climbing a leaning tower is as exciting now as it was when I was 12. The stairway is made of marble stairs which are worn according to how the tower leans. There are a lot of them. Nearly 300! Visitors can go out on the bell level—and admire the beautiful bells and then climb even higher to the very top. There are mountains off in one direction, the Arno in another, and far in the distance the sea is sometimes visible. Looking down on the Duomo and the Baptistery is impressive, and the stairway has some windows where you are at eye level with the statues on the roof of the Duomo.

As my sister says we all enjoy visiting new places, it is the traveling that is no longer enjoyable. Meaning once we get somewhere we have a great time but the flights there are something to be endured rather than enjoyed.

For those of us who have to endure at least an 8 hour flight to get to Italy the getting there can be torturous. This is especially true if you are traveling by yourself and don’t know who you will be sitting next to. Like most travelers I have sat next to some of the most eccentric people I have ever met.

We never remember the person who was friendly but not overly friendly, the ones who actually stay within the confines of their armrests. No, we remember the ones who bring their pet bird onboard – yes I actually sat next to a woman who had a bird in a cage stored safely under the seat in front of her. Or the man who spoke nonstop for 8 hours about how awful his trip to Italy was and how he was no longer speaking with the person he went with who was sitting uncomfortably close to us on the same flight.

Your flights to and from Italy are always going to be something to be endured rather than enjoyed but with these tips you can make them more bearable:

Every time I go to Italy I want to bring a few things home for family and friends. With all the restrictions on what you can bring on airplanes and the undependable Italian postal system it can be perplexing.

Over the years I have found a few things that people always appreciate:

Italian Scarves: Beautiful scarves and wraps are available all over Italy and at all prices.What says I have just been to Europe better than a scarf cast jauntily over your shoulders? The great thing about buying a scarf in Italy is that the sales people actually show you how to wear them and you can impress your family and friends when you show them.

Italian Leather Products: In Italy you can buy book marks, coin purses and eyeglass cases for a few Euro or soft leather jackets for hundreds or thousands of Euros. The cheaper the item the less likely it was actually made in Italy, but it was bought in Italy, it is pretty and the recipient will know that you were thinking of them.

Italian Paper Products: Handmade journals, notebooks and paper goods of all kinds are available in small stores on almost every street.

Pack light! That is my best packing tip and I tell it to everyone especially the people I travel with since I want no part of helping people carry heavy luggage. Take the smallest suitcase you can. Think about what you really need to take with you to enjoy your trip.

When most of us travel we spend the night in several different cities which means hopping on and off trains and buses where you have limited luggage storage. You constantly have to lift your suitcase to put it in the overhead compartment. Many hotels have small elevators or no elevators so you are lugging your suitcase up and down stairs or trying to squeeze into an old elevator made to fit one or two people with no luggage. Don’t even get me started on trying to haul big suitcases over the bridges and up and down the steps in Venice.

I have lost count of how many times the airlines have lost my luggage over the last few years. I never check luggage anymore. In the past I have been stranded for days without my luggage.

Twice in the past year I have made it halfway to my destination only to be dumped in a city not of my choosing but very thankful to have my luggage with me.

Why pay the fee to check luggage? Save your money and treat yourself to a good meal in Italy.

Here is how you pack light for your trip to Italy:

You have made your plane and hotel reservations. You know where you will be going and where you will be staying.

There are some other things travelers need to consider. Anyone traveling abroad should be aware of any effects the local landscape and climate may have on them. If you are sensitive to pollution or to humidity, or to other conditions of your destination, consult with your physician. Although you should not have problems with things like altitude in Italy, you may encounter heavy pollution in some cities so do your research before you leave home.

Don’t forget to leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home. It is always good to have a friend or relative know where you will be staying and how to get in touch with you in an emergency.

What else do you need to do before you leave for your trip to Italy? Here are some things you need to do before you set of on your trip.

How do you develop a travel itinerary? In other words, how do you get where you want to go and where should you stay when you get there?

Some travelers like to wing it when they travel. No hotel reservations, no advance purchase of train tickets or reservations on ferries. Armed with their plane ticket, yes you always need to purchase that in advance unless your schedule is very flexible and your pocketbook knows no bottom these travelers set off on their trip.

Other travelers schedule every minute of every day they are away from home. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle, hotel reservations when traveling during the high season or if we really want to stay in a particular hotel in a particular city.

Most of us like to plan some things but leave enough time to take advantage of spur of the moment activities whenever they pop up. Happening on a town having a festival can be so much fun that you want to be able to change your plans and stay there for the night.

And, of course, there are times when you have to change your plans because of strikes, illness, travel delays or any number of things that happen when you travel.

Here are some tips to developing your travel itinerary for your trip to Italy:

Some people were born to travel on their own. They love the adventure, they don’t like structure and they love the unexpected. If all those things strike fear in your heart then you should consider traveling with a tour group.

These days there are tour groups to satisfy every interest and style of travel. Gone are the days of taking a bus through 10 countries in 6 days. Now you can find tour groups of all different sizes, covering different interests and that last from one week to one month.

If your travel group is large enough contact a tour group and they will plan a trip for you, arrange transportation and provide tour guides.

Of course, you can always mix it up. Travel with a tour group then stay an extra week or go a week early and meet your group when they arrive.

Are you a tour group traveler?

Planning your trip to Italy can be almost as much fun as taking your trip. By making your planning fun, you can start enjoying your trip before you even leave your house.

Traveling provides a lifetime of memories. Make the most of your trip by turning away from the familiar and overcoming your fear of the unknown. The more you plan the more you will eliminate those things that make you afraid to travel.

Don't forget to include some relaxing time in your trip. Mingling with locals at a market, enjoying a cappuccino in the morning while you watch people heading off for work, eating a gelato in the afternoon sitting on a park bench watching children play or drinking a glass of wine in the evening while you watch the boats come in and out of the harbor in Vernazza may turn out to be the highlight of your trip.

So here are a few tips for planning your trip:

Which is better for you? Solo travel or Group Tours? That depends on how you like to travel, how comfortable you are with traveling by yourself or with family and friends and how much you enjoy planning a trip.

Italy is an easy place to find tours that cater to your specific interests. Like art? There are plenty of group trips that focus on museums? Like walking? There are tours that cater to serious hikers and leisurely walkers.

Italy is also a country you can easily explore on your own or with a small group of family and friends. Italians are used to tourists and try to accommodate reasonable requests even if they don’t speak Italian. And there are so many travel guidebooks focusing on Italy that help is close at hand.

Now there is something called independent travel which combines the two. You travel with a tour group but you can decide to tour on your own or participate in a group tours. As for me, I like to plan my own trips but there are times when group travel makes sense especially if you are traveling to hard to get to places or places with restricted access.

Here are some tips to help you decide if you should plan your own trip: