On Monday Mrs Hayes was keen to spend time with her bike so the Blog took off to Carrara. This place is world famous for its marble and its marble has built many a fine Duomo and statue in Italy's finest cities.

But like when last year's tour went to Parma and could hardly find any Parma Ham or Parmesan cheeses or when it went to Modena and couldn't find any reference to the great Pavarotti, so it was at Carrara. 

It promised great slabs of marble everywhere and marble workshops to view but it didn't deliver.

There was however a house that Michelangelo stayed at when he visited Carrara to choose the best marble for the Pieta , David and other works.