The seat of one of Julius Caesar’s oldest colonies Florence represents the glory of the cultural revolution wrought by the Humanist as well as Renaissance movements. Walking through its myriad lanes, though, it is difficult to guess at the number of political upheavals and battles the city has witnessed.

This time we, that is Sue and I, wanted to drive around the Tuscany countryside instead of simply remaining immured within the city which is fascinating, to put it mildly. So we hired a Volkswagen and drove southwards to the vineyard in Chianti. We stopped at Greve and later at a village called Lamole. At Chianti we tried the region’s famous Classico wine and felt quite tipsy afterwards!

The next day we drove off early towards the walled town called Lucca. The scenic beauty of the Tuscany landscape left us spellbound and speechless. I wanted to visit one of the museums but Sue wanted to walk atop the walls of the town. Neither of us was sorry as it was so picturesque and lovely.

Our third day in Florence was spent exploring the various splendid sights of the ancient city. After a hearty breakfast at one,Toscano we set off towards the Duomo overawed by its ceilings, walls, dome, and murals. Somebody told us that the Duomo looks heavenly on a moonlit night. I’ll have to come back for that one!

That evening I took the wheel while driving to the Boboli Gardens housed on the grounds of the Palazzo Pitti. These stately Italian gardens have so many groves and fountains that the head spins in the most pleasurable manner imaginable. The Palazzo Pitti is one of the most majestic palaces I have ever beheld despite its severe façade with only two crowned lion heads as decorative pieces. I missed the Baroque elements of Venice’s palazzos. We walked into the Modern Art Gallery to view some of the masterpieces by painters like Rubens, Lippi, and others.

It was quite late by the time Sue and I headed back to our hotel.