We retraced our steps to Bologna, having allowed a substantial period of time in which to navigate the station.  As it happened,  we got an even earlier train, so had even  more time – those pre-departure nerves operate for train journeys as well as planes.  We seem chronically unable to arrive anything less than double the recommended time before departure.

Bologna Centrale was still confusing.  It took some time to chase the toilet signs around:  finding the platform was comparatively easy.

Bologna Centrale is a bit like the lovechild of Waterloo, Waterloo East and the Old London Bridge.  There are corridors, platforms and escalators leading you, seemingly, round and round.  I swear I saw the same sign for the same set of platforms four times.  It has three levels; we managed to find escalators this time rather than the slug-on-valium elevators we took last time.

But we still flirted round the edge of a multi-story car park…

Once on the train, it barrelled into a tunnel, only popping out occasionally before disappearing underground again.  Travelling (mostly) at 220 km per hour, it took 35 minutes to get to Firenze. The scenery was memorable (99% tunnels) and it was the most expensive journey we took, per kilometre or even per minute.  The  Sevenoaks/London equivalent, just travelling about twice as far.

Santa Maria station was hectic, there were people everywhere.

Yes, Florence is beautiful but it’s difficult to appreciate when there are crowds of people taking selfies, pictures of others or videos (usually on selfie sticks), or just stopping in the middle of the thoroughfare to gawp. And to make it all a tad more challenging, electric taxis force roll through pedestrianised streets, beeping (they are electric after all), relentless in their forward progress. We never saw one stop, regardless of how thick the foot traffic became. Nor did the cyclists, or the e-scooters, or the oversized black SUVs with tinted windows.

We did three tourist activities: the Archeological Museum, to see the Etruscan artifacts (too much stuff, hard to follow); the Palazzo Medici Riccardi (amazing building, incredible ceilings); walked up to the Piazza de Michelangelo (for the amazing views).

It was hot, sticky and crowded.

Roll on Puglia.