His initiation into the spa world starts at the Grand Hotel in Bad Ragaz. To show him what he could achieve Merton meets Mr Swiss, whose perfect muscular form seems more intimidating than inspiring.

“I’ve found the perfect body,” says Merton, “it just happens not to be mine.” Switching his focus to the mind he travels across the mountains to Vienna to see whether the home of psychoanalysis can teach him anything about himself.

In the spiritual home of Schubert and Mozart Merton meets a group of musicians who play instruments made of vegetables.

The group, which has released three albums in the past decade, allows him to play solo on a carrot and a spring onion.

We had a few hours remaining in Florence before getting on the train to Rome.  We did some final shopping at San Lorenzo and then swung by Casa del Vino to pick up some truffle butter and jamon and pecorino sandwiches before heading off to the … Hotel Mozart - which was our favorite by far this trip).  Along the way, we saw the Spanish Steps and we gasped in horror - it was covered in graffiti!  But then we realized it was a special art installation to commemorate the fall of the Berlin… From Florence to Rome