Europe 2016 Sept 24th Day 27 Florence

Today looked beautiful on looking out the window, and after breakfast we headed off on a walk across the river to the Michaelangelo piazza for the view back across the city. Bloody hell a few steps and steep inclines involved before we got there; along with the bloody bus loads. We continued up the hill to the San Miniato Church which had an even better view and far less people. This is the resting place of the writer of Pinocchio, whose name escapes me and was a lovely setting. Parishioners were even out in a group scrubbing the headstones clean. From here we decided to continue walking around the hills and finally ended up at a lovely garden and restaurant where we stopped for a well deserved vino and a Campari spritz for Jane, that she had been promising herself for a while; very sour. After this it was around the other side and down the most beautiful laneways until we finally came out near the Ponte Vecchio, back amongst the maddening crowds; not quite sure how we are going to handle Rome.
We had some lunch in our room, before heading to the Museo del Opera del Duomo in which we spent the next hour or so looking at the original works that have been removed from the Duomo and the construction methods that were used in building it. A great museum and well worth a visit. Then a look at the Duomo and the accompanying smaller Dome built earlier before heading back to the room for a freshen up for our Tuscan dinner and evening tour.
Arrived at the Walkabout tours office and had to walk to the bus with guide Fabio (24 of us), which the older Canadians with walking issues didn't enjoy before on our way to the "estate" in the hills. Really just out of the city on the hills overlooking Florence but a great outlook and superb venue. Thought it would have been a longer journey but was a lovely location after walking down the long uneven driveway and the many steps down ( definitely not to the Canadian's liking ).
It was a four course meal with 3 lovely Chianti's and a lemon verbena spirit ( Battery acid ) to finish with. The food and wine was superb and  this is also a small group cooking school. Sat with Americans, German and Greek lady living in Berlin and it was a thoroughly pleasurable evening. Had a massive  dog there which was a Transylvania something, looked like a cross between a  German Shepherd and Saint Bernard, and about the size of a young vealer. The Florentine steak was beautifully cooked and tender and all courses and wine were superb.
At the end Fabio had to get the Canadian lady back up to the top and this was very entertaining as he reversed a Fiat 500 up the slope many times, spinning the wheels in the dark before finally getting to the top, gearbox smelling intensely. Think she may have weighed more than the car.
Drove back to the city stopping at the Michaelangelo piazza for a look at the night lights before finally getting back to our room, exhausted and mellow, just before midnight. A wonderful experience and day.