Florence holiday apartment

The apartment was excellent value. It was charming and well-maintained and the location is ideal - off a quiet back street in an area of great character. Within five minutes' walk there are several bars and restaurants (we enjoyed Pizzeria I Tarocchi) and at least two well-stocked convenience stores (open on Sundays). Florence is so compact that a reasonably fit person can do all their sight-seeing on foot from the apartment. The Arno is nearby and the historic centre of Florence is just across the river (from the river you look straight across at one of the great churches, Santa Croce); the Uffizi Gallery is about fifteen minutes' walk away. On the other side it's only a short climb to the Piazzale Michelangelo for fabulous views of the city.

We stayed with our 19-year-old son and there was plenty of space. A few things to be aware of (perhaps especially if you are in the 55+ category). The sofa bed was really a bed with bolsters; it had a proper mattress yet was comfortable as a sofa. The bedroom had two single beds pushed together. The mattresses were quite comfortable but on the soft side and sagged somewhat; the pillows were very firm. The shower was over a sit-down bath fitting the space across the bathroom. It was awkward for standing and getting in and out was a bit tricky; we had no accidents but we did worry about slipping. There was no kettle but the apartment was otherwise amply supplied with crockery, cutlery, and cooking utensils.

The landlords were away on holiday but easy to contact by phone, welcoming and very helpful.