La Bella Florence!

It was my second day in Florence and, as if I didn't have enough reasons to be in love with the city since I first had set foot in it, I was going to find out what made it truly special: the people! I woke up in a small, yet very cosy hotel near the centre and counted the steps to the first work of art I saw - apart from the reflection in the bathroom mirror, obviously.Ponte Vecchio

Feeling an early morning hunger for panini, I drove my car hire in Florence to a little bakery I had visited the day before and, to my surprise, the very chipper lady behind the counter treated me as if I had been a regular for years! 'Ciao, bello!' - good morning, beautiful! - which put just me in the right mood to tackle a day with an overdose of art to marvel at.

I became further acquainted with the city's people incredibly warm and mild nature when I visited the Basilica of San Lorenzo and had a small tour by a young priest who was so nice I wouldn't have minded taking him along for a tour of the rest of the city. Or the whole journey I was undertaking with my car hire in Italy!

Those are just a couple of examples of people I met in that fabulous city. When it comes to Tuscany, one of my favourite places on Earth, you can expect me to babble about it both effortlessly and endlessly.

One place in Italy I still haven't been to is Verona: next on my list, then! For never was a story of more woe than this of Richard and the places he didn't go!