Panem

It’s kind of spooky once you notice it, but there’s something kind of Hunger Gamesy about central Florence in the evenings. It’s very clean, everyone is extravagantly dressed, no one appears to be working for a living and yet everyone is relaxed, carefree and well-to-do. There are a lot of grand buildings which act as architectural frames for views of very grand buildings, and all of them are artfully lit to highlight their elegance and beauty. Few vehicles are allowed in the Old City, and most of those are electric. Additionally, they chirp like little birds to let you know they they’re creeping up behind you. Even the tough Carabinieri are forced into electric squad cars, which emit a gentle futuristic hum rather than a macho roar. I saw a pair of them get stuck behind an old nonna hobbling along the road, because she was oblivious to their silent approach.

Step outside the Old City and suddenly it’s like every other Italian city – roaring traffic, mobile phone shops, badly maintained apartment buildings and people who score highly on the Italian Male Jean Hole Douchebag Index. Fortunately it’s easy enough to scuttle backwards and step back into Panem, where the biggest problem you have to face is choosing which flavour of gelato you want (Top Tip: All of Them).