Florence, or Firenze as it is known in Italy, is one of my favourite cities - the museums, the churches, the architecture, the shops, the atmosphere, and so many people! The weather is beautiful - blue sky, lots of sunshine......Perfect for my favourite pastime - enjoying a gelato from Venchi, one of the best Italian gelaterias and chocolatiers.

Florence is the home of the Uffizi Gallery, one of the most famous art museums in the world. There are works by Titan, Rafael, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Rembrandt just to name a few. I had booked my ticket in advance as the queues can be enormous. Inside, armed with the map provided, I have no trouble finding all the paintings I especially want to see. My favourite of course - Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus". The statue of David, by Michelangelo, is not at the Uffizi though. David is to be found at the Galleria dell'Accademia, a twenty minute walk away. Had I been Michelangelo's art teacher, I wouldn't have awarded him full marks for David as, in my opinion, his right hand looks too big and out of proportion to the rest of his body! My favourite is the bright Barbie-pink replica of David in the courtyard of the Galleria! All 5.2 metres of him! I love the fact that Florence is compact enough to walk to most of the sights easily. My next stop is the church of Santa Croce, built in the late 13th century. To get there, I walk along the river Arno which bisects the city. Santa Croce contains the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini. Walking back, I cross the river at the Ponte Vecchio, built in 1345 and the oldest bridge in Florence. It is lined with jewellery and antique shops, very expensive ones!! The bridge is very crowded and is a very popular place to watch the sunset. Over this side of the bridge is St Marks English Church which is now running its ninth season of operas. I buy a ticket to Rossini's "The Barber of Seville". The seating is arranged in a semicircle and, with the singers just metres away, is a lovely intimate setting. The performance is excellent and the glass of prosecco at interval is a special touch. I decide to come to the next evening's performance of Bizet's "Carmen". For the best views of Florence, I walk up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo, a square built in the 1860's. Scattered around are copies of some of Michelangelo's statues but there are also hordes of hawkers selling cheap souvenirs which I thought spoilt it somewhat. Walking back down the hill, I head to Pitti Palace, built in the 15th century by a rich banker who wanted to outdo the Medici family. However the Medici family bought it a hundred years later and it now houses much of the Medici art collection, gold and silverware and fashion of the times. Some of the rooms are furnished. I finish by exploring the Boboli Gardens which surround the palace. A lovely walk in the sunshine.