Guests should be forewarned that the normal arrival time is 6pm. Be sure to have Sylia's phone number and a cell phone when you arrive because there's no other way to make contact. No one is there to buzz you into the apartment other than the hosts, and you must wait outside for them to arrive. The nearby Cafe Marina is a good place to wait with your luggage.

Otherwise, this is a spacious, air-conditioned, well-maintained, reasonably-priced apartment in a very convenient location on the south bank of the Arno. The unit sleeps four in two separate bedrooms, one of which is ensuite. A half bath adjacent to the kitchen adds to the convenience of the apartment.

Florence is becoming less and less attractive as hoards of tourists dominate all the main attractions. Seasoned travelers may want to use Florence as a base for day trips to Fiesole, Siena, San Gimignano and Lucca. Or try to avoid the clogged central area and instead spend time at less well publicized venues such as The Bargello, Orsanmichelle and the Ognissanti church.

It was especially distressing to find that there is now a 15 Euro combined ticket as your sole option to visit the Baptistery, Cathedral dome and tower, etc. I have no interest in waiting two hours to climb to the top of the Duomo with hundreds of other sweating tourists. Ditto on the Campenile. What a slap in the face!