The weekend - Florence and Renaio

On Saturday, we hied ourselves to Florence for a last look at the Uffizi gallery and a quick shop. The Uffizi has a special Anthony Gormley exhibition at the moment, and we wanted to have another look at some of Raphael's paintings since our interest was kindled in Urbino where he was from.

We came home via Lucca, where the magnolias in Via Garibaldi are magnificently in bloom.

And on Sunday we had a farewell meal with neighbours in the country restaurant high above us in he tiny hamlet of Renaio.

In the Piazza della Signoria, an Anthony Gormley figure is just discernible on the parapet of the loggia dei Lanzi 

... and, from the terrace above looking out to the Palazzo Vecchio and the duomo

Another Gormley figure indoors, with a backdrop of Uffizi sculotures ahows that, for artists, nudity never goes out of style ...

Elizabetta, 15th cent. duchess of Urbino who we learnt about when we were in Urbino recently.  The painting is by Raphael

A white magnolia in Lucca ...

... and a pink one ...

Up at Renaio ...