We spent the last part of our honeymoon at Marco's place--and are so glad we did! After spending the first seven days in the fast-paced, crowded streets of Rome, the peaceful location of the apartment just outside of Florence was exactly what we needed.

We were able to arrange for a last-minute pickup with Marco and he was waiting for us at the platform when we got off the train. The drive to the apartment was very helpful as he was mindful to point out certain landmarks to help us get around the city.

After familiarizing us with the apartment, he generously left us with a bottle of wine and very helpful maps of the city, including how to get back to the house. He also checked in with us throughout the week to make sure we didn't need anything.

And--we didn't need anything. The apartment was spacious, moreso than we had expected, and was very clean. It also had the best bathroom we saw in Italy--clean and with room to spare. We had everything we needed to be comfortable, including fast and reliable Wi-Fi.

Sadly, both my husband and I fell ill while in Florence (actually, on our way there), but to be honest--if I was going to get sick in a foreign country and have to be holed up in an unfamiliar place--I'm glad it was here. On the days we needed to stay in, we were able to make use of the well-equipped kitchen, and get some pretty solid rest in complete darkness (great, dark curtains and control of light) on a pretty comfortable bed.

On the days we were able to make it into town to enjoy Florence, we really appreciated the proximity of the bus stop into town. Just a short bus ride took us into the heart of the historical center of Florence, with museums, cathedrals, shops, restaurants and gelaterias.

We hope to stay here again! We had a wonderful time and can't thank Marco enough--he was a great host, both kind and helpful.