Florence

Another all-time favourite place - I love that it still has a connection to the Renaissance, which as far as I am concerned, can count Florence as a major centre. Leanne organised a day-trip by bus that took in Pisa, SanGimignano and Sienna which was fantastic (if a long day).

We travelled from Venice by train, although our original plan was to hire a car in Venice and drive from there to Florence, Pisa, and so on, pretty much as we did in the end. The car plan was put on hold due to flooding (couldn't get our luggage out before the rental office closed), and I ended up quite unwell with a respiratory bug of some kind.

The lovely people at our Venice hotel did all the organising for us so Leanne and I could still make the concert on our last night, and secured us an extra 2 nights at Hotel David - another family-run gem, after we changed our original Pisa and Rimini plans.

Their nightly happy hour (open bar and free freshly made canapes and snacks) was the stuff of legend ! I also appreciated the free 10 minute call to your home country they offered - better than the 70 Euro "happy birthday" call I made to my parents from Venice !