We ran out of weather luck today – it POURED all day long. I was so happy not to be on a walking tour asking me to look up up up!

Gillian and I, the Uffizi’s top hits list in hand thanks to the wonderful art historian, Emily Moloney, viewed her recommended paintings. The Uffizi is so large, it didn’t feel particularly crowded and we could listen to our audio guides while viewing the paintings quite comfortably.

Emily had advised us to walk right up to Botticelli’s Primavera which is behind glass, and to put our noses right on the glass. (I may have kept mine an inch or so distant – germs you know.) There was no other way, she told us, to see the variations and beauty and depth of the flowers in the painting. Other viewers were respectfully standing in a semi-circle some distance from the painting and I think they may have been a little scandalized at our behaviour!

We had heard about the Mercato Centrale and decided to walk across town for lunch and a visit. This huge market has several sections, but we were most interested, of course, in the food. There were lots of grocery stalls like you find in most urban markets.

And then there was the prepared food, complete of course with wine sales.

We decided not to have dessert at the market, but to return to our beloved Caffè Gilli.

I ordered a dessert coffee complete with chilli pepper! It was cold out, you know.

Following dessert, GIllian still had energy and was dry enough to explore more but I returned to the hotel to use the shoe – oops! blow – dryer. Both shoes were dry enough to wear to dinner.

Our group gathered for a final dinner at Osteria del Pavone for some Tuscan sliced steak, wild boar ragu, salad and tiramisu – and wine of course.

We returned to our hotel, walking along the river in the dark. Florence is quite magical. Try it, you’ll like it.

I saw very few cameras in Tuscany. Everyone, including everyone in our group, was using their phone for photos. And I have never been on a Road Scholar tour (and this was my 9th) where wine was provided at every dinner and most lunches! Hurrah for Italy!

Here’s our group’s goodbye photo, minus our excellent group leader Bianca who was the photographer. This was a great tour, and an amazing birthday gift from my wonderful daughter Gillian. Two weeks later – we are still talking to each other! 😋

Grazie per essere venuto con me. Occuparsi. ❤️