As we head for Greve in Chianti it looks like most of the Florentine bikers are doing the Chianti loop. Big bikes, mostly Ducatis, Aprilias, Moto Guzzis and BMWs rumble past and disappear in a flash into the next corner. Hmm - my next visit to Tuscany might choose a different mode of transport!
Mostly rolling countryside, and being Chianti country vineyards predominate, with a few olive groves interspersed. We stop for lunch in Greve, then drive on to Fiesole, a hilltop town northeast of Florence popular with the locals for its cooler air and great views.
Certainly a nice spot, but we need to press on and return our little Punto to the airport. It's a bit of a challenge finding a gas station, then operating the self service pumps, and then finding the correct entrance to the airport and Hertz, but we finally get there and hand over the Punto no worse for wear than when we started. Probably better.
The airport bus gets us quickly into the centre of Florence, then it's an easy walk to Hotel Cestelli, not far from the Ponte Vecchio, which is the first stop on our orientation walk. It's a beautiful old bridge, and now home to most of Florence's jewellers. Fortunately the Germans didn't destroy it during their retreat - all the other bridges across the Arno were blown.
We catch Michaelangelo's David in the late afternoon sun, and discover we're a few minutes late for Uffizi tickets. Since it's closed on Monday we'll just have to queue up early on Tuesday.
The cathedral is open though, and it really is beautiful in its pink, green and white marble. It's quite spare inside, but the dome looks interesting. We resolve to come back for a dome tour when the crowds have dissipated.
Wandering the streets of Florence is a delight. Big open piazzas with central monuments are linked by narrow cobbled lanes, many with specialty shops and eateries tucked within, or spilling out onto the footpath.
Stylish Florentines walk, cycle or ride their Vespas up and down, with relatively few cars - only local residents can bring their cars into the heart of town, as many tourists have discovered after receiving a €150 fine.
We hit the Bardini and Boboli gardens - Florence's lungs on the south side of the Arno.
Great views looking back to the heart of town. Lots of opportunities for window shopping - jewellery and leather look attractive - but we'll keep our buying decisions till later.
Tuesday morning and we try and beat the Uffizi queues by arriving five minutes before opening. We're a bit slow - it takes nearly an hour before we reach the ticket office. Once inside we rush to the most popular rooms - Botticelli's Venus in particular, then take a more leisurely amble through the remainder. The Botticellis are certainly magnificent, as are many other Renaissance works by Raphael, Michaelangelo, da Vinci and Titian. But it's a smallish Rembrandt glowing in a corner that really takes my eye.
A recurring theme, along with the crucifixion, is a poor lad tied to a tree and shot with arrows. Piercing his arms, legs and neck you'd be convinced they were the cause of his death. Apparently not. Saint Sebastian was nursed back to health, continued to harangue the Romans, and was eventually clubbed to death in 288. One could argue he's a slow learner.
Out on the cafetaria balcony is a dwarf riding a sea creature - someone might be able to help with the attribution. Inside the gallery there's also a double-sided painting of him. The story goes that a sculptor was taking the piss out of a painter for failing to render in three dimensions. The artist painted the dwarf both before the hunt and after (dead hare included), proving that painting can include the time dimension. Touché!
The Uffizi also affords fine views of the Arno, with the Ponte Vecchio in full splendor.
Out on the street it's easy to be fooled by these marble statues. Toss a euro into the bucket and they magically come to life, much to the surprise of unsuspecting tourists nearby.
They say that if you stroke the boar's nose you'll be sure to return to Florence. And who wouldn't want to? I'm enjoying my second time here as much as my first. We even have time to indulge in a bit of shopping. Well, you can't come to Florence and not buy leather and jewellery can you?
Wednesday is our last day - time to head to Rome - but we have a morning up our sleeve. First stop is the Duomo's dome, both for a close-up of the artwork, and the magnificent views. Just a small matter of 463 steep stone steps to negotiate as we wind our way up between the two concentric inner and outer domes.
What you don't get a good appreciation for from the cathedral floor are the dark scenes from hell at the base of the dome. Hapless non-believers are dragged down into the pit to be clubbed, consumed by beasts, or to have fiery lances inserted in bodily orifices. You have to give these artists credit for a good imagination.
Out in the open air and away from the coercive messages it's a great view over Florence.
We just have time to take in a special exhibition before we dash to the station. In the Strozzi Gallery not far from our hotel we're treated to works by Picasso, Miro, and Dali. I've always been a fan of these artists, and it was very special to see then exhibited together, with the relationships between the artists explained. Picasso's work, particularly his social commentaries leading to his Guernica paintings, are particularly powerful.
Sitting on the train as we pull away gives us a chance to reflect on our last three days. This attractive city, its art, its history, its architecture, its shops and its compact size all come together to make it one of the highlights of our trip. It truly is compelling - get here one day, and if you can, rub the boar's snout and come back for a second visit.
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