The last stop on our Grand tour is Florence, where our old university friend Debbie has lived since 1983! We only have two nights and one full day, with an afternoon and a morning on either side. Our fast train from Venice to Florence delivers us safely and we find the left luggage lockers before we sprint down to our rendezvous with Debbie, who has volunteered to whizz us round the Uffizi. On the way she poses with Hil outside one of her former employer’s buildings, Ferragamo!

Debbie studied History of Art, and is an accomplished artist and sculptor herself; after years of living in Florence, she has strong views on what its worth seeing and what not at the Uffizi – basically everything early! She explains to us ignoramuses how medieval art really changed with artists such as Lorenzetti and Monaco introducing architecture and perspective, giving the works a sense of place, and the three dimensions, as opposed to the formulaic static portraits of Maddonas and Child, angels etc, however beautiful they might be! The Adoration of the Magi by Monaco, 1420 (below) is, in her opinion, a seminal piece, not only for the landscapes, but the introduction of an amazing colour palette and realism, exemplified by all the faces of the characters in the painting. We drink all this in!

Another extraordinary painting showing the transformation of art is Uccello’s The Battle of San Romano c1435-40 – again the sense of perspective and the horses (some a bit contorted to be sure) all communicating live battle blood and gore.

There are so many fine paintings but I will list myself to a few favourites: clockwise l-r: Lippi (1460-5); Messina (1470-3 – the Madonna’s face is so modern); Cranach the elder (1528); Bronzino (hard to see but the worsted wool detail is quite astonishing|); di Credi (1490 – just such a timeless face and wistful expression).

Of course everyone goes to see THE Botticelli, but I rather prefer the details from the The Spring (right) and this annunciation scene, but I can’t find the attribution.

Finally we manage to find a taxi after our whistlestop two hours and arrive at our apartment Domus Giorgio in San Frediano. It is quite charming, old-school style – as Hilary says, it looks as if belongs to an old gentleman (books are eclectic, a biography of DH Lawrence, which Hil says her father had, and a Georgette Heyer, along with al the guides. It is well-equipped with Prosecco, tea coffee, fruit, drinks, biscuits. I thought it had two bedrooms, but there is one enormous double the street where we live!ed and a divan which looks most uncomfortable so we opt to share. There is also our own private outside space, plus a wonderful roof terrace with views of Florence.

In the morning – after a delicious dinner nearby – we are left to our own devices as Debbie has other things on. But she has given us a route, so we wander over the Arno, stumbling across several Chinese bridal couples posing for the obligatory wedding photos, before visiting the Santa Trinita Basilica to see the Lorenzo Monaco frescos, ‘one of the master pieces of the 14th century’ and the Adoration of the Shepherds by Ghirlandaio.

and, after a coffee and a croissant, passing through the Duomo square, heaving with people, stopping only to admire the great bronze doors, paying a massive 18 Euros to visit the San Lorenzo church – somehow we managed to miss the Medici tombs in another chapel – before going north via the market and a bag shop (cue spending spree) to the San Marco museum, home to the Fra’ Angelico frescos.

The museum is built around a leafy courtyard and was originally an old convent. Fra’ Angelico decorated most of the monks’ cells with frescos as well as altar pieces in the chapels and refectory. As we enter a fresco is being restored which is good to see. Below clockwise, detail from the main Fra’ Angelico Crucifixion and the Saints fresco (1441-2), Sogliani’s Miraculous Supper of St Dominic (1536); the cloister; the frescos in the cells; centre and left the restoration process; and last Rosselli’s Madonna (1480).

We manage to find a cab and meet Debbie in San Frediano for a very local lunch – she is well-known it seems and is greeted warmly wherever we go. She has booked a slot for us to see her favourite, the Brancacci Chapel. Here is the most wonderful set of frescos, started by Masolino but painted mainly by Masaccio, the better artist in fact (you can tell from the two depictions of Adam and Eve, the Masolino one on the left below being very static while the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by his ‘pupil’ Masaccio is heartrendingly human (right, below). These frescoes are particularly famous for the very early use of perspective and the wonderful realism of all the characters who inhabit the paintings and mostly feature scenes from the life of St Peter (in the yellow robe). I particularly love the guard who has fallen asleep on his staff on the right-hand fresco

Our last port of call before we retire for a cuppa to Debbie’s country estate, is the the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte. Unfortunately it was undergoing restoration so we have to content ourselves with the stunning view, shared with yet another wedding couple.

Debbie’s home is lovely, surrounded by agricultural land, vineyards and a new plantation of trees. She proudly shows us her new solar panels and her studio, where she spends what little free time she has sculpting and making etchings. A lovely way to end our day.

On our final morning we have plans to visit the Boboli Gardens, but these are thwarted by the absolutely impossible challenge of finding a taxi to the airport. We manage a quick flit to the impressive Santo Spirito church nearby with its fine Lippi altarpieces, before we return to the apartment, quite prepared to schlepp our bags 20 minutes up the the station to catch a tram. On arrival at the flat, we spot a woman surrounded by luggage, and Hil has the wit to ask her if she’s going to the airport. She is! And not only that but she lives in Hampstead. We thank our lucky stars as we pile in and head off. The holiday is saved from a bitter end!