Travel with Rick on this video guide to Florence, Lucca, and Pisa and find out what to do on your next trip. That's why A highlight here for many is the remarkable acoustics…resulting in echoes long enough to let you sing three-part harmony…solo.Nearby is another fine side-trip from Florence. In the space of a couple generations, Florence gave us Brunelleschi's dome, Leonardo's You can't have an art boom without money. This speedy tram is taking us down the Austrian side to the village of Ehrwald where we parked our car.The famous Zugspitze attracts travelers from around the world. We called this morning to confirm our 10:00 tour. Austria's South Tirol became Italy's Alto Adige. While this could be any Tirolean village, it's Bethlehem in the Alps. After the Roman Empire fell, the region's allegiance turned to the north.Later, it was firmly in Austria's Habsburg realm. Mussolini did what he could to Italianize the region, including giving each town an Italian name.Kastleruth became Castlerotto. Its marble facade, dating from the 12th century, is a classic example from the Romanesque period. The tiny Chapel of the Magi contains colorful Renaissance gems such as the The Medici Chapels contain tombs of Florence's great ruling family, from Lorenzo the Magnificent to those less so. Read our Podcast FAQ . Off the west side of the piazza is a somewhat hidden terrace, an excellent place to retreat from the mobs.

There, we'll make stops at Bolzano and Kastelruth.This cross marks the spot where climbers first reached the summit here in 1851. You can rent bikes cheaply and easily from one of several bike-rental places in town. While it used to take a battering ram to get these doors open, now all it takes is a few Euros.Reifenstein offers one of Europe's most intimate looks at medieval castle life.The actual countess of Reifenstein still lives in her private and rustically elegant castle quarters.

It was started in the late 12th century, when Pisa was at its peak: one of the world's richest, most powerful, and most sophisticated cities. Six to eight fighting men shared each of these boxes — complete with hay for maximum comfort.

Then we'll side-trip to a couple of rival cities and cultural capitals in their own right: Pisa and Lucca.In Florence we'll be wowed by Michelangelo, eat and drink well with my friend Bobo……and get to know the Medici dynasty through the art of the Palazzo Vecchio. Five hundred years ago, this how you made money. Up 227 steps is a small garden with fragrant trees, surrounded by fine views over the city's rooftops. We slap-dance the night away in a nearby Tirolean village before turning to feudal Italy at Reifenstein Castle. Rick Steves’ European Easter: Holy Thursday in Italy - YouTube Today their descendants—many with international acclaim—carry on the tradition.Erich Perathoner decided by age six he wanted to be a wood carver.

The lifts are shutdown, huts are closed and the most exciting trails are covered in snow. Download the mp3 files below and transfer to any mp3 player, or play them on your computer. But I prefer a small town — one with fewer tourists. Today, it's dominated by the Church of San Michele. The highlight is a chapel designed by Michelangelo at the height of his creative powers. The Automobile Club at the border is worth a stop.While the Autobahn in Austria and Germany is toll-free, the Italian Autostrada has plenty of toll booths. Free Rick Steves Zoom Backgrounds Take a virtual trip to Europe on your next video call with free backgrounds of some of Rick's favorite places in Europe. For safer sport, hikers take to the surrounding mountains on foot.Innsbruck's worth a quick look. But as Pisa's power declined, the Tower reclined, and ever since, both have required a great deal of effort to prop.