Bentornato! 🇮🇹🇮🇹

Our return to Tuscany marks the start of summer, and this year it couldn’t be more welcomed. With Anthony’s GCSEs thankfully behind us, we all needed the break.

This year, we flew a day early to visit Florence. Unfortunately we were caught in the heatwave sweeping across Europe, so sightseeing and queuing were out, even for the most hardy of tourists like me.

Nevertheless, I was determined to visit the Uffizi, and it truly was mind blowing – it’s reputation as the most impressive gallery in the world was well deserved.

Ideally a day in the gallery is merited, but we were limited in time, I had a “top 10” must-sees that I wanted to see. We found them all, and they were more beautiful and vibrant in real life than in any image I’ve seen. Looking at “The Birth of Venus” he translucency of the model’s skin, the sheer fabric. All just marvels.

Reconnecting with our friends the HBs at Il Rossalacio, is something we look forward to all year-‘relaxing up in the Tuscan hills, wandering the cobbled streets of San Gimignano, browsing the beautiful leather shops and enjoying the best gelato in Italy.

We love our lazy days of poolside chat with our friends. Italian food never disappoints – so simple, fresh and full of flavour.

As for the children, they’ve been friends since childhood, and it’s so wonderful to see, particularly Anthony and Rosie, maturing to beautiful young adults. Hopefully we are creating special memories for them all.