Alessandro was a magnificent host! We stayed for 6 nights in his apartment in Firenze at the end of August - it was perfectly located for someone wanting to explore the city and gorgeous inside! Literally on the same block as the Duomo, only a matter of minutes from the Mercado Centrale, near to the Uffizi and also the less touristy parts of the city - the stay was wonderful! Alessandro was warm in meeting us, leaving a gorgeous apartment for us to live in for the week (along with yummy grapes to snack on and a well stocked kitchen). When he learned that we cook, he spent many minutes with us finding suggestions for restaurants and even contacting other people to find the best pizza place in town. The A/C worked magically on the hot days and nights, the washing machine was wonderful to use half way through our trip, the kitchen met all of our needs (we cooked many of our meals) and the bells of the Duomo woke us gently in the morning. We ate breakfast on the patio, and often lunch and dinner. Staying at Alessandro's place has spoiled us forever!