Italy Driving from Switzerland

Driving from Switzerland to Italy 4 hrs and the toll is 30CHF each way

Day 1 Arrive in La Spezia
walk around town and have dinner at La Lanterna Pizzeria, Di Anna Gibellini. 0187 770200. excellent food, cant say enough. veg as well as non veg. avg cost 8 EUR pp

Day 2 Cinque Terra and Portovenere from La Spezia

take the ferry from the La Spezia dock, it will take to Portovenere, cirque terre and back for 25EUR. Alternatively take the ferry one way (11 EUR), will stop and Portovenere and the first village on Cinque Terre. Then walk the five villages (trail pass 5EUR) and take the train back to La Spezia(1 EUR)

Portovenere (drive from La Spezia or take the boat 18Eur) which is a beautiful and romantic village, guarded by two small islands at the end of a little peninsula.

Cinque Terra (get the 5Eur pass to walk the trail and travel between the villages)
North of La Spezia is the gateway to the five hamlets (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso) collectively known as Cinque Terre (five lands) -

The area is both a National Park and protected Marine Area and has been declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.  The best way to discover and enjoy the Cinque Terre is to visit on foot and walk the paths.
The most famous path is the Via dell’Amore or the ‘lovers lane’ that links Manorola to Riomaggiore which is cut out of the step cliffs overlooking the sea (15 min walk).
Corniglia, the only village not on the sea, nestled on a hill surrounded by vineyards has a more ‘country’ appeal. Between Vernazza and Corniglia there is the romantic beach of Guvano, to be reached on foot.
The topography of Vernazza is outstanding: tower-like buildings flank the narrow alleyways leading down to the anchorage which is set in a fairy-tale bay.
Monterosso is renowned for the unspoilt architecture of the medieval centre, now a thriving cultural centre, with a larger sandy beach with facilities.
The Cinque Terre, apart from its landscape, is also famous for the DOC rated wines produced here. Only selected grapes, after drying in airy attics away from the damp and the sunlight, will be ready for the production of the famous sweet wine - sciacchettra (sha-ka-tra).

Portovenere
Named after Venus, Portovenere is a romantic village with a cluster of narrow streets lined with pastel-coloured houses and is full of coastal charm. Today, recognised by UNESCO as part of the world cultural heritage, Portovenere is the less ‘flash’ version of Portofino.
From here, or from the 16th Century castle on the top of the cliffs, there are glorious views of the Cinque Terre and the small island of Palmaria which can be visited by boat from the harbour. The island is a splendid nature reserve, hosting many beaches and coastal rocks.

Fiascherino and Tellaro (take A15 from La Spezia -20 mins)
Fiascherino is a small village located in a bay between rocks and pine, oak and olive trees.
Tellaro is a small village East of La Spezia. It is one of the most picturesque towns in the area in a beautiful position on the promontory which separates the Gulf of Bocca di Magra. The church facing the rocky spur is very picturesque.

Day 2 - Pisa, Florence- Pisa is 45min from La Spezia
stay in Florence

Pisa- Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate.
Galileo Galilei is said to have dropped two cannon balls of different masses from the tower to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass. However, this is considered an apocryphal tale. During World War II, the Allies discovered that the Nazis were using the tower as an observation post. A U.S. Army sergeant was briefly entrusted with the fate of the tower and his decision not to call in an artillery strike kept the tower from being destroyed.
Parking in Pisa
There's a parking lot next to piazza Manin, on the left of Piazza dei miracoli.
Follow the signs from the motorway for the Tower of Pisa, (Torre pendente di Pisa)

Food in Pisa :
Pizzeria Il Montino, via del monte 1, Pisa

The Wall Risto Pub, near the tower, Cardinale Maffi, 26, 56026 Pisa

Pisa to Florence 1hr

Parking In Florence:
Train station: Santa Maria Novella station Parking

On average, you can expect to pay up to €18.00 per day if you put your car in one of the managed car parks, and anything from €1.00 up to €3.00 per hour for shorter stays.

If you want to park freely in paid meters then spaces marked in blue are for pay and display tickets, while the white spaces are for residents. The going rate is €1,00 for the first hour and then an increase for subsequent hours.

Lastly thrice a month all the roads in Florence are cleaned. Therefore wherever you park, look our for the signs which will display a little icon of a cleaning lorry, a time and then a number such as "1 e 3". It would indicate that the cleaning takes place on the first and third week of the month, followed by the day (Lun, Mar, Mer, Gio, Ven, Sab, Dom - days of the week mon/sun).

Sites:
Renaissance Walk through town center, climb the Campanile if u like top views.
Duomo
Visit the Bargello gallery. The Uffizi has the paintings, the Bargello has the sculpture. (time 8:15- 5pm, Entry 7 EUR, closed 2nd and 4th Mon of the month)
Uffizi Gallery from outside.Visit Uffizi if you have time (reserve in advance to avoid lines) - entry 10EUR, 8:15-6:15, closed Monday.
Walk Ponte Vecchio (the bridge on the river, great shops and fun)
Walk through Oltrarno (best local color)
Accademia(net 10 Eur, closed Mon)- I didn't think much of it., except seeing Michelangelo's David- but the imitation outside Uffizi is as good!.

