We stayed a week at Andrea’s apartment and had a fantastic and very easy stay. The apartment is a straightforward walk from the centre of Florence – about 25 minutes from the Duomo – and there are buses as well. We arrived a little later than expected, but Andrea’s son met us and was extremely helpful. The apartment itself was spotless, well-equipped and comfortable. We found the sofa bed even more comfortable than the bed in the main bedroom. The shower was also great, and we especially appreciated the excellent air-conditioning.

Although we didn’t cook much in the end, there is a hob, microwave, sandwich toaster, coffee maker, lots of crockery and cutlery and other kitchen implements. Andrea had also provided maps to local supermarkets and shops, which were very useful.

The only slight problem we had was with the internet. It’s run off a 3G router and wasn’t very reliable. Other than that, though, I would strongly recommend staying here to any friends planning to visit Florence. There are also a few good trattorias nearby, including one that specialises in fish immediately across the road.