Grand Tour

Whether arriving from Livorno or Viareggio, after a sea voyage, or from Lucca, following the land route, Pisa was the point everyone passed through on their way to the capital of the grand duchy. They would often stop there, moreover, to admire the captivating sight of the cathedral and its square.

An easy and level road led from Livorno to Pisa, passing through pleasant country and lined with trees. Dupaty, in 1785, was entranced by the sight of the wholesome beauty and innocence of the women he encountered at every step in the fields: they reminded him, as was de rigueur , of the nymphs of poetry.

The other possibility, going by river instead of land, was not a frequent choice among travelers. The route was used by Father Labat, however, when he visited Italy in 1706, taking passage on the small vessels that connected the two cities through the Navicelli canal.

There were two roads to Pisa from Lucca, a shorter and rougher one, and a longer one that was generally preferred. The latter followed the course of the Serchio River but, running along the western spurs of the Pisan Mountains, made a deviation to San Giuliano, a highly fashionable watering place following the restoration and revival of the hot springs by the ruling house of Lorraine. From there the road ran across level ground to Pisa, following the course of the small Macinante River. Florence was reached by the “Via Fiorentina,” which went through the village of Cascina, past the hill on which San Miniato stands and then through Empoli and Signa. The stretch along the Arno was much admired by travelers for its verdant and florid scenery. The vines attracted particular attention for their unusual technique of cultivation. In fact Smollett (1765) noted: «The vines in this country are not planted in rows, and propped with sticks, as in France and the county of Nice, but twine around the hedge-row trees, which they almost quite cover with their foliage and fruit».

The less often used route passed through the mountains instead, cutting two or three miles off the distance but presenting considerable difficulties, especially in inclement weather.