We were met by Caterina's mum, Silvia, who was very welcoming and helpful. Showing us everything we needed to know in the apartment and the local area. The flat was easy to find and on a very quiet street which was welcome as the people and traffic can get very hectic in Florence. It is on a high floor though and the stairs are narrow at about 1m wide so if you have heavy cases as we did, prepare for some work as there is no lift.

The location is good and quiet but just to say that you can hear the people above you when they move around. This is to be expected in a city apartment but we were woken quite a few times in the late night and very early morning as they moved chairs around etc. The sound of one of their dogs wagging their tail was like someone banging in a nail, which was not great at 4am. Although one night I slept on the sofa bed in the living room as was snoring with a cold and it was very comfortable and quiet. I think maybe the above apartment is not over the living room as there is a sloping roof above this. We were still very happy but with ear plugs, maybe the air conditioning on, and acceptance that you might have to go to bed when they do rather than when you want to.

Apart from this the flat is lovely, well furnished and stylish. The shower was lovely and hot, the air conditioning effective and the windows and shutters very welcome. The view over the city has to be appreciated stood at the windows but it is in a very nice situation. I enjoyed writing while sat at the little table in the living room. The television is good quality, the wifi perfect for Netflix, the kitchen well equipped.

The area is very nice and safe too, lovely bars for coffee, pizza takeaway places and a helpful launderette. You are about one minute from the Boboli Gardens, which you have to pay for, but are really nice to look around and setup with a picnic. It is also an easy 20min walk across the Ponte Vecchio to the centre of town also so a great spot to explore the city.

We enjoyed our stay very much and would go again.