Itinerary - Today will be one of the real highlights of your holiday, as you join our included tour of Florence. For many, this simply stunning place is Italy’s most beautiful city, and today you'll have the chance to see the magnificent Florentine skyline, dominated by the dome of Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, for yourself. Explore the splendour of Santa Croce and the medieval Ponte Vecchio bridge, spared by the retreating Nazis because of its timeless beauty. Florence is also the city of both the Accademia, which houses Michelangelo’s fabled statue of David, and the Uffizi, where Botticelli’s famous Birth of Venus can be admired. You'll have the chance to visit the galleries (payable locally), and will no doubt want to stop for a bite in one of the city’s cafes and restaurants.
I was up nice and early today and I enjoyed a couple of cups of coffee in my nice cool room. I didn’t rush down to breakfast today however, I was missed because Martin and Elaine came to knock me up as they thought I had overselpt after my 1 bottle of 7% beer last night. I know I can be a lightweight but come on. I popped into the restaurant and had a yoghurt and a coffee and was still the first out there for the bus.
Daniela advised that the wine tasting tour had been cancelled due to lack of interest so will have to go back to the other hotel to get my refund. Oh well, I’m going to go to the spa in the morning and then relax by the pool in the afternoon. We boarded the coach and after a few hiccups we made our way to Florence.
Daniela was giving us some commentary along the way but I’m not sure I trust what she says. She is nutty as a fruit cake.
Our tour around Florence with George to see all of the highlights was great, he was very knowledgeable but I must confess the information has all merged into one and I can’t recall what detail relates to what building. All I know is that we started off at the holy cross basilica in the most ambient square in Florence and it was built by the friars in the 12 century. The cross got damaged and was never repaired but according to the locals, it is still the most beautiful. There is a secret passage way from the palace on the other side of the river that goes above the houses on the Ponte Vecchio bridge through to the town hall, this was introduced so the noble people didn’t have to mix with the peasants. The prince also had a secret tunnel to his mistress - the dirty dog! Gucci opened its first shop in Florence and it is still in the same spot. We had lunch in a restaurant on the main square which consisted of salad, pasta and wine and was certainly a good choice. We had 2 and a half hours free time so I revisited the places I wanted to view again and found some new sites. After 1 1/2 hours I was dripping so I need to find a bar but I needed to find my way back to the meeting point first as I had managed to lose my bearings. I started to get worried but then I walked out of a back street and I knew where I was. I’d earnt a large beer with all the walking and stress.
On the coach back to Montecatini we drove passed a place called Collodi, this is significant as it is from trees there where Pinocchio was carved and the story dreamt up. Apparently, the original story killed him off when he turned into a boy but that has been adapted over the years to make it more acceptable especially for children. It has been super scorchio today and pretty sweaty yet again- deffo going to go in the pool when I get back to the shack. I’ve got to get off at the Adua hotel to get my 85 bucks back then I’ll make my way to the supermarket for supplies. With all the refunded money in hand I headed of for beer, water and coke. By the time I got back to the shack I was dripping wet so I went in the pool to cool down, don’t worry, I had a shower before going in the pool but I’m not sure everyone does.
I think I was in the wrong hotel for dinner tonight! The chefs appetiser was melon and Parma ham, followed by seafood risotto with clams, squid, octopus and prawns, then pork steak, potato wedges, peas and salad rounded off with wet trifle (not good). I washed this down with a glass of chianti and overall, it was a good meal - well, one needed to be!
We walked to the main piazza for a drink tonight and the it was really buzzing, not with critters but with people. It’s as though this town really comes alive in the evening. One of the drinks I had tonight was called “poison”, it was like martini Rossi and soda but with a mystery ingredient, I’m not sure what the mystery was but it was nice.
It’s been another great day today but I am looking forward to making my own adventure tomorrow and relaxing by the pool if I can bear the heat.
2025-02-12