Dropped-off washing to the front desk to be done while we're out finishing our Venice exploration. Luckily the buses are air conditioned given how sticky it is. Unfortunately an elderly man decided to expire half way in and we all had to get off and catch another bus. Crammed into this one like sardines we managed to get to Venice eventually and headed straight to the queue to get into St Marco Basillica. Not too long a wait and then..........wowzza! Can't adequa...

Having been drained of nearly all blood, Tom & Ian went down for breakfast - not very nice buffet and gave up trying to find something palatable. Caught the bus into Venice - only €2 each. Took about 50 minutes, not the promised 30, but we got to more than we would've driving. Bought a 'street' map at the termius and headed straight into it. Place was pretty busy with trains and buses disgorging and the hundreds mingling with those who'd driven in and t...

Up early'ish for a couple of souvenirs from the markets and an attempt to get inside the cathedral - no luck there. So instead a few farewell shots of Florence from the hill-top lookout at Piazzale Michelangelo. Great sights across the river Arno to rooftops of the city. Could also see clearly how steep the walk was we'd done the day before. Heading away from the city it was a slow journey as the speed limit was only 70 for most of the way. Then we start to clim...

Played super tourist today and visited all of the sites that we could get into. Started with another stroll through the Dell'Ariento market before walking through back streets to the Santo Spirito Basillica (free). Amazing paintings and architecture again but extremely plain from the outside. Then up to Palazzo Pitti and the gardens at the Medici Palace. Pretty disappointing really as there are only trees and weedy (sparse) grass. Whole place was very unkempt and...

Well now that we're here, time to go be a tourist and do some sightseeing of the main attractions. Straight to the Campo dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower, cathedral and baptistry...........only looked from the outside as there were thousands queing to go in and we didn't fancy standing in a slow moving line in full sun and 38oC! Apart from these 3 icons, the rest of the city is grimy and dim. Continuing on our whistle-stop tour, it was down the road to Florenc...