I knew that there was a reason that I had taken this shot but until I did a little digging I had forgotten what it was. I remembered that it was something more than merely "oh what a cute round tower", though. It is in fact one of Florence's oldest buildings, probably dating back to the sixth or seventh centuries, and built on the site of some ancient Roman baths.

In the 13th century it became the first women's prison in Florence. The inmates were provided with the luxury of straw mattresses, from which the name of the building is supposedly derived. It has also seen service as a bell tower for an adjacent church and as a private residence. It is now apparently part of the Hotel Brunelleschi which, when I looked at the site, is freaking magnificent in terms of panoramic views, location and standards of accommodation. There is the small problem that you're looking at between €500 and €700 per night for the standard rooms. The suites with the aforementioned panoramic views are more like a wallet-shattering €2,350 per night, with some closer to €2,500.

But I tell you, I'd love to be able to afford it.

The restaurant that we see below is the Osteria della Pagliazza in Florence, whose menu offers the chance to: "discover a typical Tuscan menu" for €49 for 4 courses plus beverage:
"A selection of Tuscan cold Meats and Cheeses
Mugellana tortelli filled with potatoes
butter and sage emulsion
'fossa' pecorino cheese flakes
Tuscany stewed beef with black pepper, tomato and wine sauce celeriac puree
Traditional Florentine sponge cake, chocolate, whipped cream, liqueur"
Oh yeah. (Nods head...) Oh yeah.

Like I said, I really was behinds the curve on this trip. Had I known about this place I would have been all over it like Boxer on a Wagyu beef steak.