Ideal & Romantic Retreat
SGKCA
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Review Submitted: August 31, 2009
Date of Stay: August 2009
We stayed at this gorgeous apartment for 5 nights in late August 2009. It was better than in the pictures and the wow factor hits when you walk up to the terrace for the first time. The apartment is wonderfully appointed and very well maintained. The quality of materials inside (e.g. doors, floors, bathroom amenities, kitchen range , etc) and the tasteful renovation create a lasting impact. The other major benefit to the apartment is its location. The nights were very peaceful as you are away from the main tourist arteries, yet all major sights are within a 20-minute walk maximum. Best of all is the incredible St. Ambrosia market one street north of the apartment. The market is massive, inexpensive, and really fun to explore. We were amazed at the array of butchers, fish mongers, cheese, fruit, vegetables, breads, and pretty much anything else you would need. The beautiful Santa Croce church and piazza are about 10 minutes away to the south, while the stunning Duomo is about 10-15 minutes walk to the west. We strongly encourage you to visit the Bargello Museum, as it seems to be rather underrated. Also, check out the neighborhood just to the north of the apartment. We found it to be a genuine Florentine experience, as it is well off the beaten path. Do go leather goods hunting in the market around San Lorenzo: it is well worth your time and money. There is a super cheap internet spot as well as a lovely pastry shop just around the corner from the apartment, and a pharmacy just down the street. Tips: Purchase your tickets online in advance for the Uffizi and the Galleria dell' Accademia. Our experience was much much better because we had our tickets reserved before we left Canada. We had the magnificent statue of David to ourselves for a good 15 minutes as we had reserved 8:15 am entry to Accademia. Similarly, at the incredibly over-crowded Uffizi our entry was quite smooth as we first picked up our reserved tickets at the Entry #3 and then walked over to Entry #2 and only waited about 10 minutes to get in. Florence completely stole our hearts and this apartment was exactly what we had imagined. Sitting on the terrace with some fresh bread, some prosciutto, and a glass of Tuscan wine overlooking the city and the hills is an experience we will always cherish. Until next time...
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Helpful votes: 4/4
