A longish day today, visiting two of Tuscany’s most beautiful towns. Blues skies and 30ºC++. Wonderful.

First, San Gimignano. We’ve been here before and it didn’t disappoint, as often can be the case when revisiting a “favourite” place. Glorious weather, glorious views and glorious pavement café snacks.

Then Siena. Somewhere very special. The “walk-in” from the coach park was a 15 minute assault course but worth every breathless moment.  Siena is extraordinary. Its architecture is stunning. The Piazza del Campo spectacular and the inside of the cathedral beyond belief. A very, very small fly in the ointment is the local café owners’ desire to extract every last tourist Euro with high prices and service charges. Siena Is worth every penny!

A splendid way to end our time in Umbria. Back to Lombardy tomorrow, stopping en route in Florence for a view of another of Tuscany’s beautiful cities.