Food in Florence:

Yellow bar via del proconsolo, 39r (near the Duomo)- loved the garlic tomato pasta!

Da Nerbone, Mercato Centrale (near the Campanile Bell tower)

Cantinetta dei Verrazzano near Bargello- best Foccacia (closed Sun)

Veg options:
La Raccolta Via Giacomo Leopardi, 2r;  055/2479068
Monday through Saturday  12:30pm-3pm

La Raccolta looks like a health and organic foods store when you first walk in, but head toward the back to the spacious restaurant attached. Order the mixed plate for a sampling of the best daily offerings instead of trying to decode the all-Italian menu.

Zeb Zuppa e Bollito
Via San Miniato 2r - Open Daily, From 11:30am-3:30pm; At Dinner Fri And Sat, From 7:30-10:30pm; Wed Closed
A modern restaurant where clients can enjoy traditional ‘green' Tuscan cuisine. Enjoy seasonal vegetable soups and other plates that you'd never dare to order in an Italian restaurant. Wines focus on interesting local producers.

Day 3 Florence- to Lucca - La Spezia 1hr 50 mins

Spend the afternoon in Florence, then head to Lucca.
Lucca is a real gem in the crown of Tuscany, with tiny Romanesque churches, cobbled narrow streets, towers and lovely mediaeval buildings.
No visit to Lucca would be complete without a promenade along the 4km wall around the old mediaeval town. This wall was built in the 16th and 17th centuries as a defence against the Tuscan Dukes and it is really a site to behold.
Lucca’s cathedral, Duomo di San Martino, is an architectural masterpiece and should not be missed.

Parking in Lucca
Driving inside the walls is mostly reserved to residents, so park your car. The city has many car parks located outside the wall, the largest two are on the North and South side.
Bicycle in Lucca:
Several bicycle rental locations can be found near the entrance to the city. It is not a large city within the walls, so you may find it more enjoyable to simply walk around. If u want to try the outskirts, bikes are fun but with some traffic.
Food in Lucca:
Trattoria Buralli, traditional trattoria with very good Luccan food and it's the local favorite to enjoy home style cookin. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Center of town, Piazza S. Agostino 10, near the Amphitheatre. Piazza San Donato. Tel: 0583-950-611. www.onenet.it/LU/buralli ($)
Tratoria da Leo, via tegrimi 1 (near the cathedral) great Zuppa alla frantina- sp (veg soup)
Osteria Baralla, good Luccan food home-style, located just behind the Amphitheatre. Typical pasta and meat dishes, nothing "nouvelle" on the menu. Closed on Sundays. Center of town, Via Anfiteatro 5-7-9. Tel: 0583-440-240. ($)
Gli Orti di Via Elisa, excellent casual restaurant with extensive menu, especially good pizza, pastas and meats, also vegetarian dishes, very popular with Luccans, reservation needed. Open for dinner only, no lunch. East end of town, Via Elisa, 17. Tel. 0583-491-241, Fax: 0583-491-241. ($$)*
Da Giulio, large trattoria with good food and big crowds, great family restaurant, inexpensive, fast service. Lots of choices on the menu with all the local specialties. Select several antipasto items to share. Open for dinner only, no lunch, closed on Sundays. North end of town, Via delle Conce 45, Piazza San Donato. Tel: 0583-55-948. ($) They made the NYT story in Oct!
South of Lucca:
Osteria di Meati, authentic Luccan home-style cooking, family Osteria with a large outdoor area in the back. Delicious food from the region. Closed on Mondays. Just 2 km south of the Autostrada, near village of Meati, at a crossroads, Via della Chiesa. Tel: 0583-510-373. www.luccaonline.it/clienti/osteriameati ($)

North of Lucca:
Ristorante Erasmo, an old Locanda along the river since 1760, great trattoria food with all the Lucchese specials. Try the fried chicken and rabbit. Inside dining with fire-place, across the road is a large, park-like garden for dining out, a delightful place during the summer under the big trees. Parking behind the restaurant. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. About 7 km north of the city on the main road, Via del Brennero, 1782 at Ponte a Moriano. Tel: 0583-406-362, Fax: 0583-57-406. ($)
Ristorante a Palazzo, good country food served up on the mountain with great views towards Lucca. Large outside seating, nice and cool in the summer, big rustic interior dining room. The drive up has many tight curves and parking can be difficult along the road. Closed on Wednesdays. S. Giusto di Brancoli, up 10 km along the Sergio River from Lucca, then up the mountain road. Tel: 0583-965-341. ($$)*

West of Lucca:
Ristorante Vipore, excellent country restaurant serving large portions of everything Luccan. Pleasant atmosphere, friendly service, delicious food. Closed on Mondays. From Lucca, turn left after the bridge and follow signs to Pieve S. Stefano, about 6 km from the bridge up to the hill. Via Pieve S. Stefano 4469. Tel: 0583-59-245. ($)
Ristorante- Pizzeria Le Meraviglie, good country food at a nice restaurant. Closed on Wed. Located 18 km west of Lucca along the main road, Via Provinciale to Camaiore along the Freddana river, at the village of Montemagno. Tel: 0584-951-750. ($$)