The Zurich flight left 1 hour and 15 minutes late. When we arrived in Florence, a mere 45 minutes later, we sat on the tarmac waiting for a bus to take us a very short distance to the terminal. Then I had to wait for my luggage. An hour and a half later than expected, I was finally in a taxi.

The taxis have a tariff from the airport to the historic center: €28. The driver had no incentive to take the long route so I assume it was the one way roads that made him circle the Duomo at least twice — or so it seemed. But I arrived at Residenza Peruzzi where I’m staying for the next 3 weeks.

This is mainly a B&B but I’m in the little apartment which has a kitchenette and most importantly, a clothes washer.

It is close to Santa Croce, the piazza where I stayed in 2023.

By 7 pm, the travel was taking its toll. Although 7 is early for Italians to dine, I needed food and then bed, both helped by a glass of wine.