Panzano-in-Chianti to Florence
There was a direct bus to Florence. We took our own bags today because other than the included hotel, the trip was over.
Sherpa booked us into the Hotel Adam, well-situated and extremely busy. Florence is one of those places that I would hesitate visiting in season without a reservation.
This was our third trip to Florence, but there is always something new to see and re-do.
We wandered around the Piazza del Duomo, Piazza Della Signoria, window-shopped on the Ponte Vecchio eyeballing all the jewelry shops. Almost every single shop on the Ponte Vecchio was displaying an American Flag which started both of us crying again.
A walk through the Boboli Gardens next to the Pitti Palace, and some Gelato helped, until we actually PAID for the Gelato.
Tip #3 - NEVER order Gelato (ice cream), or anything, without asking or looking for a price list on the wall. Learn from our unthinking experience - the Gelato turned out to be about $7 US per ice cream cone when every other Gelateria was 1/2 the price. Outrageous, because we stupidly didn't ask the cost.
Tuscany was everything cookbooks, and movies rave about. Sherpa Expeditions did its usual, well-thought out, wonderful job...it certainly wasn't their fault if we went "brain-dead" and couldn't follow extremely explicit instructions! Other than the "ex-Marine" and I screaming at each other whenever we got lost, we loved the towns, hotels (especially Mrs. Baldini's), food and wine.
If you like to bike or walk, try exploring Tuscany this way. You can always ride with your suitcases to the next spot if you're not feeling up to exercise on a particular day. Try it....you'll LOVE IT! We certainly did!
