Europe Escapade Day 9 Italy (Florence to Pisa)

Day 9 - 26 April (Saturday)

Italy (Florence to Pisa)

Woke up early for our Space mission I.e. shopping spree mission to the Space Prada outlet!
Read so much about going there and this is one of the highlight!  So curious to see how cheap the stuff is there!

This was our breakfast on board the train to Montevarchi station. You can also grab some food or McDonald's breaskfast from the Firenze s.m novella train station before boarding.

We got our tickets (open timing) from the vending machine and got on the train there. It takes slightly less than an hour to reach Montevarchi station from from there we would need to take a taxi  to the outlet.

A typical taxi ride cost €12 which can ride 4 pax. It's common for taxi to fetch tourists there so you just have to tell them you are going prada and they will bring you there. That is a flat rate the cabbies charge or if you manage to get a maxi cab which can fit many people, it's €3 per pax. Good money they earn for a 10mins ride!

Space Outlet
Address: Via Levanella Becorpi | Localita Levanella, S.S. 69, Montevarchi, Italy
Opening hours: Monday - Friday & Sunday, 10.30am - 7.30pm
Saturday, 9.30am - 7.30pm

Unfortunately, when we arrive the whole group of them took the maxi cab and it was left with me and NB who had to take the can by ourselves which cost €12 :( I better have enough savings to cover the trip! :p

The driver will stop you at the factory gate with a huge "space outlet" sign as above and that's where u go in to queue for your number.

It opens at 1030 am for all days of the Week except Saturday which opens at 930 am. Coincidentally, we were scheduled to go on a Saturday which I was afraid there will be a lot of people.  Thankfully not although I arrived at about 9-ish. 

My queue number was 18 and when the store opened, there were only a couple others behind us. 

We spent about 2 hours plus in the store selecting for our pieces. Thought the selection was pretty good especially for 1st time Prada/Miu miu buyers. It was a huge outlet segregated into mens and women's and further split into bags/wallets, apparels and shoes. Within the section, you have both Prada and Miu miu quite clearly divided too. Wallets ranged from about €100-300 and bags less than €1k! Didn't have the latest collection I aimed but still managed to get 2 bags, 1 wallet and a men's wallet for NB! Spent about €2k!

*heartpain* but when you compare the prices, there were lots of savings!  Quite an experience! 

Here's me and my loot. Wallets were packed in Prada boxes while bags in dustbags. do remember to do your tax refund procedure there and at the airport to collect your moolah! 

NB heard patrons asking the staff about defects so remember to check your items as not all things are new and some prices and slashed due to factory defects or display pieces. Also, forget about asking them for certain models or items as they will ask you to look around yourself. You can however, ask for new pieces. 

Once done, we headed outside to look for patrons also heading out to take a cab to the train station. Check out the view!

Tips: when you cab in to the outlet, remember to get a card from the taxi driver so you can call them to pick you up. Do note that prada staff will not help to call so you got to use the payphone there to call. 

Luckily for us, we met someone outside we was waiting for her cab and we hitched their ride while splitting the bill. You can also try your luck waiting for a cab ferrying customers to the outlet but don't rely on that as you won't know how long you had to wait. 

Met up with the couple back at Florence and took a train for our next #Italy stop.

Arrived at #Pisa Centrale and made our way to #airbnb stop (Romeo's bed and breakfast).

More on the airbnb stay later. With his introduction, we headed to the nearby areas so we can leave pisa tower tomorrow. 

Map of the first area we went

Walked over to the east of Pisa and passed by a local park where residents were exercising or strolling to go to the 2nd leaning tower or Pisa.

Nothing fabulous, just a building that is apparently a little titled as well. Haha! Would not recommend making the trip there unless you really don't have anything else to do there. 

2nd leaning tower of Pisa

Ristorante Lo Schiaccianoci
 Address: Via Amerigo Vespucci , 104/a, 56125 Pisa, Italy
Opening hours: Mon - Sun 11am - 11pm
(Note that they close during hours between lunch & dinner)

After strolling for a good hour to the secluded part of Pisa, we headed for our dinner at Lo Schiaccianoci which is near our place and recommended by Romeo.

Finally ate at a place serving blacksquid risotto! Tot it tasted pretty good with soft squid chunks and semi hard rice cooked in tasty black sauce. NB's prawn and asparagus spaghetti was just so so I think.

Damage: €9 for a dish

Rating: 7.5/10

Housebrand Tiramisu Ice Cream

Didn't get dessert at the restaurant as we had our own tiramisu ice cream from the supermarket. We were skeptical as it was their house brand and I never trust house brands cause when I though chocolate ice cream can never go wrong, NTUC proved me wrong! Turned out it was good! Generous chocolate sauce and cocoa powder sprinkled on top just that the ice cream was a little too sweet.
Well worth it anyway!

Damage: €2 cause it was on offer. Usual price about €2.80
Rating: 7.5 with consideration of the price

 Damage for Day 9 = €24 per pax (not including cost of Prada goods of corse! :P)

Photo (all except those lousy shots taken by my mobile phone) credits to Alexander!